5 Proven Soursop Leaf Tea Benefits And Side Effects

Soursop leaf tea is made from the leaves of the Annona muricata tree. The tree grows wild in many tropical locations and is prized for both its fruit and leaves. That’s because they have proven medicinal properties.

While there are several ways to enjoy the soursop fruit, the leaves are primarily used to make soursop leaf tea.

Traditionally, Soursop leaf tea is used to alleviate health issues ranging from insomnia and diabetes to high blood pressure and anxiety.

For generations traditional healers have cherished Soursop tea as nature’s remedy in a cup. And so in this article we’ll examine some potential benefits of soursop leaf tea more closely.

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Like other sections of the Soursop plant, Soursop leaves are packed with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. These contribute to soursop leaf tea cardioprotective, anti-cancer, and antidiabetic benefits.

Soursop Leaf Tea Benefits

• Soursop leaf tea for Sleep:  Studies confirm that asimilobine is one of the alkoloids in soursop plant. Asimilobine acts on the central nervous system to promote a soothing effect which makes it easier to relax and fall asleep.

• Soursop tea for Headaches: One animal study reports that Soursop leaves contain relieving (antinociceptive) properties. That’s why drinking a cup of Soursop leaf tea is viewed as a natural way to ease headaches.

• Soursop tea for High Blood Pressure: Studies show that Soursop contains high levels of Potassium. Potassium gets rid of excess sodium and helps make blood vessels more flexible resulting in good blood pressure control.

• Soursop leaf tea for Diabetes: The high fiber content in soursop may slow digestion and improve glycemic control. By allowing sugars more time to break down sugar soursop leaf te may keep glucose levels under control.

• Soursop leaf tea for Cancer:  The soursop plant is a rich source of acetogenins which have anticancer properties. Early studies report that annonaceous acetogenins Sorusop leaves may kill or prevent the formation of certain cancer cells. (More studies are need).

Soursop Leaf Tea and Cancer

There is a lot of claim across the interent indication that Soursop leaf tea is good for treatment cancer. Although studies look promising, there is no credible human data to support this claim.

Making Soursop Leaf Tea

This is a quick recipe showing you how to make Soursop leaf tea at home.

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 dried soursop leaves (3 tablespoons crushed dried leaves)
• 2 Cups of water
• Your favorite sweetener

Directions

In Jamaica, soursop leaf tea is generally sweetened with brown sugar or honey and consumed while warm.

Soursop Tea Health Benefits

Soursop leaf tea is filled with nutrients that benefit the body. These are a few additional health benefits of Soursop leaf tea.

Soursop Tea Nutrients	What soursop tea does for the body
Vitamin C	Enhances the body’s immune system and promotes healthy skin.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)	This is also known as the anti-stress vitamin. It lowers the risk of stress related inflammation.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	Riboflavin converts food into energy wihc serves a fuel for the body.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)	Reduces the risks of hardening of the arteries to ensure good cardiovascular health
Calcium	Helps build strong teeth and bones as well as support proper heart function.
Iron	Makes hemoglobin which is needed for transporting oxygen around the body.
Magnesium	Helps with warding of depression and assist with regulating the nervous system.
Potassium	Flushes excess sodium from the body to support optimal heart health.
Phosphorus	This nutrient is needed for growth, and repair of cells and tissues. It is also vital for producing DNA and RNA.

Soursop Leaf Tea Side Effects

Who should not drink soursop tea? Soursop leaf tea is generally considered safe for most people. However, some people may experience certain side effects such as those below:

Kidney problems: Potassium in soursop leaves may affect people with kidney issues who drink excessive amounts of soursop leaf tea.

Drop in blood glucose levels: Persons who take medication to control their diabetes should exercise caution. Consuming the infusion could lower their blood glucose to dangerous levels.

Allergic Reactions: Some users have reported allergic reactions to soursop products. These reactions can vary in severity and cause symptoms like itching, rash, or swelling.

Low Blood Pressure: Drinking too much soursop leaf tea may cause a problem for individuals who take medication to lower their blood pressure. Plant compounds in soursop may interact some blood pressure medication.

May be toxic: In one animal study researchers identified two compounds in both Soursop fruit and leaves that may be toxic. The compounds are annonacin and acetogenin. 

Pregnant and breastfeeding: Women who are pregnant should exercise caution with soursop tea consumption as there is limited data on its safety.

Buy Dried Soursop Leaves

You should be able to find soursop leaves quite easily. Here are some places where you may find pure, dried soursop leaf for making tea:

• Local Grocery Stores: Some larger grocery stores, especially those with a diverse selection of finternational foods may carry soursop leaves and teabags.

• Specialty or Ethnic Stores: Stores that cater to specific ethnic communities or offer a wide variety of international foods might stock soursop products including dried Soursop leaves.

• Health Food Stores: Some health food stores or natural markets might carry soursop tea in the ethnic foods aisle.

• Online Retailers: Online retailers and marketplaces such as Amazon and Etsy carry a wide range of organic soursop leaf tea that is shipped from various locations. around the world.

Bonus Tip: Whenever possible choose pure, whole or loose Soursop leaves over sorusop teabags because they tend to be higher quaility.

Conclusion

What is Soursop tea good for? One well known benefits of Soursop leaves tea its ability to lower your blood pressure. Soursop tea is able to ccontol blood glucose levels too. The tea can also help relieve some digestive problems. 

However, you need to be cautious if you take medication to control blood pressure or diabetes and the tea can interact with those medications.

Although many benefits of soursop leaves tea are proven, there are still a lot of unknowns. Therefore, you should always exercise caution like you would with any other herbal product.

Disclaimer: This website is for informational purposes only. Nothing stated on the site should be viewed as medical advice. Please talk to a qualified Healthcare Professional about matters relating to your medical care.