Rashidat Oladele
Claim: Soursop leaves and fruit can cure cancer as a better alternative to chemotherapy.
An article about soursop curing cancer and being superior to chemotherapy was posted on social media, specifically TikTok, by @Eleshinnogo. The page’s anchor, a self-described alternative doctor, has a lot to say about how to combine the mixture to help treat breast cancer, breast lumps, prostate cancer, colon cancer, and other diseases.
He said the processes involve utilizing a combination of soursop leaves and coconut water to create the “miracle health drink.” Most responses were positive, with some praising him and requesting more details about the recipe. His page also offers other holistic remedies made from combinations of herbs and leaves for treating a range of medical conditions.
The post has since gathered 130,100 views; 2,706 likes; 727 bookmarks; 3,609 share; and 146 comments.
According to him the cancer will be gone after consuming the concoction for minimum of one month and maximum of two.
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMMDxGeu8/
NatureNews, Africa’s foremost news publications which is dedicated to providing accurate insights to stop the spread of fake news particularly among users of social media, subjected the claim to fact checking by NatureFact, the fact checking unit of NatureNews.
Findings: Using the Google search tool in conducting this research, a few papers and studies were accessed.
These include:
https://www.ellicsr.ca/en/connect_with_ELLICSR/ellicsr_blog/Pages/ask_dietitian_soursop.aspx
https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/soursop-fruit-hailed-as-a-cancer-cure- 562180.html#google_vignette
https://www.verywellhealth.com/soursop-cancer-5087901
https://www.cancercenter.com/community/blog/2017/07/experts-warn-against-soursop-fruit-to-fight-cancer
Wikipedia also did a concise explainer on the alleged efficacy of sousop in treating cancer. According to global data site, With an aroma similar to pineapple, the flavor of the fruit has been described as a combination of strawberries and apple with sour citrus flavor notes, contrasting with an underlying thick creamy texture reminiscent of banana.
Soursop is widely promoted (sometimes as “graviola”) as an alternative cancer treatment, but there is no reliable medical evidence that it is effective for treating cancer or any disease.
Verdict: False