First foods database
🍈 Soursop for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat soursop? Yes, from about 6 months, as long as every seed is removed. Soursop (also called graviola or guanabana) has creamy, tangy white flesh rich in vitamin C, but its shiny black seeds must never be eaten.
Good source of: Vitamin C, Fibre, Potassium
How to serve soursop by age
6 to 9 months
Choose a ripe soursop that gives slightly when pressed. Cut it open, scoop out the white flesh and pick out every black seed by hand, then mash with a fork or blend until smooth. Mix with banana or plain yoghurt if your baby finds it sharp. Soft, seed-free pieces can be offered as finger food.
9 to 12 months
Offer small, soft, seed-checked pieces of flesh, or stir mashed soursop into porridge or yoghurt. It freezes well in ice cube trays for adding to purées later.
12 months and up
Blend seed-free soursop with milk or yoghurt into a smoothie served with a meal, or serve soft pieces in a fruit salad. Keep checking for seeds every time.
Choking safety
Soursop seeds are hard and slippery and should never be eaten, as they are a choking hazard and are not safe to chew. Remove them all carefully before serving, and check the mashed flesh again with your fingers. The fibrous core should also be removed.
Gagging is common and noisy while babies learn to eat. Choking is usually silent. Always stay with your baby while they eat, sitting upright. How to help a choking baby (NHS).
Good to know
- Remove all seeds, which should not be eaten.
- Soursop drinks and juices are often sweetened.
- Avoid soursop leaf teas and supplements for babies.
Easy ideas
- Soursop and banana mash
- Soursop swirled through plain yoghurt
- Soursop and mango smoothie with a meal (toddlers)
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat soursop?
Can babies eat soursop? Yes, from about 6 months, as long as every seed is removed. Soursop (also called graviola or guanabana) has creamy, tangy white flesh rich in vitamin C, but its shiny black seeds must never be eaten.
Can babies eat soursop?
Yes, if all seeds are removed and the flesh is mashed or cut small.
Is soursop tea safe for babies?
No. Soursop leaf teas and herbal teas are not recommended for babies.
Can I use frozen soursop pulp?
Yes, if it is plain and unsweetened. Check the label for added sugar and defrost it in the fridge.
Sources
OBubba gives general information based on UK guidance. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Every baby is different. If your baby has a known allergy, severe eczema or a medical condition, speak to your doctor or health visitor before starting solids. Learn baby first aid, and in an emergency call your local emergency number (999 in the UK).