How to Make Soursop Leaf Tea: The Method, the Taste, and How to Serve It

By Suhail Rivera, JD, founder of Alkaline Herb Shop

To make soursop leaf tea, add 2 to 3 whole dried soursop leaves to 8 ounces of boiling water, cover, and steep for 5 minutes, then strain. Drink it warm or over ice. Two leaves give a light cup and three a deeper, earthier one. Covering the cup keeps the aromatics in the water. The rest of this guide covers the taste, how to serve it, and the different formats soursop leaf comes in.

How to make soursop leaf tea, step by step

1. Add 2 to 3 whole dried soursop leaves to an 8 ounce cup.
2. Pour boiling water over them.
3. Cover and steep 5 minutes. Use three leaves and a slightly longer steep for a stronger cup.
4. Strain and drink, warm or over ice.

What does soursop leaf tea taste like?

Mild and earthy with a light tang, closer to a green herbal cup than to a fruit tea. It is not bitter and does not need sweetening, though it takes ginger or a slice of lemon well if you want to round it out.

Does soursop leaf tea have caffeine?

No. Soursop leaf is naturally caffeine free, and if there is nothing else in the cup, there is no caffeine at all. That makes it as easy in the evening as first thing.

Iced soursop leaf tea

Soursop leaf tea is good over ice. Brew it a little stronger with three leaves, strain, let it cool, and pour it over ice with a squeeze of lemon. It makes a clean, mild iced tea for a warm day.

Whole leaves, tea bags, capsules or powder

Soursop leaf comes four ways. The whole loose leaves are for anyone who wants to brew and control the strength, and they stretch furthest per dollar. If you would rather not measure or strain, there are pre portioned tea bags. If you do not want to brew at all, there are capsules. And if you want to stir it into smoothies or food, there is the powder. Same leaf, four formats.

What is soursop leaf, or hoja de guanabana?

Soursop leaves are the whole dried leaves of the soursop tree, Annona muricata, the tropical evergreen behind the sweet green fruit known across Latin America as guanabana. In Spanish the leaves are hojas de guanabana. Ours are whole organic or wildcrafted leaves from Peru, one ingredient with nothing added. We make no health claims for them. Brew them for a mild, earthy, caffeine free cup.

Who should not drink soursop leaf tea

• Do not use it during pregnancy or while nursing.
• It is not recommended for anyone under 18.
• If you have a medical condition or take prescription medicine, speak to your doctor first.

How to store soursop leaves

Keep them tightly closed in a dry place at room temperature. Kept dry and sealed, whole dried leaves stay good for a couple of years.

Where to get them

Our whole dried soursop leaves are organic or wildcrafted from Peru, third party tested, one ingredient with nothing added.

Suhail Rivera is the founder of Alkaline Herb Shop, which sources and sells the soursop leaves described in this article.

Suhail Rivera, JD, is the founder of Alkaline Herb Shop. She has spent years sourcing, handling, and selling the herbs she writes about, working directly with growers and third party testing labs. She holds a Juris Doctor. She is not a medical professional. This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting any herb, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition. Read more about her and the store on the About page.