Is dragon fruit really healthy for you ?
It has long been considered a delicacy in China, Japan and Southeast Asia and it’s becoming more popular in the United States every year.
What is dragon fruit?
Dragon fruit nutrition information
Dragon Fruit is a low calorie fruit that contains a variety of nutrients, is fairly low in calories, especially when compared to other tropical fruits like pineapples and mangos.
Dragon Fruit is also a rich source of antioxidants, these include betalains, hydroxycinnamates, and flavonoids.
Dragon fruits also contain some fat, but not as much as other fruits, one serving has 0.2 g of fat.
Dragonfruit : Does It Have Health Benefits?
Dragonfruit can be eaten in a variety of ways:
Dragonfruit is available at most large supermarkets, so don’t be afraid to pick up a couple when you are out shopping.
That’s because dragon fruit tastes like a sweet, tangy melon and it has some pretty interesting health benefits, too!
In fact, it’s frequently referred to as nature’s multivitamin because of its nutritional value.
Dragonfruit is a tropical, yellow-skinned fruit that is grown in Southeast Asia and Central America. It can be eaten whole, but it is most commonly used as a topping or ingredient in dishes and drinks.
Dragon fruit plant itself looks like a small, thin watermelon with bumpy skin, when cut open, the flesh inside contains small black seeds and white edible flesh that tastes similar to kiwi or pineapple.
In recent years, there has been much debate about the health benefits of Dragon Fruit.
100g of Dragon Fruit has only 58 calories.
Dragon fruits are also high in fiber, they provides 3 grams of fiber, as well as 3 grams of protein, They are very high in vitamin C and vitamin A, they provides over 100% vitamin C, 20% vitamin A, and 10% potassium.
Dragon Fruit is also a rich source of antioxidants, these include betalains, hydroxycinnamates, and flavonoids.
It is a good source of sugars, there are 9 grams of sugar in one cup of Dragon Fruit.
Dragonfruit is a popular summer fruit, but there's not a lot of research on whether it has health benefits. The flesh of the dragonfruit is rich in vitamin C and fiber, which can help your immune system and digestive health respectively.
Whether or not dragonfruit can help reduce symptoms of cancer is unclear. The fruit has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-microbial effects in mice, but these benefits have not been tested on humans.
Eating fiber may also help regulate cholesterol levels, which can help prevent heart disease and stroke.
Fiber is an important part of any diet since most people do not consume enough of it each day.
On top of that, eating fiber can help improve your digestive health. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance in your gut that helps slow down how fast food leaves your stomach. This helps reduce feelings of hunger since it slows digestion and gives your body more time to absorb nutrients from other foods. You should eat at least 25 grams of fiber every day, but most Americans only get about half that amount.
How to eat dragonfruit ?
Here are some of the major antioxidants in dragon fruit pulp:
- Betalains: Found primarily in the pulp of red dragon fruit, these dark red pigments have been shown to protect LDL cholesterol or "bad cholesterol" from oxidation or damage.
- Flavonoids: this diverse set of antioxidants is related to better brain health and reduced risk of heart disease
- Hydroxycinnamates: This set of compounds has been shown in studies to have anti-cancer activity
The vitamin C in dragonfruit can also help reduce oxidative stress, which is a factor in diseases like heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
Reducing oxidative stress has been shown to slow down aging and improve your immune system's response to infections.
While it hasn't been studied on humans specifically, there is some evidence that consuming vitamin C can increase feelings of well-being.
The first way is to cut the fruit into slices and eat it as a snack, or chop it up and put it on top of your cereal, yogurt, or oatmeal.
Another way to consume dragonfruit is by slicing off the skin with a knife and scooping out the flesh with a spoon.
You can also de-seed them by cutting them in half, digging out the seeds with your fingers, then scooping out the flesh with a spoon.
Dragonfruit is available at most large supermarkets, so don’t be afraid to pick up a couple when you are out shopping.
Another way to enjoy your dragonfruit is by using it as part of a salad or sandwich.
Simply slice it up and add it to your favorite dish along with other fresh fruits and vegetables.
Dragonfruit can also be added to pancake or waffle batter.
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