Guyabano Shake (Soursop Smoothies)

I recently bought two beautiful “guyabano” (soursop) from a backyard fruit grower in our area of residence. The fruits are so large that when they ripe at the same time, our group composed of 7 members could hardly consume all the delicate flesh. Not wanting to waste any portion of the rich creamy pulp of the wonderful produce considered by many as “miraculous fruits” due to its numerous healing properties and a reported potential cure for cancer cells, I thought making a “guyabano” shake is the next best thing to do.

The “guyabano” (soursop) or the fruit from the graviola tree belongs to the family of Annonaceae and identified as a relative of “atis” (sweet sop or sugar apple). The heart shaped to sometimes oblong fruit has a dark green, leathery and spike-like skin that measures from 8 to 12 inches long and can weigh up to 2.5 kilos. When ripe, its fruit is colored light yellow and soft. The tree is relatively small. It usually grows from 8 to less than 20 feet high and is sensitive to very cold temperatures. It requires a lot of water, warmth and humidity and is usually grown in the tropics.

A native of tropical America, “guyabano” was introduced into the Philippines at an early date and is now cultivated in all parts of the Archipelago. The plant grows in any kind of soil, but a fairly deep, friable soil of volcanic origin is conducive to growth and fruiting. It thrives very well from sea level up to 500 meters above sea level. In limited extent, it is cultivated commercially in Central & South America, West Africa, South Florida and of course Asia.

“Guyabano” is one of the healthiest fruits known to man. The flesh of the fruit consist of a white edible pulp that is high in carbohydrates (particularly fructose) and contains considerable amounts of Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, potassium and dietary fiber. It is low in cholesterol, saturated fat and sodium.

Aside from being a good health food, “guyabano” also taste delicious. While it is commonly eaten raw, its fruit is also processed into candies, tarts, shakes (smoothies), ice-cream, sherbets and other beverages. An assortment of punch and cocktail drinks can be made by mixing the nectar with wine rum or cola drinks or buko (fresh coconut) juice and ice.

So for the excess flesh of my huge “guyabano”, we will make a smooth and luscious shake drinks. For a single blending good for about 3 tall glasses, we will need about 1 ½ cup “guyabano” flesh, pelled and seed removed, ¼ cup skim milk, ¼ cup honey, 1 cup ice cube and 1 cup cold water.

The process is pretty simple. You just have to put everything into the blender and pulse it a couple of times until a smoth, rich and creamy consistency is attained.

Pour the shakes (smoothies) into tall glasses and serve. It goes well with your favorite snack or even on its own as a truly refreshing drinks.

“Guyabano” shake, though it’s quite getting popular over the years, is still underrated. For me, it is so good that it deserves a lot more attention and praise than what it is currently getting. c“,)