Dragon Fruit: Effectual Health Benefits, Nourishment, and Approach to Consume it

What is Dragon Fruit?

Dragon fruit is a food that grows on a climbing cactus called Hylocereus, it is conventionally in tropical regions across the globe. The plant's name originates from the Greek word "hyle," meaning "woody," and the Latin word "cereus," which means "waxen.". This fruit appears in varieties of red- and yellow-skinned. The cactus initially expanded in southern Mexico and South and Central America. Later the French ushered it to Southeast Asia in the early 19th century. Its seeds possess a nutty flavor, dragon fruit is juicy with a moderate sweet taste that several describe as a "cross between a kiwi, a pear, and a watermelon". 

Nutrition that Dragon Fruit is Filled With 

One 6-ounce of the fruit cubes consists of - 

• Fat: 0 grams

• Protein: 2 grams

• Carbohydrates: 22 grams

• Fiber: 5 grams

• Sugars: 13 grams

• Calories: 102

• Vitamin A: 100 international units (IU)

• Vitamin C: 4 milligrams

• Calcium: 31 milligrams

• Iron: 0.1 milligram

• Magnesium: 68 milligrams

 The Fruitful Health Benefits of Dragon Fruit 

Dragon fruit has innumerable potential health benefits, inclusive of:

1. It's highly abundant in antioxidants like flavonoids, betacyanin, and phenolic acid. These natural materials safeguard your cells from damage by free radicals and other destroying molecules that can cause diseases pertaining to cancer and premature aging.

2. It's consistently fat-free and plentiful in fiber. It makes for a friendly snack because it can help an individual keep full for a longer time between the episodes of meals.

3. It may aid in lowering your blood sugar levels. As per research, this might be partly because it replaces destroyed cells in your pancreas that make insulin, the hormone that helps your body break down sugar.

4. It consists of prebiotics, the foods feeding the healthy bacteria called probiotics in your gut. More prebiotics in your body system can improve the balance of good to bad bacteria in your intestines. Substantially, dragon fruit stimulates the growth of the probiotics lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. In your gut, the helpful bacteria can kill disease-causing viruses and bacteria which further help in digesting food.

5. It can inspirit your immune system. Dragon fruit is rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, which are good for the immune system of the human body.

6. It can amplify the levels of iron, which is crucial for moving oxygen through your body and giving you adequate energy. Additionally, the vitamin C in dragon fruit helps your body take in and use iron.

Ways to Prepare Dragon Fruit 

Squeeze the dragon fruit gently before you buy it.  Avoid fruit that has bruises or dry leaves or the signs that it's overripe. If it feels hard when you press on it, let it ripen on the counter for a few days before eating. To prepare the fruit, cut it into quarters. Either peel away the skin or remove the flesh with a spoon, ice cream scoop, or melon baller. it has been recommended to not consume the skin of dragon fruit.

How to Consume Dragon Fruit

You can eat dragon fruit in a certain way. Toss it into a fruit salad accompanied by other tropical fruits like pineapple and mango. You can also cut it into salsa or churn it into ice cream. Squeeze it into juice or water and use it as a topping for Greek yogurt or freeze it and blend it into a smoothie also turn out to be delicious. 

How to Keep Dragon Fruit

It has been recommended to store any leftover dragon fruit in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to 5 days or to freeze it for up to 3 months. 

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