Dragon fruit benefits
Dragon fruit benefits as the name suggests, resembles a dragon. It grows on climbing cactus known as Hylocereus, which can be found in tropical regions. The outer covering of dragon fruit is in shades of red and pink or yellow. Their leaves resemble a dragon and have spikes that shoot up like a flame around the fruit. Hylocereus originally grew in Southern Mexico, South & Central America, and the French brought it to Southern East Asia during the early 19th century.
The inside of a dragon fruit is white, semi-solid fruit that can be eaten with a spoon and has nutty seeds sprinkled all over it. It is juicy with a slightly sweet taste, whereas the seeds have a nutty flavour. There are many benefits of dragon fruit that we will discuss later in this blog. Let’s first discuss its nutritional value.
Types of Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit, also known as pitaya, comes in various types, each with its own unique characteristics. Here are the main types of dragon fruit:
- Yellow Dragon Fruit: It’s sweet and tropical, loaded with vitamin C that helps your immune system and skin. Plus, it has fiber to help your tummy feel full and work well.
- Purple Dragon Fruit: This one looks cool and tastes great. It’s full of vitamins and fiber too. And it’s got antioxidants that fight off bad stuff in your body and help keep you healthy.
- Pink Dragon Fruit: It’s sweet and a bit tangy, and it’s good for your skin and digestion because it’s full of vitamin C and fiber. And like the others, it’s got antioxidants to keep you feeling good.
- Red Dragon Fruit: This one has bright red flesh and is packed with something called lycopene, which is super good for your heart and might even help prevent cancer. It’s also got lots of vitamin C and fiber to keep you healthy.
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Nutritional Value
170 gms of dragon fruit cubes contain:
| Nutrient | Amount per 170g |
| Calories | 102 |
| Carbohydrates | 22g |
| Protein | 2g |
| Fat | 0g |
| Fiber | 5g |
| Sugars | 13g |
| Vitamin A (IU) | 100 IU |
| Vitamin C | 4mg |
| Calcium | 31mg |
| Iron | 0.1mg |
| Magnesium | 68mg |
What is dragon fruit?
Dragon fruit grows on the Hylocereus cactus, also known as the Honolulu queen, whose flowers only open at night.
The plant is native to southern Mexico and Central America. Today, it is grown all over the world.
It goes by many names, including pitaya, pitahaya, and strawberry pear.
The two most common types have bright red skin with green scales that resemble a dragon — hence the name. The most widely available variety has white pulp with black seeds, though a less common type with red pulp and black seeds exists as well.
Another variety — referred to as yellow dragon fruit — has yellow skin and white pulp with black seeds. Dragon fruit may look exotic, but its flavors are similar to other fruits. Its taste has been described as a slightly sweet cross between a kiwi and a pear.
Dragon Fruit Nutrition
In a 1-cup serving of dragon fruit cubes, you’ll get:
- Calories: 103
- Fat: 0.2 gram
- Protein: 0.6 gram
- Carbohydrates: 27 grams
- Fiber: 6 grams
- Sugars: 18 grams
Dragon fruit vitamins and minerals You’ll also get:
- Vitamin C: 8 milligrams
- Calcium: 16 milligrams
- Iron: 0.3 milligram
- Magnesium: 13 milligrams
Dragon Fruit Benefits
Dragon fruit has many potential health benefits, though studies are mostly in early stages. The fruit may:
Help prevent oxidative damage. It’s rich in antioxidants such as flavonoids, phenolic acid, and betacyanin. These natural substances protect your cells from damage by free radicals — molecules that can lead to diseases such as cancer and premature aging.
Help with weight management. It’s naturally high in fiber and low in calories and, like other fruits, it contains a lot of water. High-fiber foods make good snacks because they can help keep you full for longer between meals.
Ease constipation. Dragon fruit is an excellent source of fiber, which can soften stools and help you poop. Like some other fruits, it can work as a mild laxative.
Help lower blood sugar. Some studies in animals have suggested substances in dragon fruit might help lower blood sugar by regenerating damaged cells in the pancreas, which makes insulin, the hormone that helps your body manage blood sugar. A few small studies done in people with diabetes have been inconclusive.
Improve gut health. It contains prebiotics, which are fibers that feed the healthy bacteria called probiotics in your gut. Having more prebiotics in your system can improve the balance of good to bad bacteria in your intestines. Specifically, dragon fruit boosts the growth of the probiotics lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. In your gut, these and other helpful bacteria can help you fight off disease-causing viruses and bacteria. They also help digest food.
Strengthen your immune system. In addition to prebiotics, which can help your immune system, dragon fruit is high in vitamin C and other antioxidants, which also can help you maintain healthy immunity.
Lower inflammation. Lab studies suggest that compounds in the pulp and peel of dragon fruit might lower inflammation, which plays a role in many diseases.
Where to Buy Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit can be found in many regular grocery stores, as well as specialty stores and farmers’ markets, especially when the fruit is in season (June through September for most types). Some growers also sell the fruit online.
Dragon fruit price In the U.S., it’s not unusual for a single dragon fruit, which can be about the size of a baseball, to cost about $5. While that’s more than your average apple or orange, keep in mind that most dragon fruit is imported, much of it from Vietnam, increasing transportation costs. Prices also reflect the fact that each fruit has to be picked from a cactus that grows just a few fruits at a time, limiting supplies.
How to know if a dragon fruit is ripe
If your dragon fruit has green skin, it’s not ripe. It’s ready to eat when the skin has brightened to red or yellow, depending on the type. It should be slightly soft, but not mushy. The fruit doesn’t ripen much after harvesting, so you should buy ripe or nearly ripe fruit if you can.
How to Prepare Dragon Fruit
If you’re new to dragon fruit, you might not know what to do with it. For most uses, you’ll want to get past the prickly peel to the good stuff inside.
How to cut dragon fruit First, wash the outside, to avoid getting dirt or pesticides on your knife and in the fruit. To get to the pulp, you can cut the fruit into halves or quarters, then peel away the skin or remove the flesh with a spoon, ice cream scoop, or melon baller. You can cut large pieces into smaller cubes or other shapes. Or you can cut slices from the whole fruit and either cut round pieces away from the peel or cut the rounds in half, for half-moon slices.
How to store dragon fruit You can leave whole fruit on the counter for a few days. To slow ripening and keep it longer, you can put it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Once you’ve cut it, the pieces should go in the fridge.
