Custard Apple

Small, deciduous fruit tree or shrub, 5-10 m tall. Leaves alternate, oblong, 10-20 cm long and 2-5 cm wide. Fragrant flowers. Fruits 8-16 cm, compound (made of several pollinated flowers, like a pineapple), yellow to brownish when ripe.

Native to Central America, now widespread in the tropics between 0 and 1500 m.

Vitamin C in the fruit is believed to help to dilate blood vessels in case of high cholesterol and high blood pressure. The presence of vitamin B6 in the fruit is believed to help to control fat deposits near the heart, further preventing heart related issues.

Custard apple can be eaten raw as a fresh fruit. It is considered not as delicious as the closely related “Sugar apple” (Annona squamosa) or “Cherimoya” (Annona cherimola).