Without peeling the fruit, is it possible to distinguish between purple and white dragon fruits? Although it might seem impossible, have faith that it is achievable.
Here are some methods for learning about the fruit by looking at the blooms, scales (also known as ears), and occasionally, branches.
This article will help you in distinguishing between purple dragon fruit and white dragon fruit. Also, you’ll learn more about the benefits of dragon fruit.
What Is a Dragon Fruit?
Food known as dragon fruit is produced on the Hylocereus climbing cactus, which can be found all over the world in tropical climates.
The Greek word “hyle,” which means “woody,” and the Latin word “cereus,” which means “waxen,” are the origins of the plant’s name.
The fruit looks like a bright pink or yellow bulb from the exterior, with spike-like green leaves surrounding it that rise up like flames.
When you cut it open, you’ll discover spongy white material within that is edible and flecked with black seeds.
- There are red- and yellow-skinned types of this fruit. Southern Mexico, as well as South and Central America, were the original home of the cactus. In the first half of the 1800s, the French introduced it to Southeast Asia.
- Pitaya is how Central Americans refer to it. In Asia, it’s also known as a “strawberry pear“. Currently, dragon fruit is sold throughout the United States.
Some people compare the flavor of dragon fruit, which is juicy and slightly sweet, to a cross between a kiwi, a pear, and a watermelon.
Nutrition Facts of Dragon Fruit?
The pitaya’s nutritional information is truly quite fascinating. The dragon fruit contains amazing amounts of nutrients that can satisfy many of our body’s nutritional needs. Let’s examine the fruit’s nutritional content.
| Calories | 102 |
| Protein | 2 grams |
| Fat | 0 grams |
| Carbohydrate | 22 grams |
| Fiber | 5 grams |
| Iron | 5% of the RDI |
| Magnesium | 18% of the RDI |
| Vitamin E | 4% of the RDI |
| Vitamin C | 3% of the RDI |
Benefits of Dragon Fruit
Numerous purported health advantages of dragon fruit include:
May Help Fight Chronic Disease
Inflammation and sickness may result from free radicals, which are unstable chemicals that harm cells. Eating foods like dragon fruit, which are high in antioxidants, is one approach to combat this.
Antioxidants stop cell damage and inflammation by neutralizing free radicals. Antioxidant-rich diets may help prevent chronic illnesses like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis, according to studies.
Numerous forms of strong antioxidants are present in dragon fruit, including:
- Vitamin C: Observational studies have linked vitamin C intake to a lower risk of cancer. For instance, a study including 120,852 adults found a link between higher vitamin C intake and a decreased risk of head and neck cancer.
- Betalains: Research conducted in test tubes suggests that betalains can fight oxidative stress and may be able to decrease cancer cells.
- Carotenoids: The plant pigments that give dragon fruit its vivid color are beta-carotene and lycopene. Carotenoids-rich diets have been associated with a lower incidence of heart disease and cancer.
Importantly, antioxidants function best when consumed organically in food rather than as a supplement or in pills foTakingking antioxidant pills unsupervised is not advised because they may have negative side effects.
Loaded With Fiber
Nondigestible carbohydrates called dietary fibers provide a long list of potential health advantages. For women, 25 grams of fiber per day is advised, while for men it’s 38 grams.
Similar to antioxidants, dietary fiber does not have the same health advantages as dietary fiber supplements. The dragon fruit is a great whole-food source, containing 5 grams per cup.
- Although studies suggest fiber may also contribute to heart health, type 2 diabetes management, and keeping a healthy body weight, it is likely most well known for its involvement in digestion.
- Some observational studies imply that diets high in fiber may offer protection against colon cancer. While more study is required and even though there’s no evidence connecting dragon fruit to any of these illnesses, its high fiber content can still help you reach your daily recommendations.
It’s crucial to remember that high-fiber diets might have disadvantages, particularly if you’re used to a low-fiber diet. Drink plenty of fluids and gradually increase your dietary fiber intake to prevent stomach pain.
Promotes a Healthy Gut
Over 400 different bacterial species are among the 100 trillion varied microorganisms that call your gut home.
This group of bacteria, according to many researchers, may affect your health. Studies on both humans and animals have linked gut flora abnormalities to diseases like asthma and heart disease.
Dragon fruit may help balance the healthy bacteria in your gut because it contains prebiotics. Prebiotics are a particular kind of fiber that encourages the development of good bacteria in your stomach.
- Like other fibers, they cannot be broken down by your intestines. The microorganisms present in your intestine digest them. You benefit because they use fiber as growth fuel.
- More precisely, two groups of useful bacteria, are mainly supported by dragon fruit e.g lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria.
- Consuming prebiotics regularly may lower your risk of diarrhea and digestive system infections. Prebiotics encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria, which may help them outcompete harmful bacteria, explaining why.
- Prebiotics, for instance, has been linked to fewer and milder cases of traveler’s diarrhea, according to a study of tourists.
- Prebiotics may also help with symptoms of colon cancer and inflammatory bowel disease, according to some research. Unfortunately, there’s no consistency in these results.
- While most prebiotic research is positive, investigations on the prebiotic action of dragon fruit are limited to test-tube experiments. To ascertain its true impact on the human gut, more research is required.
Strengthens Your Immune System
The quality of your diet is one of several variables that affect your body’s capacity to fight infection.
By preventing damage to your white blood cells, the vitamin C and carotenoids in dragon fruit may strengthen your immune system and help you avoid infection.
Your immune system’s white blood cells hunt down and eliminate dangerous things. They’re highly susceptible to free radical damage, though.
Vitamin C and carotenoids are strong antioxidants that can combat free radicals and protect your white blood cells from damage.
May Boost Low Iron Levels
One of the few naturally occurring fruits that contain iron is dragon fruit. Your body’s ability to distribute oxygen depends heavily on iron. Additionally, it is crucial for converting food into energy.
Sadly, a lot of people don’t consume enough iron. Iron insufficiency is the most prevalent nutrient deficit globally, estimated to affect 30% of the global population.
It’s crucial to eat a range of iron-rich meals to battle low iron levels. Among the foods high in iron include meats, seafood, legumes, nuts, and grains.
Another excellent choice is dragon fruit, which provides 8% of your daily required consumption per serving (RDI). Vitamin C, which is also present, aids your body in absorbing iron.
Good Source of Magnesium
The magnesium content of dragon fruit is higher than that of most other fruits, providing 18% of your RDI in just one cup. Your body typically contains 24g, or about one ounce, of magnesium.
Despite this allegedly negligible amount, the mineral is found in all of your cells and is involved in over 600 crucial chemical processes that occur throughout your body.
For instance, it participates in the processes necessary for the conversion of food into energy, the contraction of muscles, the construction of bones, and even the synthesis of DNA.
Although further research is required, some findings suggest that increased magnesium consumption may lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Additionally, studies demonstrate that diets rich in magnesium promote bone health.
Difference Between Purple Dragon Fruit and White Dragon Fruit
Here’re some factors that can help you in differentiating between purple dragon fruit and white dragon fruit.
Scales
Curvy scales or ears, which are tiny triangles on the fruit body, are present on purple dragon fruit and occasionally pink and red fruit. They are thicker and have a green color. White fruit has wider, lighter, and more scales than purple fruit, which is also narrower.
Flowers
The purple variety’s flower tips are redder than the white variety’s. The white variant occasionally features yellow or white blossom tips. Both types of flowers have a pleasant scent.
Branches
By seeing the branches, it can be challenging to distinguish between purple and white dragon fruits. But compared to the white ones, the purple ones’ branches have more thorns.
Nutrition value
The benefits and uses of dragon fruit are numerous. It is well known that fruits and vegetables with deep red skins have higher antioxidant levels.
Because of this, purple dragon fruit has more antioxidants than white dragon fruit. As a result, it’s a fantastic diet for healthy skin, blood, and eyes. Delicious wine is also produced from the purple varietal.
The purple one, however, contains more sugar than the white one. Therefore, you must choose white dragon fruit if you have diabetes.
Many people favor red fruit because of its extreme sweetness. The Dragon S8 variant is quite tasty. There is one exception, though: Ecuador Palora, a white dragon fruit type, is thought to be the sweetest one.
Conclusion
- A great source of vitamins B and C is purple dragon fruit. As a result, it offers enormous health advantages. One can consume pitayas or purple dragon fruits to get the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C.
- The antioxidants in dragon fruit are quite effective at lowering blood pressure. Additionally, the antioxidant component can be employed to keep blood vessels’ flexibility.
- The fact that dragon fruit helps the body detoxify from numerous pollutants is one of the fruit’s most unexpected health benefits. Antioxidants similar to vitamin C found in dragon fruit will help the body cleanse.
- Dragon fruit is described as having a refreshing sweetness and tasting like a cross between a kiwi and a pear. It can be used to prepare a variety of delectable beverages and foods, including dragon fruit smoothies, juice, tea, cakes, and jam.
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