Dragon Fruit: Its Nutritional Constituents and Health Benefits

Dragon fruit grows on the plant called Honolulu Queen and is native to Central America and Mexico. Grown in all parts of the world, it has abundant names like pitahaya, strawberry pear, and so on. The green scales and red skin of the fruit remind one of a dragon, hence the title of dragon fruit. It looks exotic and has a taste similar to a pear and kiwi, mostly a mixture of both.

Nutritional Constituents of Dragon Fruit:

One can say this fruit serves to be a powerhouse of different nutrients. Vitamin C, vitamin B3, magnesium, iron, and most importantly, fiber are some of the most relevant nutrients found in the fruit. Other components are listed as under:

Proteins

There are 1.2 grams of total protein in one dragon fruit serving of 100 grams. That means you can add the fruit in high-carb foods to balance the number of carbs with some protein and make it a balanced meal.

Carbs

In 100 grams of the fruit, there is 13g of carbs with a high fiber presence of 3% Daily Value. You can include this fruit in your snacks and desserts to relieve yourself from constipation. The high fiber content also fights against LDL cholesterol in the body.

Fats

There is no fat present in dragon fruit which makes it highly healthy for people who are obese, have heart disease, and are facing other problems such as fat malabsorption in their bodies. It also gets easily digested because of no fat and cholesterol in it.

Antioxidants

The fruit contains betalains, hydroxycinnamates, and flavonoids in it, all of which are highly powerful antioxidants. The red-colored fruit aids against LDL or bad cholesterol as it fights the oxidative stress in the body. These antioxidants also fight tumor cells in animal-based studies and thus are helpful for patients with initial stages of cancer. What’s more, the flavonoids present in dragon fruits serve to fight against brain disorders and heart disorders. It also protects the body against a number of adverse oxidative reactions to the fatty acids synthesized in the body.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamin C, iron, and magnesium are the major vitamins and minerals abundant in the dragon fruit. In 100 grams of the fruit, you get 3% of the recommended intake of vitamin C or ascorbic acid, 4% of the iron’s RDI, and 10% of the magnesium’s RDI. As a result, your body gets a high amount of resources from this fruit for a number of functions. If you want to consume a fruit that is highly dense in nutrients and is low in calories, do consider including dragon fruit in your daily diet. The benefits go beyond your expectations, and some are stated in the next section of this article.

Health Benefits of Dragon Fruits

Dragon fruits come with a diverse range of health benefits. As high in a lot of vitamins and minerals and low in calories and cholesterol, dragon fruits appear to be among the healthiest fruits that you can consume.

Some of the benefits of dragon fruits on health include the following:

1) Low in Cholesterol

Dragon fruits are quite low in cholesterol and don’t contain a high number of calories. What happens is that this fruit gets digested in the body pretty quickly, and you can avail its benefits in a short amount of time. Dragon fruits come as the perfect ones to maintain healthy body weight and induce satiety in the body while also fulfilling your craving for a dessert.

2) Good for Heart Health

Day by day, we see an increase in cardiovascular incidence – people undergo heart attack and different types of artery disease such as stroke. Luckily, dragon fruits come with an amazing quality that enables you to have a healthy heart, all thanks to their capacity to decrease your LDL or bad cholesterol level in your body. What’s more, the dragon fruits are high in monounsaturated fats that help to keep your heart in an overall healthy condition for your longevity and vitality. If you are at risk of developing heart disease, then try taking it for good health.

3) Improvement in Fiber Content

Dragon fruit helps to clear up your digestive tract and aids in improving your ability to digest nutrients in a healthy way. They are loaded with a good quantity of fiber that helps with a range of different conditions, such as constipation and overall digestion in the body. You can also avail good benefits from consuming seeds and flesh of the fruit that will aid in the maintenance of your body’s energy levels as well. Don’t get any part of the dragon fruit get wasted except for the skin.

4) Decrease in Inflammation

Your body gets free radicals from different toxins, stress, and certain environmental factors that influence your health in a bad way. The fruit is highly filled with antioxidants that fight inflammation in the body and help you get rid of oxidative stress caused by the free radicals. Add them in your acai bowls with berries and multiply your overall health with these delicious fruits.

5) Work against Diabetes

Dragon fruit comes with a high quantity of fiber which aids in regulating blood glucose levels in the body. So, people having a problem with diabetes can take this fruit in order to fight the spikes they face on certain occasions. What’s more, if you want to add a healthy sweet snack to your day, you can take the help of dragon fruit and see your blood glucose levels regulated in the best way possible. For more information, you can consult a dietitian who will guide you on how you can include this fruit in your diet without putting yourself at risk of spiking your blood glucose levels.

6) Decreases Aging Signs

Dragon fruits contain a wholesome amount of nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals in the body—all these nutrients aid in keeping the skin young and tight. What’s more, you can also apply this fruit in the form of a face mask on your skin topically. Add some honey to it, and it will act as a highly beneficial alternative to the expensive anti-aging creams that you get from the market. See a decrease in wrinkles and fine lines as you use this fruit to prevent yourself from aging.

7) Improving Hair Texture

If you have chemically treated or colored hair that is severely damaged, you can take the help of this fruit juice. You can simply add the fruit juice to your scalp and then let it sit for a while in your hair. It will help to bring your hair back to life as it opens the follicles of the hair. As a result, you get hair that is smoother and healthier than otherwise.

8) Decreases Arthritis

The condition called arthritis has a major effect on the body joints that results in immobility and chronic irritation of the patient-facing it. You can reduce the symptoms of this condition by including fruits in your diet that are known to fight inflammation in the body. As the dragon fruit is filled with antioxidants and micronutrients, you can see improvement in your risk reduction against arthritis symptoms by the day. It is also called an anti-inflammatory fruit, so if you have arthritis, do add it to your diet.

9) Prevents Acne on Skin

Dragon fruit is filled with antioxidants as well as ascorbic acid, known as vitamin C, that aids in protecting the skin from getting acne. Include this fruit in your diet daily to have a high dose of vitamin C. That will give you clear skin free of acne. People who naturally have oily skin can apply the dragon fruit juice topically on their skin to get themselves protected against acne.

10) Protects from Sunburn

In people with low melanin in their skins, sunburns are a common condition that can prevail. You can include dragon fruit in some honey and cucumber juice and apply it to the irritated area of the skin. You can also add some aloe. It is also helpful to consume lots of aloe and dragon fruit on days you are having a skin burn so that your skin gets healed quickly from the harmful effects of the UV rays coming from the sun on your skin. It is because the fruit is high in riboflavin, which acts to improve the texture of the skin by locking in moisture and providing relief from conditions like sunburn.

Final Word

Without a doubt, dragon fruit is a special fruit that comes with a lot of benefits on the overall health of the individual consuming it regularly. Be it consuming it by eating or applying it topically on the skin and hair, and the fruit contains a high amount of antioxidants as well as other types of nutrients that help to improve various functions of various body organs. For best results, it is recommended to consume dragon fruit regularly.