Nutrition Facts Water and Beverages Soursop Tea Benefits and Side Effects Can Soursop Tea Prevent Cancer or Help With Weight Loss? By Malia Frey facebook twitter linkedin Malia Frey is a weight loss expert, certified health coach, weight management specialist, personal trainer, and fitness nutrition specialist. Learn about our editorial process Malia Frey Reviewed by Reviewed by Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDE, CPT on January 26, 2020 facebook twitter instagram Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDE, CPT is a New York City-based telehealth registered dietitian nutritionist and nutrition communications expert. Learn about our Review Board Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDE, CPT Updated on February 22, 2020 Print Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Table of Contents View All What Is Soursop Tea? Does Soursop Tea Contain Caffeine? Soursop Tea Health Benefits Soursop Tea Risks and Side Effects Soursop tea is an herbal tea that is made from the leaves of the soursop fruit tree. Soursop tea is also called graviola tea and is rumored to have significant powers to prevent or treat cancer. Unfortunately, however, researchers have not been able to prove this benefit when they study soursop leaves in clinical studies. In addition, consuming soursop (especially long-term) may cause harm. What Is Soursop Tea? Soursop trees are native to tropical areas in North and South American. The soursop fruit is a large green oval or heart-shaped fruit with thorny skin. Some sources describe the fruit as having a musky taste, while others compare the taste to that of a banana or a papaya. People use the fruit to make juice, smoothies, ice cream, and other sweet treats. Many people also use the leaves of the soursop fruit tree to make soursop tea. Soursop is also called graviola, so the drink may also be referred to as graviola tea. Other names for soursop include guanabana, custard apple, and Brazilian paw paw. Some people also combine soursop tea with other ingredients including soursop fruit, matcha, or other herbal blends to tailor the taste or boost the health benefits. Does Soursop Tea Contain Caffeine? Soursop tea is not a "tea" in the traditional sense and is not made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, like black tea or green tea. It is brewed using just parts of the soursop plant, which does not contain any caffeine. Therefore soursop tea is completely caffeine-free. Soursop Tea Health Benefits The most significant soursop tea health benefit that you'll see advertised online or in stores is cancer treatment. Graviola tea or the tea made from soursop leaves is believed by many to treat, prevent, and even cure cancer. However, right now there is no overwhelming evidence to support those claims. Preliminary studies suggest that soursop has both chemopreventative and therapeutic potential, but there are no conclusive results and further research is warranted. Well-respected cancer organizations still advise caution: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center acknowledges that graviola has shown anticancer properties in lab studies, but human data are lacking.Cancer Research UK (a non-profit cancer organization based in England) states that there is no evidence to show that graviola works as a cure for cancer.The Cancer Treatment Centers of America advise, "Experts warn against using the fruit to treat cancer. While research suggests soursop can fight cancer, it has not been studied in humans. As a result, there is no evidence of its safety or efficacy." In addition to its anticancer properties, some people use soursop to treat infections, coughs, weight loss, herpes, inflammation of the nose and throat, and parasitic infections such as lice. Others may use graviola tea or soursop fruit to induce vomiting or to increase relaxation. Soursop Tea Risks and Side Effects Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center advises that you don't consume soursop or soursop leaves if you: Are taking blood pressure medicationAre taking diabetes medicationIf you are having any nuclear imaging studies performed The organization also adds that repeated use may cause liver and kidney toxicity and that side effects of soursop may include movement disorders and myeloneuropathy (a condition with symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease). A Word From Verywell If you or a loved one has cancer, it can be tempting to try an alternative treatment that promises hope. There are some holistic treatments that may provide relief from certain cancer symptoms. However, some anticancer treatments may do more harm than good. Before considering soursop, soursop leaves or any herbal treatment, speak with your healthcare provider to make sure that the treatment you use to get well doesn't cause harm. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get nutrition tips and advice to make healthy eating easier. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Qazi AK, Siddiqui JA, Jahan R, et al. Emerging therapeutic potential of graviola and its constituents in cancers. Carcinogenesis. 2018;39(4):522-533. doi:10.1093/carcin/bgy024 Graviola. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. 2019. Gajalakshmi S, Vijayalakshmi S, Devi Rajeswari V. Phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Annona Muricata: a review. International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2012;4(2). Mochado de Moraes I, Ribeiro P, et al. UPLC–QTOF–MS and NMR analyses of graviola (Annona muricata) leaves. Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia. 2016;26(2):174-179. doi:10.1016/j.bjp.2015.12.001 Qazi AK, Siddiqui JA, Jahan R, et al. Emerging therapeutic potential of graviola and its constituents in cancers. Carcinogenesis. 2018;39(4):522-533. doi:10.1093/carcin/bgy024 Cancer Research UK. Graviola (soursop). Updated October 22, 2018. Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Experts warn against using soursop to fight cancer. 2017. Additional Reading Graviola. Therapeutic Research Center. Natural Medicines Database. https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/databases/food,-herbs-supplements/professional.aspx?productid=1054 Soursop. Herbal Safety. UT El Paso. Austin Cooperative Pharmacy Program & Paso del Norte Health Foundation http://www.herbalsafety.utep.edu/herbal-fact-sheets/soursop/ 404 404