If there’s one fruit that continues to capture the public’s interest because of its unique appearance and equally satisfying flavor, it’s dragon fruit, also known as pitaya or strawberry pear.
The oval-shaped tropical fruit has a distinct pink color with pointy green shoots resembling dragon spikes–hence the name. Its flesh is versatile and can be eaten raw or cooked in various methods. Fortunately, aside from being juicy and tasty, consuming dragon fruits also has several health benefits.
First, dragon fruits can boost the immune system as it’s rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, and antioxidants. It also has vitamin B and minerals like calcium and phosphorus. These support a fortified immune system by regenerating and increasing white blood cells to defend the body against bacteria, viruses, and free radicals.
Another health benefit of dragon fruit is improving cardiovascular health. The seeds contain antioxidants to provide consumers with omega-3 and omega-9 fatty acids to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack.
Eating dragon fruit also helps digestion because it’s rich in dietary fiber that acts as prebiotics and promotes healthy bacteria growth to aid the digestive process. Fiber also helps people with type 2 diabetes lower their blood sugar because they can feel fuller longer, lose weight, and normalize blood sugar levels.
Dragon fruits can even cancerous cells because they contain lycopene, a strong antioxidant.
It also has anti-inflammatory properties to reduce chronic pain, inflammation, and tenderness from rheumatoid arthritis.
Lastly, the exotic tropical fruit supports skin health since its vitamin C and antioxidants help treat acne and slow the progression of premature skin aging. The nutrients also repair cell damage.