If you’ve ever been to the market, you’ve definitely seen an exotic-looking, spiky fruit that piqued your interest. That’s some ‘dragon fruit’ for you!
Dragon fruit is commonly described as having pink peel, green/yellow scales, and white flesh studded with tiny black seeds. While it tastes fantastic, its appearance is significantly more striking than its flavour, owing to the legendary creature-inspired moniker.
According to health experts, it is not only an exotic fruit that looks fantastic, but it is also a tasty and healthful fruit that arouses the taste senses while also providing several health benefits.
Today’s market offers a variety of dragon fruit kinds, including those with red skin and scarlet flesh, yellow skin and white flesh, and others. Aside from appearance, several varieties of dragon fruit exhibit subtle differences in taste.
If you’ve never tried dragon fruit, you should, not because everyone else is, but because it’s good for you. With that in mind, we’ve written this essay to assist you understand the benefits of dragon fruit and the nutritional value it can bring for you and your family.
Dragon Fruit Nutritional Value
Depending on the kind and where it is grown, dragon fruit can weigh anywhere from 150 to 600 grammes. Approximately 60% of the fruit is edible and contains a variety of nutritional benefits.
Dragon fruit is high in fibre and antioxidants, as well as minerals and vitamins that are helpful to our health. In this part, we have explained the nutritional content of dragon fruit using tables to assist you have a thorough understanding of its health advantages.
A 100-gram serving of dragon fruit has the following nutrients:
- 60 calories
- 2.0 gramme protein
- 9.0 grammes of carbohydrates
- 2.0 gramme of fat
- 1.5 gramme fibre
Based on the information in the preceding table, it is safe to conclude that dragon fruit includes all of the nutrients essential for good health. Dragon fruit is a good option if you want to add some freshness, flavour, and nutrition to your diet.
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Dragon Fruit Benefits
Consuming dragon fruit on a regular basis can benefit your health and well-being because it is high in nutrients and vitamins and contains disease-fighting antioxidants.
Eating dragon fruit has numerous health benefits, according to researchers. Here are some of the potential health benefits of consuming dragon fruit.
Promotes weight loss
If you’re watching your waistline and attempting to limit your calorie intake, including dragon fruit in your diet will help you reach your weight-related fitness objectives.
While there is no superfood that instantly melts fat and makes you seem thinner, dragon fruit is low in calories and sugar and may be eaten as a snack in between meals.
Dragon fruit will keep you full and satisfied for a longer period of time, limiting the need to eat more. When you are full, you will consume fewer calories. This fruit is also high in fibre, which helps to enhance metabolism and aid in weight loss.
Aids in the prevention of anaemia during pregnancy
Premature labour, infant mortality, low birth weight, and miscarriages have all been linked to anaemia during pregnancy. During pregnancy, women are more likely to develop anaemia, which is caused by iron deficiency.
Iron tablets, as indicated and approved by experts, are a frequent treatment for anaemia. Iron pills, on the other hand, can have serious side effects such as heartburn and constipation.
Substituting iron pills with dragon fruit can be a healthier option with fewer side effects because it is high in Vitamin C (9 percent of RDI) for better iron absorption.
According to a research published in the Belitung Nursing Journal, dragon fruit boosted erythrocyte and haemoglobin levels in a pregnant woman on the seventh day of treatment.
Researchers believe that because dragon fruit is high in iron, raw dragon fruit juice could be an alternate treatment option for anaemia during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, you should check your primary care physician before consuming dragon fruit.
It reduces inflammation.
Doctors recommend eating dragon fruit if you have persistent discomfort from illnesses such as arthritis. Dragon fruit has anti-inflammatory characteristics that can help you get rid of joint and muscle pain.
Dragon fruit antioxidants function by neutralising free radicals and decreasing inflammation. Doctors recommend that people with rheumatoid arthritis include dragon fruit in their regular diet. The fruit’s anti-inflammatory qualities may provide relief from discomfort and inflammation.
Dragon fruit, according to health experts, can be used as a natural pain reliever for chronic pain complaints. Even if it does not entirely alleviate your pain, it may lower the severity of the inflammation, allowing you to have a better quality of life.
Enhances skin health
Dragon fruit has the potential to accomplish wonders for your skin that regular skincare products cannot. Dragon fruit is high in vitamin C, which is essential for skin health.
Eating dragon fruit may aid in the treatment of acne, the treatment of dry skin, the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, and the elimination of age spots. Other nutrients in dragon fruit include Vitamin B3, which cures sunburns and prevents premature ageing.
Dragon fruit’s antioxidant capabilities can help drain impurities from your skin and clean out pores, allowing your skin to breathe and glow. The best part is that the vitamins and minerals in dragon fruit can aid in the regeneration of damaged skin cells, potentially resulting in a more youthful appearance.
Aids in the reduction of blood sugar levels
Doctors recommend that persons with type 2 diabetes include dragon fruit in their diet since it can help stabilise blood sugar levels, allowing them to stay fuller for longer and lose weight.
As a result, dragon fruit is responsible for sustaining an overall healthy lifestyle. As a result, the risk of various chronic diseases is reduced.
To keep your blood sugar levels regular, you must monitor them and eat healthful foods. Feeling hungry even after eating is one of the symptoms of type 2 diabetes. As previously said, eating dragon fruit can help you feel full while also helping you manage your blood sugar levels.
It has cancer-preventive qualities.
Dragon fruit is high in vitamin C, which functions as an antioxidant. Vitamin C’s immune-boosting properties may aid in the prevention of cancer. Lycopene, an antioxidant contained in dragon fruit, helps the body eliminate cancer-causing free radicals.
Some research suggest that dragon fruit extract may play an important role in the treatment and prevention of breast cancer. The bioactive chemicals found in dragon fruit have the potential to alter particular carcinogenic processes such as cancer metabolism.
However, additional research and investigations are needed to determine the significance of dragon fruit extract in cancer treatment. Overall, eating it can help you maintain a robust immune system, which can help you avoid numerous ailments.
Helps with digestion
One of the most significant health benefits of dragon fruit is that it promotes intestinal health, which leads to healthy digestion. Dragon fruit contains a lot of fibre, which aids in good and healthy digestion.
A hundred grammes of dragon fruit contains around 2.5 grammes of fibre, which accounts for 11% of the daily value (DV). Including dragon fruit in your diet will meet your daily fibre requirements and contribute to bowel regularity. Having said that, it can be used to cure and prevent constipation and other digestive health issues.
It helps your immune system.
Dragon fruit is well-known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics, which can protect your immune system from a number of ailments like as infections, the flu, and the common cold.
The antibacterial properties of dragon fruit support white blood cells and aid in the fight against infections and other diseases.
Dragon fruit is high in vitamin C, which boosts the immune system’s ability to defend the body against foreign invaders such as bacteria and germs, as well as free radicals.
If free radicals are not eliminated from the body, they can cause cell damage, and eating dragon fruit can help remove free radicals from the body.
Aids in the improvement of cardiovascular health
One of the main reasons why dragon fruit is so popular is that it aids in the improvement of people’s cardiovascular health. This suggests that eating dragon fruit may lower your chance of having a stroke or having a heart attack.
The fruit’s seeds supply the body with important omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are necessary for cardiovascular health. It maintains the arteries clear, helping blood to flow efficiently to and from the heart.
The Best Ways to Eat Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit, like any other fruit, is best eaten uncooked. However, if you want to add some tang to it, dragon fruit can be prepared in a variety of ways. This part will show you how to make the fresh and healthy.
Smoothie with Dragon Fruit
It’s a refreshing mint-flavored smoothie that you and your family will like.
Ingredients:
1 cup dragon fruit, 15 leaves mint leaves, 1 cup yoghurt
Method:
- Cut dragon fruit into small pieces or scoop out scoops of flesh with a spoon (ensure that you only take the creamy white part)
- Chop the mint leaves into tiny pieces.
- Now, put the yoghurt to a blender.
- Until no lumps form, blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into the glass and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Salad with Dragon Fruit
Ingredients:
1 dragon fruit, peeled and cubed
1 pound fresh fruit (pomegranate, apple, kiwi, grapes, watermelon)
1 cup torn lettuce leaves
1 tbsp honey for dressing
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Method:
- To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients and set aside.
- Combine the dragon fruit, other fruits, and lettuce in a mixing dish. Serve with the dressing drizzled on top.
Summary
Dragon fruit is a one-of-a-kind exotic fruit with numerous health benefits. Dragon fruit is a superfood that can improve your overall health and well-being by treating cancer, increasing cardiovascular health, boosting immunity, assisting digestion, and more.
The best aspect is that you can eat dragon fruit in any form you want – raw, in smoothies, as salad dressing, or in any other way you like.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dragon Fruit (FAQs)
Q. What are the advantages of dragon fruit?
A. Dragon Fruit is high in Vitamin C and antioxidants, which aid digestion, weight loss, alleviate anaemia during pregnancy, lower blood sugar levels, and even improve skin health.
Q: Does dragon fruit contain a lot of sugar?
A. Quite the contrary. Dragon fruit is a low-sugar fruit with 7.65 grammes of total sugar per serving (100g).
Q: What are the dangers of dragon fruit?
A. Dragon fruit can assist in lowering blood sugar levels. If you consume dragon fruit on a regular basis, you should keep an eye on your blood sugar levels. In addition, some people are allergic to dragon fruit.
If you are ingesting it for the first time, keep an eye out for any adverse responses such as tongue swelling, hives, and vomiting.
Q. Does dragon fruit give you a glistening complexion?
A. Yes, this is an excellent fruit for improving skin health. Dragon fruit has vitamin C, which promotes skin brightness, and antioxidants, which help to prevent acne and outbreaks.
Q. Does dragon fruit have anti-aging properties?
A. Dragon fruit contains anti-aging compounds and antioxidants that may halt the ageing process.
Q. What is the use of the peel of dragon fruit?
A. The peel of the red dragon fruit is excellent for lowering cholesterol, increasing visual health, supporting anti-aging, and boosting mood, among other things.
Q: When is the ideal time to consume dragon fruit?
A. Dragon fruit can be eaten at any time of day. Consuming dragon fruit in the morning, on the other hand, would give all of the critical elements that fuel your body.