Loaded with dietary fibers, vitamins: 5 reasons to start eating dragon fruit

MANILA, Philippines — There was a time when the dragon fruit was unheard of, but now it is as common as pineapples and mangoes. It is sometimes even more available as a fresh fruit because it is both imported and sourced locally.

Filipinos were introduced to dragon fruit as an imported food product, much like apples, oranges and grapes were, but local fruit farms now grow them since they thrive in a tropical climate. People have also taken to eating dragon fruit because it is not just abundant but very healthy, too.

Also known as strawberry pear or pitahaya, the dragon fruit, with its tough, vibrant red skin that looks like scales of the mythical dragon, has both white flesh and red flesh variants speckled with tiny seeds.

Packed with essential vitamins and minerals

Low in calories but rich in taste and texture, the dragon fruit is packed with essential vitamins and minerals. It contains magnesium, Vitamins C and E, iron, carbohydrates and protein. It also contains beneficial plant compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids and betacyanins.

Loaded with dietary fibers

It is loaded with dietary fibers. These are non-digestible carbohydrates that promise a lot of health benefits. The recommended daily allowance for fiber is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men, but food sources of fiber are more potent and power-packed than fiber from supplements.

A good daily consumption of fiber aids in digestion, and it also helps protect against heart disease and manage Type 2 diabetes. Research also suggests that high-fiber diets may protect against colon cancer.

Rich in antioxidants

It is rich in antioxidants, which help fight chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and arthritis. 

Antioxidants fight free radicals, which are unstable molecules that cause cell damage and cause diseases. Dragon fruit contains such potent antioxidants as Vitamin C, carotenoids and betalains.

Boosts immune system

The carotenoids and Vitamin C in dragon fruit help boost your immune system. They also prevent infection by protecting your white blood cells from damage caused by free radicals. 

Promotes gut health

Dragon fruit contains prebiotics. A specific type of fiber that promotes the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut, prebiotics can improve the balance of good bacteria in your gut and keep conditions associated with imbalances in your gut, such as asthma and heart disease, at bay.

All of these are good reasons why you should be eating dragon fruit from now on.

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