Dragon fruit, also known as pitaya or the strawberry pear, is a beautiful tropical fruit that is sweet and crunchy. Technically, the types of dragon fruit can be broken down by genus/species/hybrid. Place the dragon fruit on a cutting board or another clean surface. Dragon fruit or Pitaya or Pitahaya has rise its popularity nowadays. Dragon fruit might be the perfect food if you're looking to improve your cardiovascular health and possibly help reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Dragon fruit can be found year-round, though the season peaks in summer and lasts into early autumn. Before picking a dragon fruit, remove the thorns using pliers. Updated May 26, 2020. But given the wide variety of fruits, experimenting with different types is one of the best ways to discover a new favorite. (5) When you’re satisfied sooner, you’ll likely to take in fewer calories, which can speed your weight loss efforts. Get some simple tips for upping your intake! Additionally, the fiber in dragon fruit can help you feel full. But it can also be grilled, for example, which can be done on skewers along with another fruit such as pineapple. (1,2) But the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation suggests a different story: “Ancient Chinese legends say that the dragon fruit was created thousands of years ago by a dragon in battle who blew a burst of fire containing the fruit,” its website states. Once the flesh begins to turn brown and get mushy, it's time to toss it. After four decades of working as a farmer, Liew Anh Luk, 70, came to China in 2002 from his home country Malaysia and continued his pursuit of a personal vision－to plant pitaya, or dragon fruit. Slice it open, and its flesh is just as impressive with white fruit … Sign up for our Diet and Nutrition Newsletter! The good news is that there don’t appear to be any side effects or health risks associated with eating dragon fruit. How Do You Eat Dragon Fruit? It has a sweet and refreshing taste and can be eaten as a fruit, used in cooking or mixed in cocktails and other drinks. The dragon fruit pulp colour can be in red, white, yellow or pink with black seeds. A dragon fruit usually turns ripe with a minimum of 27 to 33 days after the plant flowers. How vitamin C supports a healthy immune system. Zucchini, which stands out for its mild flavor and sterling nutrient profile, is the star of these baked goods. Dragon fruits are a tropical fruit native to southern Mexico and Central America—though they look exotic, many compare their fresh, sweet flavor to pears and kiwis. Dragon Fruit: A Fruit for Health Benefits and Nutritional Security. Its gnarly looking skin makes it easy to spot in any produce market, but not every grocery store will carry dragon fruit. Ripe dragon fruit in Vietnam. By eating dragon fruit, you will prevent the spikes from happening, and your health will be better. The smallest and sweetest variety has yellow skin and white flesh. (It's the perfect container for a quick snack—just grab a spoon and dig in.) (10), The fiber in dragon fruit can also help people with type 2 diabetes stay fuller for longer and lose weight, helping normalize blood sugar levels. Depending on the variety and where it was grown, dragon fruit can be a bit pricy. This is the most commonly seen "dragon fruit". Think of the dragon fruit like a pineapple when it comes to this. What may taste very sweet to one person may taste very plain to another, so dragon fruit’s … Dragon fruit is one of those fruits that commands the sort of attention a boring fruit like cantaloupe could only dream of. They’re mega healthy, too. The three main ones include: (1). The sweetest red-skinned variety is the Sugar Dragon. Here’s what you need to know about this exotic treat, including its many potential health benefits, nutritional information, how it tastes, and the ways to eat it. A bright and even color is an indication of ripeness. Magnesium. Dragon fruit is packed with nutrition and is antioxidant rich while being low in calories. It is high in vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that have been linked to reducing cancer risk. The significant level of vitamin C may help to fight chronic disease and boost your immune system.. It has bright pink skin and purple flesh. Free radicals are unstable atoms in the body that can lead to cell damage. Read our, Try Exotic Dragon Fruit, Papaya, and Mango, Top 10 Tropical Fruits and How to Prepare Them, The 7 Best Fruit Basket Delivery Services of 2020. Dragon fruit is juicy with a slightly sweet taste that some describe as a cross between a kiwi, a pear, and a watermelon. (12). https://wiki.ezvid.com/m/foods-that-go-well-with-dragon-fruit-IcWxQEn_iQjU1 One cup of dragon fruit has 8% of the recommended daily iron needs. Dragon fruit is a sweet tasting fruit that you may have never had before. Using the spoon, lift the flesh out of the skin and place it on the cutting board. Fiber. The flesh is refreshingly sweet and distinct, also visible are scattered edible and nutritious black seeds. The plant the fruit comes from is actually a type of cactus of the genus Hylocereus, which includes about 20 different species. Run a tablespoon around the circumference of each section to separate the flesh from the skin (which is not edible). Dragon fruits contain a decent amount of iron, magnesium, and heart-healthy fiber. But don’t let its spiky strangeness scare you. You can even add the fruit to yogurts or ice cream. Everyday Health is among the federally registered trademarks of Everyday Health, Inc. and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. It can remain fresh for a day, possibly a little longer, depending on how ripe it is. (5). Schmidt D. How to Prepare and Eat Dragon Fruit. One simple recipe to try this week is a Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl. It should yield a little, but it shouldn’t feel too soft. Originally popular in Southeast Asia and Latin America, dragon fruit is now grown and enjoyed all over the world. This exotic fruit is light sweet in taste and when it comes to texture it is between that of kiwi and of apple. (3), Eating dragon fruit also carries benefits for the skin. You aren’t going to eat the skin of pineapple so don’t eat the skin of the dragon fruit. Join the discussion today. The seeds have a nutty flavor. To choose a ripe dragon fruit, look for bright, even-colored skin. So if you’re a fan of these types of fruit, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll fall in love with dragon fruit. A few blemishes on the skin are normal, but if the fruit has a lot of blotches, it may be too ripe. Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet. Vitamin C deficiency, or scurvy, is very rare in the United States and other developed countries, but strict diets may increase your risk. When unripe it is green. 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