Health Benefits of Dragon Fruit

Dragon Fruit Medical Uses, Side Effects

Dragon fruit for Diabetes Dragon fruit contains pytoalbumins and flavonoids that helps in the prevention of diabetes...(more)

Dragon fruit tree
Dragon fruit for Weight-Loss Dragon fruit is rich in fibers that helps in the digestoin of food and in detoxifying harmful chemicals in the colon...(more)


What Is Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit treeDragon Fruit Scientific Names:
Ceraus, Acanthocereus, Echinocereus, Hylocereus, Selenicereus, Stenocereus, Escontria, Myrthillocactus.

Dragon fruit is also knows as:
Pitaya, Dragon Fruit, Red Pitahaya, Night blooming Cereus, Strawberry Pear, Belle of the Night, conderella plant
Other common names:
French: cierge-lezard, poire de chardon
German: distelbirn, echte stachelbirn, drachenfrucht
Hawaiian: Pa-nani-o-ka
Portoguese: cato-barse, cardo-ananaz
Spanish: pitahaya roja (Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela); flor de caliz, pitajava (Puerto Rico); junco, junco tapatio, pitahaya orejona, reina de la noche, tasajo (Mexico)
Swedish: skogskaktus, röd pitahaya

Dragon fruit or red pitaya belongs to the Cactaceae family from the subfamily Cactoidea of the tribe Cactea . Dragon Fruit also known as Pitaya is a magnificent plant with stunning and beautiful fruit that exhibits vivirant colors and shape. Dragon fruit is not only attractive but is also flavourful that is slightly similar to kiwi and melon.

The Dragon plant is a vine, epiphytic cacti of the genus Hylocereus that is believed to be native in Central and Southern America and has been brought to Southeast Asian countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Vietnam. Dragon plant has fleshy stems that grow up to 20ft long when matured. Dragon plant may grow from the ground or climb onto trees using aerial roots. Dragon plant bears flowers that only bloom at night. The flowers are ornate and beautiful with fragrant scent. Pitahaya plants can have up to 4-6 fruiting cycles per year. The dragon drgon fruit flowerfruit has spines that grows up to 1 kilogram in weight. Dragon fruit skin may be yellowish to dark red in color with edible flesh that maybe white or red depending on the variety. It has a lot of black small seeds that is also edible.

Pitaya or Dragon fruit is also known to have some health benefits that includes preventing memory loss, anti cancer activity, control of blood glucose level in diabeetes, anti-xidant properties, aids in healing of wounds and others.


Dragon Fruit Contitutional Contents
dragon fruit white
The typical nutritional values per 100 g of raw pitaya (of which 55 g are edible) are as follows:

Water 80-90 g
Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) 4–25 mg
Ash 0.4-0.7 g
Calcium 6–10 mg
Calories: 35-50
Carbohydrates 9-14 g
Carotene (Vitamin A) traces
Fat 0.1-0.6 g
Fiber 0.3-0.9 g
Iron 0.3-0.7 mg Niacin (Vitamin B3) 0.2-0.45 mg
Phosphorus 16 – 36 mg
Protein 0.15-0.5 g
Thiamine (Vitamin B1) traces
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) traces
The aforentioned figures are subject to change as per cultivation conditions.



Dragon Fruit Health Benefits
Dragon fruit boosts immune system. Dragon fruit is rich in vitamin C and fibers that help provide an overall healthy body.
Dragon fruit helps in digestion. Because of the richness in fibers, Dragon fruit aids in the digestion of food, Studies also suggest that Dragon fruit promotes the growth of probiotics.
Dragon fruit help to lower blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes. Studies also suggest that the the glucose found in Dragon fruit aids in controlling the blood sugar level for diabetes patients.
Dragon fruit prevent formation of cancer causing free radicals. Dragon fruit is rich in minerals and fibers that aids in digestion, cleans toxic ingredients thus preventing the occurrence of colon cancer.
Dragon fruit as anti-oxidant. The presence of high level of vitamin C, minerals and pytoalbumin is regarded as relevant in fighting free radicals and possess anti-oxidant properties.
Dragon fruit helps to control cholesterol level. Dragon fruit is also rich in flavonoids that are known to have favorable effects against cardio related disease.
Folkloric Health Benefits From Dragon Fruit.
Dragon fruit promotes healing of wounds and cuts.
Dragon fruit improves appetite.
Dragon fruit improves eye sight
Dragon fruit can aid in weight reduction
Dragon fruit improves memory.

Source: medicalhealthguide.com