Dragon Fruit Health Benefits
Dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus), also called Pitaya, or strawberry pear, are a bright red, oval fruit covered with large green scales. Speckled with tiny, black seeds, the dragon fruit flesh (either white or red) has a light, slightly sweet taste. Usually a dark red color, other dragon fruit varieties include pink and yellow.
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Vitamins and Minerals
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Dragon fruit contains a small amount of vitamin C and potassium.
Diet
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Dragon fruit is particularly juicy and slightly sweet, containing little sugar. Half a cup contains about 50 calories, according to the Hillsborough County Extension.
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Fiber
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The dragon fruit seeds contain an insignificant amount of fiber and unsaturated fat, and you would need to chew or open the seeds up to receive any benefit.
Antioxidant
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The red-flesh dragon fruit varieties are a source of antioxidants; however, this statement cannot be verified as no composition data is available from the USDA.
Cancer Prevention
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The red pigment in dragon fruit is lycopene, which suggests it is a potential preventative for certain cancers, according to Hillsborough County Extension.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of psyberartist
