Fruits · IFCT 2017
Soursop: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, soursop pulp gives 62 kcal, 11.9 g carbohydrate, 5.0 g dietary fibre and 59.5 mg vitamin C, according to IFCT 2017. The vitamin C ranks 7th of 44 fruits and covers about 74 per cent of a man's and 92 per cent of a woman's daily requirement, and the fibre ranks 11th. It is a good fruit, though far less remarkable than forwarded messages claim.
About soursop
Soursop is a large, green, heart-shaped fruit covered in soft spines, a cousin of custard apple. It came to India from tropical America and grows in home gardens along the west coast and in the south: Kerala, coastal Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu and the Andaman Islands. IFCT 2017 records lakshmanaphala and mulluramphala in Kannada, lakshamana phalamu in Telugu, mullatha in Malayalam and malai seethapalam in Tamil; in Hindi-speaking markets it is often sold as lakshman phal or hanuman phal.
Inside, the white, fibrous, juicy pulp tastes like a mix of pineapple, strawberry and citrus, sour-sweet and fragrant, studded with shiny black seeds. The fruit is soft and spoils quickly once ripe, so it is mostly eaten fresh or turned into juice and ice cream near where it grows.
What soursop brings to a meal
- 01
Strong vitamin C
At 59.5 mg per 100 g, soursop ranks 7th of 44 fruits and 23rd of 130 foods for vitamin C. From 100 g, a man gets about 74 per cent of his daily vitamin C requirement and a woman about 92 per cent.
- 02
Good fibre
Soursop has 5.0 g dietary fibre per 100 g, 11th among fruits. Its stringy, cotton-like flesh is where much of that fibre sits.
- 03
Moderate sugar and energy
Of 11.9 g carbohydrate per 100 g, 9.8 g is sugars, and the energy is 62 kcal, mid-table among fruits. The sour edge makes it taste less sweet than it is.
- 04
Niacin for a fruit
Its 0.85 mg niacin per 100 g covers about 5 per cent of a man's and 6 per cent of a woman's daily requirement, a little above most fruit.
Soursop nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 62 kcal | 3% | 4% |
| Protein | 0.7 g | 1% | 2% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 11.9 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 5 g | ||
| Free sugars | 9.8 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.9 g | ||
| Water | 80.8 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.14 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.04 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.13 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 54 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 10 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Iron | 0.29 mg | 2% | 1% |
| Zinc | 0.12 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Magnesium | 18 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Phosphorus | 26 mg | ||
| Potassium | 264 mg | ||
| Sodium | 7 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.14 mg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 59.5 mg | 74% | 92% |
| Beta-carotene | 2 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.03 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.04 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.85 mg | 5% | 6% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.03 mg | 1% | 2% |
| Folate (B9) | 6 µg | 2% | 3% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.06 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 2.6 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Soursop: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fruits/soursop/
Where soursop sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 43 fruits and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In fruits | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 59.5 mg | 7th of 44 | 23rd of 130 |
| Dietary fibre | 5 g | 11th of 43 | 80th of 182 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 54 mg | 15th of 42 | 103rd of 202 |
| Beta-carotene | 2 µg | 36th of 41 | 152nd of 160 |
| Energy | 62 kcal | 17th of 44 | 160th of 257 |
How soursop is eaten
- Eaten fresh with a spoon, the black seeds picked out and discarded.
- Soursop juice: pulp blended with water, strained and lightly sweetened, popular in Kerala homes.
- Folded into ice cream or kulfi, where its tang balances the milk.
- Blended with curd into a smoothie, seeds removed first.
Before you plan around it
Never eat the seeds, and avoid teas made from the leaves. Soursop contains annonacin, a natural compound that, in people who ate the fruit and drank leaf teas heavily for years, has been linked to a nerve disorder resembling Parkinson's disease. Eating the fruit now and then is not a concern. Widely shared claims that soursop or its leaves fight cancer are not supported by good human evidence, and no one should delay or replace medical treatment because of them.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about soursop
Is soursop the same as lakshman phal?
Yes. Soursop is sold as lakshman phal, and sometimes hanuman phal, in many Indian markets. IFCT 2017 records lakshmanaphala in Kannada and lakshamana phalamu in Telugu for this fruit.
Does soursop help with cancer?
There is no good human evidence that soursop fruit or leaves help with cancer. The claims come mostly from laboratory studies and forwarded messages. Heavy, long-term use of soursop products has been linked to nerve problems. Cancer needs care from an oncologist.
How much vitamin C is in soursop?
IFCT 2017 lists 59.5 mg vitamin C per 100 g of soursop, 7th of 44 fruits. That is about 74 per cent of a man's and 92 per cent of a woman's daily requirement.
Can people with diabetes eat soursop?
In modest amounts. Soursop has 11.9 g carbohydrate and 9.8 g sugars per 100 g, with 5.0 g fibre. A small bowl with a meal fits most plans better than sweetened juice. Plan portions with your doctor or dietitian.
Related foods and tables
Custard apple (sitaphal)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mangosteen
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Rambutan
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Pineapple
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Guava
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Vitamin C content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin c per 100 g.
Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by dietary fibre per 100 g.
Omega-3 (ALA) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by omega-3 (ala) per 100 g.
All fruits
44 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.