5 Health Benefits of Soursop Leaves

Nature in its abundance has provided us with solutions to various diseases threatening the human race. Quite a number of research has proven that various parts of plants, when consumed, have the potential of providing treatment to a great number of dangerous diseases such as diabetes, cancer and inflammation just to mention a few. Soursop is one of the plants with immense medicinal benefits, so if you are someone who does not believe in medicinal plant, it is high time you have a change of mind.

Soursop is an evergreen flowering plant that grows vastly in many regions including Central America, Southern America, and Africa. The tree grows to about 20-30 cm, with broad green leaves. The extract from the leaves, when consumed, is said to possess the ability to treat various illnesses. The medicinal benefits of soursop leaf are addressed below.

1. Treatment of cancer: Radioactive and chemotherapeutic treatment of cancer come with serious side-effects. Thus, in other to avoid these side-effects, the use of medicinal plants must be encouraged. Reports have revealed that the extracts of the leaves slow down the growth of cancer cells and pose no harm to healthy cells. To prepare soursop tea for the treatment of cancer, 15 leaves of soursop dry leaves should be boiled in 1 litres of clean water for 30 mins and 1 cup of the tea extract should be drunk morning, afternoon and night.
2. Treatment of diabetes: Diabetes is a disease that results from low levels of insulin in the body. Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate the level of glucose in the blood, low levels of insulin ultimately results in high level of glucose in the blood which is continually excreted in urine, thus reducing the availability of glucose for the supply of energy in the body. Research has shown that soursop treats diabetics by stimulating the insulin secretory gland. Soursop tea extract for the treatment of diabetes can be prepared by heating 10 leaves of soursop in two cups of water. It is advisable to drink a tea cup of the extract once in the morning and night to treat diabetes.
3. Boosts immune system: The antioxidant component of soursop extract helps to boost the immune system, thereby increasing the body’s immunity to cough and cold. Consistent use of soursop has the tendency of shielding the body from viral infection.
4. Treatment of rheumatism: Rheumatism is mostly suffered by some at old age, and it causes pain and inflammation in joints and muscle. The pain and inflammations are majorly due to the damage of end bone cartilage in the joint and can also be due to dysfunction of the immune system. To treat rheumatism with soursop, fresh leaves from the plant are mashed into a pulp and applied at the joint.
5. Treatment of boils: Boils can be treated by applying mashed soursop leaf on the surface of the infected part of the skin.

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oladepo-abiola-joshua

Oladepo Abiola is trained as a Biochemist and is currently an intern at ConnectNigeria.

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