Custard apple or cherimoya is a subtropical fruit of the Annonacea family. It is famous as a sitafal in India and has green-colored, tough-leathery skin and creamy meat inside.

Custard apple comes in various shapes, including spherical, round, irregular conical, or heart shapes. The flesh of sitafal has a sweet, creamy, and granular texture with lots of seeds. Custard apple is often eaten raw and served chilled. The temping sweet and icy flavor makes it an irresistible fruit.

Health Benefits

Custard apple is an extraordinary fruit, loaded with fibers, minerals, and vitamins that possess many health merits, including:

Custard apple is high in fibers, which helps digestion, prevents constipation, and detoxifies our body.
Sitafal contains many antioxidants (flavonoids, phenolic compounds, kaurenoic acid, and vitamin C) that fight free radicals associated with chronic diseases, cancer, and heart disease. Antioxidants (lutein and carotenoid) also protect our eyes from oxidative damage and lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration, vision loss, and cataracts.
Cherimoya is rich in nutrients, including potassium and magnesium, which reduces blood pressure levels by dilating narrowed blood vessels. As we all know, high blood pressure increases the risk of heart diseases and stroke.
Sitafal is rich in Vitamin B6, which elevates our mood and reduces symptoms of depression or sadness. So, whenever you feel low, eat it to restore your mood.
Flavonoids (catechin, epicatechin, and epigallocatechin) present in custard apples halt the growth of cancer cells. They also reduce the risk of developing cancers, such as breast cancer, stomach, and colon cancer.
Cherimoya contains several anti-inflammatory compounds, such as kaurenoic acid and flavonoids, which possess anti-inflammatory effects and reduces the risk of several chronic inflammatory conditions.
Sitafal is a rich source of vitamin C, which boosts our immunity to fight against infections and diseases.

Custard apple has numerous health benefits, but it also contains scanty toxic compounds (annonacin), which affect our brain and nervous system. This toxin is mainly present in fruit’s skin and seeds, so remove them before eating.

Cherimoya is a sweet fruit and enhances the taste of fruit salad, smoothies, soup, cake, and flavored yogurt or oatmeal. So add them to your menu and relinquish their sweet-creamy taste.

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cherimoya#TOC_TITLE_HDR_11