Uses and Benefits of the Cherimoya Fruit

Popularly referred to as the custard apple, the cherimoya is an edible fruit native to the south American countries of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.  The cherimoya fruit has a soft creamy texture and resemble a green apple with a gorgeous armadillo like shell. Its heart shape is probably one of the reasons why mark Twain christened it “the most delicious fruit known to men.”  The seeds and skin of the cherimoya fruit are toxic, and one must be cautious when consuming this fruit whose taste is a blend between pears, pineapples and bananas and is absolutely delicious. This detail should however not stop you from enjoying the combination of deliciousness and alluring nutritional profile that come with the cherimoya fruit.

Top 5 uses and benefits of the Cherimoya

Healthy hair: Flavor isn’t the only thing that the cherimoya fruit boasts. The cherimoya fruit contains Vitamin C and other nutrients such as zinc, iron and magnesium which promote the health of your hair and boost growth. An unripe cherimoya fruit can be dried and powdered to be used for the treatment of lice while the oil from the cherimoya seeds can be used to moisturize the scalp leaving your hair looking nice and lustrous.

Boost Heart health: The cherimoya fruit contains high levels of potassium and low levels of cholesterols both properties which are great for a hearty heart. The potassium levels keep your blood pressure and heart beat in check while the low cholesterol levels promote the existence of the good cholesterol. With the help of the dietary fiber found in the Cherimoya, our bodies equally absorb less cholesterol which from the foods we consume which makes it great for protection from  atherosclerosis, stroke, hypertension, heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases.

Required minerals and anti-oxidants: With an abundance of both, the cherimoya is a great source of both minerals and antioxidants. It contains high levels of potassium and other minerals such as manganese, sodium, zinc, magnesium all which play an important role in promoting our overall health. The vitamin C in the cherimoya fruit acts as an antioxidant alongside others such as annonaceous acetogenins a well-known polyphenolic antioxidant with properties that keep diseases such as malaria and cancer at bay as it fights free unwanted radicals in the body.

Improve Immunity: A natural and extremely powerful anti-oxidant, Vitamin C which can be found in plenty in the cherimoya protect the body from infectious radicals. It also plays an important role in improving your body’s immune function by developing its resistance abilities. A cherimoya a day keeps the flu away.

Promote the health of your bones:

Working to prevent the commencement of bone issues such as osteoporosis, cherimoya contains a diverse array of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, phosphorous etc. Calcium is particularly essential for your general bone health, but it works hand in hand with phosphorous and the other minerals to improve and aid in the development of bone density. Cherimoya fruit is also great for individuals suffering from age related bone issues.

Cherimoya is a delicious fruit, packed with loads of nutrients and is an excellent addition to your diet. A one of a kind fruit, the cherimoya can be enjoyed on its own due to its one of a kind delectable taste. However, it is common to find the cherimoya being introduced in drink or dessert recipes and with other fruits. This shows just how diverse the cherimoya fruit is and the five benefits we have listed above are just but a few of the uses and benefits you can get from the cherimoya.