What involves your thoughts once you consider a dragon fruit? For many of us, it’s most likely the fruit’s fuchsia pink scaly pores and skin with artichoke-like scales jutting out, revealing a white, purple or shiny red-coloured inside when minimize open. If you scoop out a spoonful and chew into its succulent flesh, ethereal and mellow hints of citrus freshness hit you adopted by a candy and tangy aftertaste, and that unmistakable crunch of tiny black seeds can catch you without warning. Consuming a dragon fruit for the primary time is an expertise in itself — and the superfood comes with many well being advantages and fascinating recipes too.
Dragon fruit is often known as strawberry pear or pitahaya (pitaya) in a language native to Central America. However do you know that this brightly-hued fruit is definitely a cactus? Dragon fruit is raved about for its well being advantages and dietary properties together with fibre, antioxidants and vitamin C, however that apart, its aesthetically pleasing look and the truth that it may be consumed for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even cocktail recipes is why it’s extremely regarded within the meals world.
Want to know extra concerning the well being advantages of dragon fruit and a few enjoyable recipes that incorporate it in our day-to-day meals? Right here is all the pieces it’s good to know.
All about dragon fruit: Origin, varieties and legends related to it
Opposite to widespread perception, dragon fruit is just not native to South Asia however to Central America and Mexico. It was first launched on Vietnam soil again within the nineteenth century after which its reputation reached Thailand, Taiwan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and India. Vietnam is without doubt one of the largest exporters of his fruit.
In line with Chinese mythology, dragon fruit is the very last thing to return out of a slayed dragon’s tail and was alleged to be considered a token of valiance.
Dragon fruit, which grows on a Hylocereus cactus, is split into 11 totally different varieties relying on its color and texture. They’re:
- Yellow Dragon: This fruit has yellow pores and skin and white flesh.
- Costa Rican Sundown: This selection, because the title suggests, is pink-coloured exterior and darkish pink from inside with only a few seeds.
- Makisupa: It is a barely dry number of fruit with a lightweight pink and inexperienced outer masking and stunning pink insides.
- David Bowie: This one is small and filled with citrus flavours, like a lemon.
- Harpua: Not too huge or small, this one tastes like a melon.
- Pure Mystic: Florida has a monopoly on rising this selection with a pink outer masking and darkish pink flesh.
- Purple Haze: Should you can’t get a kiwi, do that number of dragon fruit as an alternative. Tastes simply the identical.
- Purple Jaina or pink dragon fruit: Meatiest of all varieties, this one is used extra as a base for juices.
- Voodoo Youngster: Small however packs a punch. This egg-sized breed of dragon fruit has dominant candy notes like grapes.
Relevance in popular culture: Firmenich names dragon fruit because the flavour of 2023
Dragon fruit has gained a cult standing of being a surprise fruit because it appears good and is filled with vitamins, which has impressed the wellness business too. Popular cafes like Starbucks are always additional exploring the flavours of this fruit and have quite a lot of dragon fruit-based drinks together with smoothies and lattes. It additionally makes a frequent look in breakfast bowls and tossed in salads too, for the additional well being kick and a splash of freshness.
Acknowledging all this, Firmenich, a privately owned style and perfume enterprise, named dragon fruit because the flavour of 2023. Upon gathering the take a look at outcomes of round 18,670 shoppers throughout eight international locations, this unique fruit was named ‘daring’ and ‘thrilling’ by most. It appears like we’re in for a deal with because the business is bursting with a promise to additional optimise the potentiality of dragon fruit past the same old salad and smoothie recipes.
Well being advantages of dragon fruit
It is a nutrient-rich bomb fruit filled with antioxidants, protein, carbohydrates, fibre, vitamin C, iron and magnesium. A lot to the delight of health freaks, it has zero fats and solely 60 energy per serving, for sure, it has many potential well being advantages. Dragon fruit ought to basically be named ‘dream fruit’ for a similar. Listed here are a couple of.
Tackles iron deficiency within the blood
Dragon fruit comprises eight p.c of Really helpful Day by day Consumption (RDI) of iron. Iron is a key nutrient wanted to take care of the movement of oxygen within the physique. It additionally performs an enormous function in digestion because it helps break down meals into power. This surprise fruit is beneficial together with different nuts, fish, legumes and meat for these affected by iron deficiency.
Wealthy supply of fibre and probiotics
Complete meals are at all times most well-liked by nutritionists over dietary supplements. Out of 25 grams (for ladies) and 38 grams (for males) of dietary fibre RDI, a single serving cup of this fruit supplies round eight grams of fibre which is nourishing. Apart from sustaining optimum physique weight, early studies carried out by the Nationwide Library of Medication recommend that fibre-rich meals might decrease the chance of colon most cancers.
One of many main advantages of fibre is that it contains probiotics which assist tremendously in maintaining good gut health. Dragon fruit comprises two households of micro organism together with lactobacillus micro organism and bifidobacterium. Study exhibits that these assist in curbing diarrhoea and assist keep a wholesome gastrointestinal tract.
Magnesium-rich dragon fruit guards coronary heart and bone well being
The human physique comprises 24 grams of this micronutrient however it performs a key function in round 600 chemical reactions together with the creation of DNA, metabolism, muscle contraction and bone formation. A single serving of this fruit packs in 18 per cent RDI of magnesium. It’s the solely fruit which comprises such excessive numbers of this nutrient. No surprises there.
In line with a 2012 study by the Nationwide Library Of Medication, magnesium might assist in maintaining cardiovascular health. It additionally has anti-inflammatory properties based on a examine performed by the National Library of Medicine in 2021.
Need stronger bones? Eat a cup of dragon fruit day by day. This examine proves that meals wealthy in magnesium assist with osteoporosis prevention.
Consuming dragon fruit could make you fall sick much less usually too. Vitamin C and carotenoids are the 2 hero elements in dragon fruit that guard the white blood cells by stopping harm by free radicals. With a lift in a single’s immunity, the physique is best suited to deal with infections.
Fascinating recipes and methods to devour dragon fruit
As talked about earlier, dragon fruit is flexible and goes with many recipes. In case you are intimidated by its flamboyant look and have no idea learn how to go about reducing it, this can be a quite simple method. Simply place the fruit on a chopping board and use a pointy knife to chop the fruit from the center. When open, one can simply scoop out the flesh with a spoon just like you do with an avocado.
Now that you recognize all concerning the unbelievable advantages of dragon fruit, the next recipes might encourage you to incorporate it in a myriad of dishes past the same old fruit bowl or smoothie. Have a look.
Conclusion
Consuming dragon fruit frequently might help your physique in some ways. However, as talked about earlier, it has a excessive content material of fibre which is nice for many however a couple of aren’t used to taking this nutrient in giant portions and therefore would possibly really feel discomfort within the tummy. It’s at all times beneficial to eat this fruit sparingly in such circumstances. It is usually higher to check if you are allergic to this fruit earlier than consuming it. You possibly can seek the advice of your nutritionist or doctor too in the event you want to earlier than consuming a dragon fruit.
This story first appeared on PrestigeOnline Malaysia
(Primary picture: Heather Ford/ Unsplash; Featured picture: Mae Mu/ Unsplash)
