Anonas

Anonas- Annona Reticulata

When I was a young kid, my grandparents grow all kinds of fruit trees in their backyard and Anonas is one of them. The fruit is heart-shaped like atis or cherimoya. The outer skin is brown, reddish in color but the pulp is just like its relative Atis or Cherimoya, white in color with seeds in each segments, and is creamy and have a sweet flavor. The tree grows up to 10 meters tall and bears fragrant flowers.

Anonas just like other tropical fruits in the Philippines must have been brought by Spaniards during colonization and is now widely cultivated. But sorry to say that it did not make it into the marketplace, not like Atis or Cherimoya and Soursop. That’s why I have not seen this fruit a long time until last year when I went vacation to Iba, Zambales, Philippines.

Fruits and other parts of the tree, bark, leaves and roots are used for medicinal purposes. Recent researches shows that Anonas has properties that can be used for treating cancers. It has anti-oxidants and a good source of Vit. C and carbohydrates. It is also rich in pectin. Eating the fruits also helps expel intestinal worms just like the pineapple.