Even if you’ve never tasted dragon fruit, chances are, you may have at least seen it at grocery stores. Dragon fruit is also called strawberry pear or pitaya and is well-known for its bright red skin and black seed-spotted pulp. You must be wondering how to cut a dragon fruit and what benefits you can get by eating it, right? It’s simple. To get answers to these types of questions, continue reading this blog.
What is a Dragon Fruit Good for?
Dragon fruit is one of the most expensive and tastiest fruits. However, it is worthwhile to buy it because it has several health benefits. It has a unique appearance with a sweet taste and crunchy texture. Its name comes from its appearance. It is packed with antioxidants and helps in reducing the risk of diabetes and cancer. Due to this reason, many people are adding this fruit to their diet.
What does Dragon Fruit Taste like?
Dragon fruit has a sweet taste. Many people compare its taste with pear and kiwi. The sweetness of dragon fruit may vary as per different varieties of the fruit. See the following table to know the different varieties of dragon fruit along with their appearance and taste:
Dragon Fruit Varieties | Appearance | Taste |
White dragon fruit | White flesh and pink skin | Least sweet |
Red dragon fruit | Purplish flesh and pink skin | Moderately sweet |
Pink dragon fruit | Pink skin and pink flesh | Moderately sweet |
Yellow dragon fruit | Yellow skin and white flesh | Sweetest |
Sour dragon fruit | Pink skin and white flesh | Sour |
How to Grow Dragon Fruit?
You can plant the seeds to grow a dragon fruit. If you grow dragon fruit from seed, it may take several years before it starts bearing fruit.
Prepare the Soil
Make sure to choose a sunny area because dragon fruit needs sunlight for at least 6 hours a day. Choose potting soil and avoid using cactus soil. It needs more water and needs something that can retain moisture.
Prepare the Seeds
Take a ripe dragon fruit, cut it and scoop out the seeds. Rinse the fruit flesh and pulp with water and keep the seeds on a moist paper towel for 12 hours.
Plant the Seeds
Plant the seeds in the soil and spread a thin layer of soil on them. Use plastic wrap to cover the soil bed to retain moisture until the seeds germinate.
Thin and Transplant
When your dragon fruit starts seedlings, thin them to make a new plant room. If you are growing dragon fruits indoors, then you need to transplant them into bigger pots.
Support
When dragon fruits become 12 inches tall, you need to support them using a wood stake or trellis.
How to Cut a Dragon Fruit?
Read the following steps to know the method to cut a dragon fruit:
Cut the fruit in half using a sharp knife.
After cutting the fruit in two halves, take a spoon to scoop out the flesh. Or,
You can peel the skin of the fruit.
Now, you can cut the fruit into thin or thick slices as per your choice.
You can store the fruit at room temperature. If it is ripe and you want to store it to eat it later, then you can seal it in a plastic bag and refrigerate it.
How do You Eat Dragon Fruit?
Scoop it out: After scooping out dragon fruit, you can drizzle honey on it and enjoy it as a mid-meal treat.
Add it to salads: You can add cubes of dragon fruits to other fruit slices to make it an amazing fruit salad.
Blend it: You can blend the flesh to make it a refreshing breakfast smoothy or you can make a refreshing juice at home.
How to Tell If Dragon Fruit is Ripe?
Ripe dragon fruit will have smooth skin and bright pink color.
It shouldn’t be hard. Instead, let it ripen.
It will be overripe if it seems to be mushy.
Health Benefits of Dragon Fruit
Here are some health benefits of eating dragon fruit:
The fruit contains fibre that helps maintain blood sugar levels and controls spikes among diabetic patients.
The fruit can reduce the risk of colon cancer. It is packed with Vitamin C, which boosts the immune system.
The fruit is a good source of oligosaccharides that help in developing good bacteria like flora that helps in digestion.
It has beta-carotene that prevents eye problems.
Dragon Fruit Extract Side Effects
If you consume extract of dragon fruit within the limit, it won’t affect you. However, excess dragon fruit extract consumption can lead to several health problems, such as:
Excess consumption of dragon fruit can cause intake of too many antioxidants, such as beta-carotene, which could result in lung cancer.
Some people may have an allergic reaction to this fruit that can lead to swollen lips, an itchy throat and a burning sensation in the throat.
If you are suffering from hypotension, it is advised not to consume dragon fruit.
Conclusion
With the popularity and health benefits of dragon fruit, it has become the most consumed fruit. However, make sure to consume it within the limit because excess consumption can lead to several side effects. Moreover, you can subscribe to Personal Care N Heal to get such informative blogs.
