How to Prepare Soursop Leaves for Drinking: Boiling Time and How Many Leaves

To prepare soursop leaves for drinking, rinse 5 dried leaves, boil them in about one cup of water for 10 to 15 minutes, leave them to steep for 10 minutes, then strain. Drink it hot or cold. Those are the directions printed on the xHerbs dried soursop leaves pack. For a milder tea, use the same 5 leaves in two cups of water. Keep to no more than two cups a day, and take regular breaks rather than drinking it every day for months. Below is the step-by-step method for dried and fresh leaves, how to make soursop "drinking water", what to add for taste, and who should skip it.

What you need

• 5 dried soursop leaves, or about 10 fresh leaves. Fresh leaves hold more water, so you need roughly twice as many.
• 1 cup (about 250ml) of clean water for a stronger tea, or 2 cups for a milder one
• a small pot with a lid, and a strainer
• optional: a slice of lemon, a few slices of ginger, or a teaspoon of honey

How to boil soursop leaves for tea: step by step

1. Rinse the leaves under running water to remove any dust. Tear dried leaves in half if you like. It helps them release flavour.
2. Bring the water to a boil, then add the leaves.
3. Reduce to a gentle boil for 10 to 15 minutes with the lid on. Fresh leaves may need the full 15.
4. Turn off the heat and steep for 10 minutes.
5. Strain into a cup and throw the leaves away. Don't reuse them.
6. Drink it hot, or let it cool and refrigerate it for up to a day.

The tea is pale green to golden and slightly bitter and earthy. If it tastes unpleasantly strong, add more water next time rather than more sugar.

How to prepare soursop leaves for drinking water

Some people keep soursop leaves in a bottle of drinking water through the day. If you want soursop "water", boil it first using the method above, cool it, and store it in a clean bottle in the fridge for no more than a day. Soaking raw leaves in water at room temperature isn't a good idea in Nigerian heat. Bacteria grow quickly, and you can't tell how strong it has become.

How to make soursop tea taste better

• Lemon or lime: a slice after straining brightens the bitterness.
• Ginger: add 2 or 3 thin slices to the pot. See our ginger guide.
• Lemongrass: a stalk in the pot adds a fresh smell.
• Honey: a teaspoon, if you don't need to watch your sugar. Never give honey to babies under one.

How much soursop tea can you drink?

There is no officially established safe dose for soursop leaf tea, so cautious limits make sense:

• No more than two cups a day.
• Take breaks: for example, drink it for a week, then stop for a few days.
• Don't drink it in large amounts for months. Soursop contains compounds, including annonacin, that researchers have linked to nerve problems with heavy, long-term use.

More detail is in soursop leaves side effects.

How to prepare soursop leaves for high blood pressure or diabetes

The preparation is the same. But be careful. Soursop may lower blood pressure and blood sugar, and combined with medicines for either it can push them too low. Never stop or replace your medicine with soursop tea, and talk to your doctor before you start. Read soursop leaves for high blood pressure first.

What about soursop leaf powder?

Powder is convenient, but it is harder to judge what you are getting, because you can't see the leaves, and strength varies widely. Whole dried leaves let you check quality and control how strong your tea is. If you use powder, follow the maker's directions exactly.

Who should not drink soursop leaf tea

• pregnant or breastfeeding women
• children
• people with Parkinson's disease or other movement disorders
• people with kidney or liver disease
• anyone on blood pressure or diabetes medicine, unless their doctor agrees

Why we recommend xHerbs dried soursop leaves

• Made in Nigeria: Nigerian soursop leaves, dried and packed for xHerbs.
• Nothing added: the pack states no added preservatives or chemicals, just whole dried leaves.
• Whole leaves, not dust: you can see exactly what goes into your pot.
• Good value: 100 leaves for ₦4,000. At 5 leaves per brew, that's 20 brews, about ₦200 a cup.
• Clear directions on the pack.

Order xHerbs Dried Soursop Leaves (100 leaves) on xherbs.store. See also where to buy soursop leaves in Nigeria.

Frequently asked questions

How many soursop leaves should I boil?

About 5 dried leaves, or around 10 fresh leaves, per cup of water, as on the xHerbs pack. Use two cups of water for a milder tea.

How long should I boil soursop leaves?

10 to 15 minutes at a gentle boil, then steep for 10 minutes before straining.

Can I drink soursop tea every day?

Keep to two cups a day at most and take regular breaks. Long-term heavy use has been linked to nerve problems, so avoid drinking large amounts for months.

Can I drink soursop tea cold?

Yes. Let it cool, refrigerate it, and drink it within a day.

Can I reuse soursop leaves?

It is better not to. Brew fresh leaves each time so you know the strength and the tea stays clean.

Bottom line: Boil 5 dried soursop leaves in a cup of water for 10 to 15 minutes, steep for 10 minutes, strain and drink, no more than two cups a day, with breaks. Skip it if you are pregnant, have Parkinson's, or have kidney or liver disease, and check with your doctor if you take blood pressure or diabetes medicine. For clean, Nigerian-made leaves with nothing added, get xHerbs Dried Soursop Leaves.