5 Health Benefits of Dragon Fruit

Did you know that dragon fruit, or pitaya, is one of the few fruits that grows on cacti and can survive drought conditions?

This remarkable fruit also has many health benefits that you can take advantage of. Here are 5 health benefits of dragon fruit.¹

High in Nutrients

One of dragon fruit’s health benefits is that it is full of nutrients. Dragon fruit is low in fat and high in fiber. Specifically, one cup of dragon fruit has:

103 calories
25 grams of fat
58 grams of fiber (20% of the Daily Value)
80 milligrams of sodium
74 milligrams of Vitamin C (8% of the Daily Value)²

Full of Magnesium

In addition to the above nutrients, dragon fruit has a high source of magnesium. In particular, dragon fruit has 18% of the Recommended Daily Value of magnesium. Magnesium plays a role in turning the food in your body into energy.³

According to a study conducted by the Nutrition Journal, the more magnesium you take in, the greater the possibility of lowering your chances of stroke and death, especially for older women. If you lack the daily recommendation of magnesium, you increase your chances of strokes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.⁴

Benefits Your Skin

The vitamin C from dragon fruit also benefits your skin. Specifically, the vitamin C can help clear your acne and delay the skin aging process. Vitamin C has been proven to lighten dark spots and reduce or lessen uneven skin tones.

Additionally, Vitamin C can also help restore any damaged skin cells because it plays a major role in the creation of collagen. Collagen is what causes your skin to be firm and keeps your skin looking youthful.^{5, 6}

Helps with Digestion

Dragon fruit is a great source of fiber. In one serving of dragon fruit, there are 5.6 grams of fiber, which accounts for one-fifth of the daily recommendation.⁷ Fiber is very beneficial for your health. Since fiber contributes to making you feel full, it may help you eat less and lose weight. Also, fiber may reduce your chances of passing away from heart disease and cancer.⁸

Another health benefit of dragon fruit is that it may help your body’s digestion process. Within dragon fruit are a group of carbohydrates scientifically known as oligosaccharides. The bacteria within oligosaccharides play a role in helping you have a healthy gut and a healthy immune system.⁹

Beneficial for the Heart

Another health benefit of dragon food is that it is good for heart health. The pulp from dragon fruit is made up of betalains, which is what gives it the red color. Betalains lowers LDL or bad cholesterol in your body. If you have high LDL cholesterol, the amount of plaque in your arteries increases. This blockage can put you at risk for heart attacks or strokes, which is why lowering your LDL is important.¹⁰

Additionally, all dragon fruit seeds contain a large of amount omega-3 and omega-9 fatty acids. These fatty acids help lower your chances of developing cardiovascular diseases.¹¹ Specifically, omega-3 may help with lowering your chances of eye diseases, lessen arthritis pain, and reduce your chances of heart attack.¹² Omega-9 may help with memory, strengthen your immune system, and boost your energy levels.¹³

Ways to Eat More Dragon Fruit

There are many ways you could incorporate dragon fruit into your diet. Here are some tasty ways that you can try:

Make a dragon fruit smoothie
Eat a dragon fruit raw as a snack
Add dragon fruit to your salad
Add dragon fruit to yogurt
Incorporate dragon fruit into a salsa
Make dragon fruit sorbet¹⁴
Mix dragon fruit into your yogurt
Bake treats containing fresh dragon fruit

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Saber Healthcare is an organization dedicated to providing consultant services to long-term care providers. This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to be seen as professional advice. Please consult with a medical expert before relying on the information provided.

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