QUALITATIVE FEATURES AND THERAPEUTIC VALUE OF CUSTARD APPLE FRUIT

Annona squamosa L. (Family: Annonaceae ), popularly known as sugar apple or custard apple or sweetsop, native to tropical America, cultivated in different tropical countries around the world. It possesses a number of nutritional and medicinal properties. The ripe flesh portion is more valuable for diet having significant amount of nutrition. It exhibits antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial properties. Custard apple contains vitamin A, C, magnesium and iron that maintains in body against the problem of arthritis and anemia. It also improves the metabolic system and reduces the deficiency of vitamin B6. Conclusively, it had been showed that sugar apple pulp and peel in grind form powder has better nutritional value and also have essential role in lowering the human health disorders.