Soursop vs Graviola vs Guanabana: Same Fruit, Three Names

May 9, 2026

Soursop. Graviola. Guanabana. If you have ever shopped for any of these in the UK, you have probably wondered whether they are different products or the same thing under different names. Short answer: they are the same plant. Longer answer: knowing which name is being used where can save you a lot of confusion at checkout.

The same plant, three traditions

All three names refer to Annona muricata, a small evergreen tree native to the Caribbean, Central and South America, and parts of West Africa. The names just reflect the language and tradition of wherever the plant has been grown and used.

Soursop is the common English name, used widely in the Caribbean, the United States, and the UK. It refers most often to the fruit.
Graviola is the Portuguese/botanical-leaning name, common in Brazil and on herbal tea and supplement labels. You will see it most often when the leaves are being sold for tea.
Guanabana is the Spanish-language name used across Latin America, in Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and Peru. It usually refers to the fruit, often in juices and aguas frescas.

Why does the same plant have three names?

Soursop has been part of food and herbal tradition in different parts of the world for centuries. Each tradition named it independently. So when you see "soursop tea" on one label and "graviola tea" on another, they are usually selling you the same dried leaves. The difference is just whose tradition the brand is leaning into.

In the UK, you will see all three names used:

"Soursop fruit", the whole fresh fruit, sometimes from Caribbean grocers
"Graviola leaves" or "graviola tea", the dried leaves, sold as a herbal tea
"Guanabana", less common in shops, more common in juice and Latin food sections

So which one should I buy?

The plant is the same, but the part of the plant matters. What you actually want depends on what you are after:

If you want the fruit experience, look for fresh soursop or guanabana fruit. Creamy white flesh, sweet-tart, good fresh, in smoothies, or frozen. Buy fresh soursop →
If you want a herbal tea, look for dried soursop leaves or graviola leaves. Same product. Brew 3 to 5 leaves in 1L of just-boiled water for 10 to 15 minutes. Buy dried soursop leaves →

For a side-by-side comparison of both forms, see our comparison guide.

What about the seeds?

Soursop seeds are not edible. They are firm, dark, and bitter, and they should not be eaten. Always scoop around them when you are eating fresh soursop. The seeds are sometimes sold in capsule form online, but we do not stock them at Soursoply. We focus on the parts of the plant that have been used safely in food and tea traditions for generations: the fruit and the leaves.

What does soursop taste like?

Most people land on something like "pineapple meets strawberry meets citrus, with the texture of custard." The flesh is soft and creamy, sweet but with a refreshing tang. The leaves, brewed as a tea, taste much milder. Mellow, herbal, and faintly grassy, somewhere between green tea and chamomile. Naturally caffeine-free.

For a fuller description of the fruit's flavour, see our fruit taste guide. For a sensory walkthrough of the leaf tea, see our tea taste guide.

A note on health claims

You will see big claims about soursop and graviola online. UK food law (and our own approach) is straightforward: soursop is a beautiful, traditional ingredient. We sell it as food and herbal tea, and we make no health claims about it. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking prescription medication, or have a medical condition, speak to a healthcare professional before adding any new herbal product to your routine. See our health disclaimer.

Ready to try some?

Whichever name you came in under, you have landed in the right place. Browse the full Soursoply shop. Fresh fruit and whole dried leaves, all hand-sourced from the growers we work with. Dried leaves ship free across the UK; fresh fruit is charged by weight at checkout, with worldwide tracked shipping available too.

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