Overview:

The cherimoya is a small tree native to the highland valleys of Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru. While not native to Chile, the cherimoya ahs naturalized there.  It is also can be found growing throughout the Americas, Hawaii and in the Mediterranean region of Europe.

A small deciduous tree, the cherimoya reaches a height of 22 feet. The flowers are produced in small cluster and are a yellow-brown with a purple base.  The fruit of the cherimoya is oval and 4 to 8 inches long and about 4 inches in diameter.  The fruit has a sweet white flesh that has the consistence of custard.  It tastes like a blend of pineapple, mango and strawberry.  The fruit contains many small brown seeds that are easily removed.  These seeds are poisonous when crushed and eaten.

Active Ingredients:

Cherimoyas contain these nutrients per 100gm of fruit.

• Protein 1.65
• Lipids 0.62gm
• Carbohydrates 17.7gm
• Vitamin C 11.5gm
• Calcium 8mg
• Magnesium 16mg
• Phosphorus 26mg
• Potassium 269mg

To see a complete breakdown of the nutrition in cherimoya please refer to the nutritional analysis from the USDA at the end of this monograph.

Traditional uses:

The native people use the cherimoya for:

• bad breath
• constipation
• kidney and bladder infections

Clinical uses:

Cherimoya is used for its nutritional value and for the free radical scavenging of its antioxidants.

Contra-indications:

None

Drug interactions

None

Complete nutritional analysis from the US Department of Agriculture
Cherimoya, raw
Refuse: 21%  (Seeds and skin)
Scientific Name:  Annona cherimola
NDB No: 09062 (Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion)

Nutrient	Units	Value per 100 grams	Number of Data Points	Std. Error
Proximates
Water	g	79.39	3	1.11
Energy	kcal	74	0	-
Energy	kj	311	0	-
Protein	g	1.65	3	0.028
Total lipid (fat)	g	0.62	3	0.023
Ash	g	0.64	3	0.028
Carbohydrate, by difference	g	17.70	0	-
Fiber, total dietary	g	2.3	0	-
Sucrose	g	1.30	1	-
Minerals
Calcium, Ca	mg	8	3	0.7
Iron, Fe	mg	0.30	3	0.083
Magnesium, Mg	mg	16	3	0.475
Phosphorus, P	mg	26	3	0.5
Potassium, K	mg	269	3	42.9
Sodium, Na	mg	4	3	0.125
Zinc, Zn	mg	0.18	3	0.03
Copper, Cu	mg	0.073	3	0.018
Manganese, Mn	mg	0.083	3	0.008
Vitamins
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid	mg	11.5	2	-
Thiamin	mg	0.091	3	0.043
Riboflavin	mg	0.119	3	0.001
Niacin	mg	0.574	3	0.216
Pantothenic acid	mg	0.237	3	0.043
Vitamin B-6	mg	0.212	3	0.161
Folate, total	mcg	18	2	-
Folate acid	mcg	0	0	-
Folate, food	mcg	18	2	-
Folate, DFE	mcg_DFE	18	0	-
Vitamin B-12	mcg	0.00	0	-
Vitamin A, IU	IU	0	2	-
Vitamin A, RAE	mcg_RAE	0	2	-
Retinol	mcg	0	0	-
Lipids
Cholesterol	mg	0	0	-
Other
Carotene, beta	mcg	0	2	-
Carotene, alpha	mcg	0	2	-
Cryptoxanthin, beta	mcg	0	2	-

1. USDA
2. Wikipedia
3. Healthy.net