CHERIMOYA

Benefits

In Mexico, rural people toast, peel and pulverize 1 or 2 seeds and take the powder with water or milk as a potent emetic and cathartic. Mixed with grease, the powder is used to kill lice and is applied on parasitic skin disorders. A decoction of the skin of the fruit is taken to relieve pneumonia.

The flesh of the ripe cherimoya is most commonly eaten out of-hand or scooped with a spoon from the cut open fruit. It really needs no embellishment but some people in Mexico like to add a few drops of lime juice. Occasionally it is seeded and added to fruit salads or used for making sherbet or ice cream. Colombians strain out the juice, add a slice of lemon and dilute with ice-water to make a refreshing soft drink. The fruit has been fermented to produce an alcoholic beverage.

Almost exclusively eaten fresh, out of hand. The pulp does not store well and the fruit is only available fresh. Seeds are toxic and when crushed can be used as an insecticide.