What is Dragon Fruit?
Introduction to Dragon Fruit
Dragon Fruit, also known as pitaya, is a tropical fruit that grows on a cactus. Originally from central and South America, it was brought to southeast Asia by the French, where it has become a staple fruit for the area.
It is known for its pink and green skin and dragon-like scales. The flesh of the fruit is soft and is either pink, red, yellow, or white depending on the variety. The flavor is similar in sweetness to a watermelon and similar in texture to a kiwi, with tiny black seeds that offer a slight crunch amidst the soft flesh.
Dragon Fruit has become a rising star among super fruits and it's not surprising to see why. Its health benefits and nutritional value can help add variety and color to your healthy lifestyle. It is high in fiber, antioxidants, numerous vitamins and minerals, and is even low in calories. Eating it regularly can have a significant positive impact on your health and well-being.
Dragon Fruit Flower Bloom
Health Facts About Dragon Fruit
Dragon Fruit is high in iron, which can aid in fighting anemia. Plus, with the added benefit of high vitamin C, your body will be able to absorb and use the iron properly.
Dragon Fruit has been known to offer anti-inflammatory properties to provide relief from debilitating pain and inflammation in achy joints from arthritis and rheumatism.
Dragon Fruit is high in vitamin C which can improve the health of your skin that sometimes even the best skincare routine can’t accomplish. By eating the fruit or applying it to your face like a hydrating mask, it can help you look younger longer.
Dragon Fruit can help prevent a variety of illnesses with its high vitamin c and antioxidant nature. It will boost your immune system and help protect you from infections like the flu and common cold. It can help your body defend itself from germs, bacteria, and free radicals.
Dragon Fruit can aid in digestion. The low fat and high fiber helps you stay full longer. The added vitamins and minerals can help promote gut health and will contribute to bowel regularity to help prevent consolation and other digestive issues. It has prebiotics that encourage the growth of probiotics (good bacteria) in your gut.
Dragon Fruit is high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which can help improve your cardiovascular health. This means you can lower your cholesterol, and reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke by making dragon fruit a regular part of your diet.
Dragon Fruit can help lower and stabilize your blood sugar levels, and maintain better blood sugar control. In certain lab tests, lab results suggested that consumption of dragon fruit could help prevent some issues associated with diabetes, while other results suggested that eating dragon fruit could help prevent diabetes from developing altogether.
Dragon Fruit is a good source of protein. Protein is necessary for building and maintaining our bones, tissue, blood vessels, hair, and teeth. Its great for boosting your metabolism and building muscle.
Dragon Fruit is high in magnesium and B vitamins, which can lead to improvement of bone and heart health. The B1, B2, and B3 can help with improving many things from blood pressure, skin health and cholesterol levels, to thyroid function and carb metabolism.
Dragon Fruit is beneficial for pregnant women as it contains many of the vitamins you’d find in the most common prenatal supplements that provide necessary nutrients for the development of your baby. Vitamins like iron, B vitamins, and folate are found in this amazing fruit.
How do you eat it?
There is nothing more refreshing, while also very beneficial to your health, than eating dragon fruit. There are also many awesome recipes you can try out to start on your path of enjoying dragon fruit. We’ve tried many delicious ways of preparing the fruit but still our favorite is getting a chilled fruit from the refrigerator, simply cutting it in half, and eating the soft flesh with a spoon.
What to look for when shopping for dragon fruit?
When out shopping for a dragon fruit, the way you want to pick your ideal fruit is to first check the fruit over for soft spots or bruises. A good fruit will be firm with a slight give when you add some pressure. You want to look for vibrant colors. An old fruit will look soft, wrinkled, and dull. You want to aim for the freshest fruit for the best flavor.