In recent years, images of some kind of exotic fruit have gone viral on social networks, accompanied by messages claiming that this fruit is 10,000 times more powerful than radiotherapy or that it has some miraculous property.

One of the main fruits in this type of images has been the huaya, a sweet and sour fruit typical of Central and South America .

Both anti-infective and anti-cancer properties have been attributed to it, occupying the space of more than one media outlet.

How true is this? Does this fruit really have healing properties? Here, in this article, we are going to explain what huaya is, what its properties are and what relationship it can have with oncological diseases

What is the huaya?

The huaya is a well known fruit in several countries. Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, El Salvador… are just a few names of the many places where this fruit can be found as a regular product in fruit shops. There are several names with which this delicacy has been baptized: guaya, mamoncillo, quenepa, chupalotes, güevillos and many others that allude to what they look like.

The word “huaya” probably comes from the Nahuatl word “hueyona” , composed of “hue-i”, “big” and “yona-catl”, “pulp”.

This fruit grows on the highest branches of the tree with the same name ( Melicoccus bijugatus ), in bunches that can reach 10 centimetres in height. The tree can reach heights of up to 30 metres. The fruit consists of a drupe covered with a green shell, the interior of which contains the fleshy sweet and sour part and the seeds, which occupy most of the edible part. In itself, the huaya looks like a kind of peach with a diameter of 2 to 4 cm.

Benefits of this fruit

Since pre-Columbian times, the fruit of the huaya has been attributed immunological properties, and it is believed that it fights problems associated with the entry of bacteria and viruses into the body. In addition, the acids that the fruit possesses have been related to benefits for pregnant women, contributing to the production of proteins and increasing the defenses for the fetus.

It contributes to protect the epithelia against harmful factors , such as the consumption of tobacco (although it does not reverse the damage caused by smoking). In addition, it has been associated with avoiding kidney discomfort.

The fruit is an important source of nutrients, such as iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, B3, B6, B12 and C , which could play a beneficial role in fighting urinary and bronchial conditions, such as fever and colds. Frequent consumption may provide an important source of vitamins , as well as minerals, essential amino acids, and unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic and linoleic.

Uses and consumption

The huaya is used both as food and as a natural remedy , in addition to being able to use the wood of the tree as material for making furniture.

In the field of food, the huaya can be found in cans of preserves, juices, consumed fresh or also fermented to produce drinks such as huaya beer or aguardiente of this fruit. The huaya stone can also be eaten if it is toasted.

The leaves of this plant are attributed anti-parasite properties, in addition to acting as a natural insecticide and bat repellent.

As for natural remedies, the huaya leaf is credited with the ability to calm nerves and improve fever symptoms. Its infusion serves to fight throat infections if used as a rinse , and the syrup of the fruit serves to fight diarrhea.

Risks

No side effects have been found associated with huaya, nor that it can become toxic, however, it can imply certain risks both in its collection and consumption of the fruit .

Because this fruit fills the tops of 30-meter trees, not a few people, without the proper professional climbing knowledge and equipment, have tried to climb to the top of the tree. This entails the risk of falling and breaking a bone or, in the worst case, dying.

The main risk of consuming the fruit is that, as it has a seed of considerable size inside, it can drain while the fruit is being ingested and obstruct the larynx causing suffocation, especially in small children.

Relationship to cancer

In recent years, the image of this fruit has been widely shared in social networks with the claim that it cures cancer or is 10,000 times more powerful than chemotherapy. These claims, in addition to being a terrible lack of respect for people suffering from oncological diseases and the professionals who treat them, are false, and there are no studies to date that confirm this .

This is not to say that the fruit itself does not have beneficial health properties. In 2012, Cornell University, New York, conducted a study in which they found some gastrointestinal benefits caused by huaya. However, consuming huaya could prevent cancer in an indirect way, because it is argued that diets rich in fruits and vegetables have been shown to be a protective factor against oncological diseases.

What should be clear is that huaya, although it may have some effect on the development of cancer, is not a substitute for the treatments used to fight this type of disease .

The possible preventive effects against cancer may be due to the fact that this fruit activates the immune system, preventing infections from occurring in the body. In addition, it has been associated with improved epithelial health in the face of unhealthy habits such as smoking, which could also be beneficial in the face of the appearance of carcinogens.

It has also been hypothesized that it has certain nutrients that are capable of inhibiting the proliferation and growth of cancer cells, however, this is neither assured nor confirmed .

It should be said that it is not the first time that a fruit or other type of plant, simply because it is a plant, must be inherently good for any type of disease, and especially cancer, without having the proper evidence to prove it. To give some examples: broccoli, coffee, pomegranates, plums, peaches, oregano…

Returning to the same point as before, the fact that no clear evidence has been found that all these vegetables and fruits are potent anti-cancer does not mean that they do not influence the prevention of the disease, only that they are not miracle treatments nor does it seem that they will become so.

Bibliographic references:

  • Bystrom, L. M. (2012) The potential health effects of Melicoccus bijugatus Jacq. fruits: Phytochemical, chemotaxonomic and ethnobotanical investigations. 83(2). 266-271.