Cherimoya Nutrition, Custard Apple Names, Seeds and How to Eat It

Cherimoya (Annona cherimola) is a heart-shaped green fruit with scaly skin and creamy white flesh, sometimes sold as custard apple. USDA SR Legacy data show it is a moderate source of fiber and vitamin B6, with some vitamin C and potassium. The large black seeds are not eaten: they contain acetogenins, the same family of compounds studied as nerve toxins in soursop research. This guide explains the cherimoya fruit, the confusing custard apple name, cherimoya nutrition per USDA, the seed facts and how to eat cherimoya.

Peptide Labs does not sell cherimoya or cherimoya products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

What is cherimoya fruit?

Cherimoya is one of several Annona fruits grown in tropical and subtropical areas. A 2025 scientific review of the group lists atemoya, cherimoya, sugar apple, ilama, soursop, bullock’s heart and bibra, all of which are sometimes called custard apples. Cherimoya has smooth or lightly scaled green skin, flesh with a soft, custard-like texture and many large black seeds. Atemoya, a hybrid of cherimoya and sugar apple, looks similar.

Cherimoya vs custard apple: one name, several fruits

The custard apple name causes real confusion, and it matters when you read nutrition data or safety advice:

• USDA: the SR Legacy database lists “Custard-apple, (bullock’s-heart), raw” as a separate fruit from cherimoya. Bullock’s heart is Annona reticulata.
• Cherimoya: a 2021 scientific review refers to Annona cherimola as the custard apple.
• Sugar apple: Annona squamosa, also called sweetsop, is a smaller, bumpy fruit and a parent of atemoya.
• Soursop: Memorial Sloan Kettering lists custard apple among the common names for graviola, which is soursop. Our soursop guide covers its safety research.

So when a recipe, label or website says custard apple, check the botanical name if it matters to you.

Cherimoya nutrition facts from USDA

The table uses the USDA SR Legacy entry for raw cherimoya (FDC 173953), per cup of pieces (160 grams), with percent Daily Value based on FDA reference values.

USDA also lists one cherimoya without skin and seeds at 235 grams of edible fruit, which works out to about 176 calories, 7.1 grams of fiber and 30 grams of natural sugars. Cherimoya is one of the sweeter fruits per serving, so our guide to sugar in fruit is useful context. Its standout nutrient in these tables is vitamin B6, higher than in the other fruits compared below; it has no vitamin A in the USDA entry.

Cherimoya compared with other Annona fruits

Per 100 grams of raw fruit in USDA SR Legacy, the Annona fruits are similar in calories, with sugar apple richest in vitamin C and bullock’s heart richest in potassium.

USDA has no separate SR Legacy entry for atemoya, and no total-sugars value for sugar apple or bullock’s heart. For more vitamin C per bite, guava and the fruits in our vitamin C foods list lead; for fiber, see our high fiber foods guide. Our mango and papaya guides use the same USDA comparison entries.

Are cherimoya seeds toxic?

Think of the seeds as inedible. Annonaceae plants make acetogenins, fat-soluble compounds that block energy production in mitochondria. One acetogenin, annonacin, killed nerve cells in lab studies and is the main suspect in the soursop and atypical parkinsonism research from Guadeloupe. For cherimoya specifically, a 2023 analysis detected annonacin and a related acetogenin in a cherimoya seed extract, and a 2021 scientific review describes cherimoya as a source of these compounds.

How much reaches the edible flesh is less clear. We found no published measurement of acetogenins in cherimoya pulp itself. In atemoya, the cherimoya and sugar apple hybrid, a 2023 study found acetogenins in the leaves, pulp and seeds, with very low levels in the pulp compared with the leaves and the highest levels and greatest variety in the seeds. A 2017 study of sugar apple, the other parent, found acetogenins including annonacin in the fruit pulp and suggested the fruit be considered a risk factor for neurodegenerative disorders. These are lab analyses, not studies of people eating cherimoya, so they show why the seeds are discarded rather than how much fruit is safe.

• Remove all seeds before eating or blending; do not grind them into smoothies or powders.
• Do not make teas or home remedies from the leaves or seeds.
• If a child swallows crushed seeds or someone feels unwell after eating them, call a poison control center or seek medical care.
• If you have Parkinson’s disease or another movement disorder and eat Annona fruits often, mention it to your clinician.

How to eat cherimoya

• Ripeness: cherimoya is usually ripe when the skin darkens slightly and yields to gentle pressure, much like an avocado. Firm fruit can ripen on the counter.
• Storage: once ripe, keep it in the refrigerator and eat it within a few days; the skin may brown but the flesh is often still good.
• Eating: cut the fruit in half or quarters, scoop the flesh with a spoon and pick out every seed. Many people eat it chilled.
• Uses: blend seed-free flesh into smoothies, fold it into yogurt, or pair it with other tropical fruits such as jackfruit or mango.
• Allergy: cherimoya is not one of the nine major food allergens on US labels, but any fruit can cause a reaction; hives, swelling or trouble breathing needs urgent care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Soursop: Nutrition, Benefits and Is Soursop Safe to Eat?, Papaya Benefits: USDA Papaya Nutrition, Calories and Allergy Facts, Mango Benefits: USDA Mango Nutrition, Calories and Allergy Facts, Pawpaw Fruit: Taste, Pawpaw vs Papaya, Acetogenin Research.