Dragon fruit and all about its benefits.
It is grown mainly in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Dragon fruit can be a healthy and delicious addition to your diet, as it contains vitamins, fiber and even iron and healthy fats (which is unusual for a fruit).Nutritional value
Nutritional value of one serving of diced dragon fruit weighing 170 g.
Caloric content: 102
Fat: 0 g
Sodium: 0 mg
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Fiber: 5 g
Sugar: 13 g
Protein: 2 g
Carbohydrates
Dragon fruit is a naturally low—calorie food, with most of the calories coming from carbohydrates. There are two types of carbohydrates in dragon fruit: natural sugars (13 g per serving) and fiber. You will get 5 grams of fiber — or about 18% of the recommended daily allowance.
Fats
There is very little fat in dragon fruit. Edible seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids and polyunsaturated fats, which are beneficial fatty acids.
Protein
Dragon fruit contains a small amount of protein, about 2 grams per serving.
Vitamins and minerals
Dragon fruit contains vitamin C and riboflavin, as well as about 17% of the recommended daily value of magnesium, a mineral that is responsible for participating in hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body. Dragon fruit also contains iron, niacin and calcium.
Health benefits
Like many fruits and vegetables, dragon fruit contains fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants with beneficial properties.
Helps to build and heal cells
Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is essential for the good structure of bones, cartilage, muscles and blood vessels. It promotes wound healing and can also help prevent inflammation.
Vitamin C must be consumed with food, because our body cannot produce it naturally. Vitamin C also promotes the absorption of iron, and dragon fruit is one of the rare fruits containing some iron (about 1 mg or 7% of the daily norm).
Reduces inflammation
Dragon fruit is rich in flavonoids, one of the many types of antioxidants that can help repair cell damage caused by oxidative stress and reduce inflammation. In turn, this can help the body prevent some chronic diseases.
Improves digestion
Fiber helps to increase the feeling of fullness, improves digestion and stool regularity, and can also help lower cholesterol levels in the blood. Fiber also provides many other health benefits, including reducing the risk of certain cancers, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
Allergies
If you suspect an allergy to dragon fruit, talk to your doctor to make the correct diagnosis.
Varieties
There are three main types of dragon fruit: white flesh with pink skin, red flesh with pink skin and white flesh with yellow skin. The taste and nutritional properties of fruits are the same, regardless of color.
Many people describe the pulp as having a pear flavor with hints of berries and watermelon. The flesh has a texture that is often compared to kiwi, and the small black seeds are edible, just like kiwi.
When is it better to buy
The peak season for dragon fruit falls in summer and early autumn. The most difficult thing in buying dragon fruit is to find it at the local market.
Look for fresh fruits of bright pink color. Avoid fruits with wilted stems or brown markings. The body of the fruit should give in slightly when pressed. But if there are no ripe fruits available, you can buy a hard fruit and let it ripen for a day or two.
Sometimes dragon fruit juice is more available than whole fruits. Juice contains important vitamins and minerals, but it does not contain the fiber that fruits give. In addition, some dragon fruit drinks are actually mixtures of several different types of juice and may contain significant amounts of sugar.
If you can't find a whole dragon fruit at the local market, you can also buy frozen dragon fruit diced, which is just as useful.
Storage and security
Ripe dragon fruit can be stored at room temperature for several days. Try not to cut the fruit until you are ready to eat it; after cutting it, it should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. If your dragon fruit starts to turn brown or soft, throw it away.
How to cook
You should only eat the flesh (inside) of the dragon fruit, not the peel. To peel, simply cut it into quarters and peel it. You can also peel a whole fruit with a paring knife or cut the fruit in half and remove the pulp with a spoon.
You can eat dragon fruit just like many other sweet fruits. Put the slices or cubes in a green or fruit salad or add to a blender when making a fruit cocktail. Some people also use dragon fruit as a decoration for cocktails or other fresh summer drinks.
Dragon fruit goes well with other tropical fruits such as banana and pineapple. If you are looking for new and interesting breakfast ideas, add dragon fruit on top of Greek yogurt and sprinkle a tablespoon of muesli on top.
