Graviola is a small upright evergreen tree, 5 to 6 meters high with large, glossy, dark green leaves.
It produces a large, heart-shaped edible fruit that is 15 to 23cm in diameter, is yellow- green in colour, and has a white flesh inside. Graviola is indigenous to most of the warmest tropical areas in South and North America, including the Amazon. The fruit is sold in local markets in the tropics, where it is called Guanabana or Brazilian Cherimoya.
All parts of the Graviola tree are used in natural medicine in the tropics, including the bark, leaves, roots, fruit, and fruit-seeds. Different properties and uses are attributed to the different parts of the tree.
Many bioactive compounds and phytochemicals have been found in Graviola, as scientists have been studying its properties since the 1940s. One of the qualities of Graviola is that it can maintain healthy cells in the human body.
