You’ve most likely spotted dragon fruit in the store before. It stands out amongst the other products because of its intensely bright pink skin. But did you know that inside, the dragon fruit is super flavorful and beneficial for human health?
The superfood mix of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals in dragon fruit may prevent diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. This article will explain why you should step out of your comfort zone and pick up dragon fruit today.
7 Dragon Fruit Benefits
- Digestive health
- Lower risk of diabetes
- Heart health
- Nutrition
- Boosts immune system
- Anti-inflammatory
- Anti-aging
7 Amazing Benefits Of Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit is an exotic fruit that used to be only found in the tropical regions of South and Central America. Still, thankfully you can find dragon fruit at most supermarkets today. When you cut open a dragon fruit, you’ll see a mixture of white flesh with black seeds.
Many people say this black and white inside has a sweet taste like a combination of kiwi and pears or a strawberry pear. It also has a crunchy texture. Along with being delicious, you might be wondering if dragon fruits are healthy. Dragon fruit boasts many potential health benefits.
Read on to learn the top seven benefits and how to eat this tropical fruit.
Digestive Health
Dragon Fruit is incredibly high in dietary fiber. Just one cup of dragon fruit provides almost 30% of the daily fiber requirements. Fiber is very important for the health of your gut microbiome and in preventing inflammatory bowel disease. Your gut microbiome refers to the different types of bacteria and organisms that reside in your gastrointestinal tract.
A balanced microbiome[1] is vital for proper nutrient absorption, an efficient and well-functioning immune system, mood regulation, and much more. In addition, the microbiome is thought to be the epicenter of all functionalities in the body. Therefore, keeping the gut microbiome healthy is vital to your overall health.
Additionally, a steady balance of both good and bad bacteria causes the microbiome to thrive and function properly. The healthy bacteria in our digestive system use dietary fiber as their food source. Therefore, good gut bacteria will starve if you do not consume enough fiber.
Unfortunately, a study[2] performed in 2017 showed that only about 1 in 20 people consume enough fiber. Consuming dragon fruit can help close this deficiency gap.
Lower Risk Of Diabetes
Researchers[3] have also noted dragon fruit benefits for diabetes, and have studied the benefits of consuming fresh fruit ( such as dragon fruit) and diabetes risk. An analysis of 23 different studies showed that eating two servings of fresh fruits (not juice) per week reduces a person’s risk of developing diabetes by almost 25%.
Interestingly, participants who consumed less than one serving of fruit monthly increased their risk of developing diabetes by 20%. This is most likely because their diet may have been lacking in fiber.
Fiber decreases[4] the amount of sugar that flows into the blood simultaneously. Thus, eating fiber reduces blood sugar spikes and helps to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
Heart Health
Omega-3 fatty acids have been investigated[5] a lot for their considerable health benefits. Research shows omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation in the body, boost mood, preserve cognitive function, protect against cancer, and improve sleep.
Additionally, omega-3 fatty acids increase HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). It also assists in getting rid of plaque[5] build-up in the arteries, which is the primary cause of coronary heart disease and stroke.
The black seeds in dragon fruit are rich in omega-3 fats, and studies[6] are currently being conducted to specify if dragon fruit can help vascular function.
Current trials are using dragon fruit juice to see if there are potential benefits to vascular health when dragon fruit juice is consumed. Preliminary findings show a correlation and possible benefit between drinking the juice and increased vascularity.
Nutrition
There is a rationale for why dragon fruit is termed a superfood. It’s jam-packed with nutrition. Here are the dragon fruit nutrition facts:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin B3
- Calcium
- Iron
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Omega-3 fats
On top of these vitamins and minerals, dragon fruit contains plant compounds such as carotenoids, beta-carotene, and polyphenols. These compounds are known for protecting our bodies from free radicals. Free radicals are unstable cells that, if they become too abundant in the body, can lead to different chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
Some science also states that beta-carotene could improve memory and other brain functions. A recent review[7] of 9 studies showed that interventions with beta carotene were associated with better cognitive performance than those without supplementation.
Further medical science research[8] and studies are still needed, but preliminary results show that beta carotene may help reduce mental diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Boosts Immune System
Dragon fruit contains vitamin C, which is always necessary for a healthy immune system. But what dragon fruit also has is a high amount of magnesium. Just one cup serving contains almost 20% of your daily magnesium needs.
Magnesium[9] is essential for an effective immune system and is a mineral many people are deficient in. Magnesium helps white blood cells by aiding them in seeking out germs and pathogens and destroying them. Pathogens are disease-causing organisms.
Conversely, low levels[10] of magnesium are linked to cell damage, tissue damage, inflammation, and blood clots.
Magnesium also plays a role in decreasing your risk of developing osteoporosis[10]. People who consume higher intakes of magnesium are seen to have increased bone density. Also, low magnesium levels promote inflammation[11], which is detrimental to bone health.
There are also dragon fruit benefits for thyroid health, which is essential to your immune system. The thyroid secretes hormones that play an important role in keeping inflammation at bay and clearing out pathogens.
Dragon fruit is necessary for thyroid[12] health because antioxidants help improve the thyroid gland’s overall function and health.
Anti-inflammatory
Dragon fruit also contains antioxidants called betacyanins[13]. Betacyanins have exceptional anti-inflammatory properties. Anti-inflammatory foods are essential because if inflammation is left untreated, it can lead to different types of terrible diseases such as
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Alzheimer’s disease
Betacyanins also help to rid your body of toxins[13] by neutralizing them and supporting the cell’s natural detoxing process.
Dragon fruit is also high in beta-carotene, another antioxidant linked to reduced risk of chronic disease. It also protects[14] sunburned skin. Unfortunately, these protective benefits against the sun only come with a consistent beta-carotene intake over ten weeks.
Beta-carotene also transforms into vitamin A inside the body. Vitamin A aids in eye health and helps to reduce the risk of many eye-related diseases.
Research[15] has shown that people with high blood levels of carotenoids may reduce their risk of macular degeneration by 25 to 35 percent[8].
Anti-Aging
There are also numerous dragon fruit benefits for the skin. One of the significant causes of aged skin is UV exposure from the sun. Antioxidants are one of the most studied[16] compounds in the fight against our skin and aging.
As you know, dragon fruit is high in several antioxidants. Antioxidants have been shown to assist in maintaining healthy skin in a couple of ways, such as
- Combating against free radicals, which harm the skin
- Protecting against UV rays which also damage the skin
- Signaling pathways that prevent inflammation and wrinkles
Another way to use dragon fruit for anti-aging is as a face mask. Placing dragon fruit directly onto the skin can help fight acne and even soothe sunburned skin.
Dragon Fruit Nutrition Value
Dragon fruit is relatively low in calories but is super high in nutrition. Just one cup of dragon fruit provides:
- Calories: 120
- Protein: 3 grams
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 26 grams
- Fiber: 6 grams
- Iron: 1 gram
- Magnesium: 20% of the RDI
- Vitamin C: 4 mg
Along with vitamins and minerals, dragon fruit contains many antioxidants, polyphenols, and other beneficial plant compounds.
Dragon Fruit Side Effects
Consuming dragon fruit is generally considered safe. However, always be aware of the signs of an allergic reaction:
- Swelling of the mouth, lips, tongue
- Itchy or scratchy throat
- Difficulty swallowing or breathing
- Abdominal pain, cramps, bloating
- Vomiting
- Hives, eczema, or rash
Most people develop allergies during their childhood or early adult years, but it’s still possible to develop allergies later in life. Therefore, when you eat dragon fruit, you can potentially develop an allergy to them at any point in your life.
Ways To Eat Dragon Fruit
Like any fruit, dragon fruit tastes best when it is ripe. Pick a fruit that has vibrant red and pink outside. Also, when you squeeze the outside of the fruit, it should be not too soft and not too hard but have a little give. If you buy a dragon fruit that is too hard, wait a few days to consume it.
Once you buy dragon fruit, take it home and cut it in half. Inside you will see the white flesh and black seeds. Scoop out the inside by running a spoon alongside the flesh as you would a kiwi. After scooping, you can cut the fruit into pieces or just pop it in your mouth.
Dragon fruit is delicious by itself as a snack, but you could also use it in other ways, such as
- Making a tropical fruit salad with papaya, kiwi, mangos, passion fruit, etc.
- Mixing into smoothies
- Adding to other tropical fruits to make a salsa
- Making dragon fruit jam
- Grilling dragonfruit and place alongside meat for a refreshing side
- Adding dragon fruit to Greek yogurt and topping with almonds for a unique snack
The outer skin is quite bitter, and most people choose to avoid eating it. But the inside is an easy way to enjoy health benefits.
Some health food stores also carry dragon fruit in powder form. The powder form of dragon fruit carries the same benefits as fresh fruits. This makes it easy to add dragon fruit to practically any dish, including oatmeal, baked goods, smoothies, on top of ice cream, yogurt, and more.
Summary: Is Dragon Fruit Healthy?
If you’ve ever wondered about the benefits of dragon fruit, this article has shown you the many health benefits of dragon fruit, including the ability to stabilize blood sugar levels, heart and cardiovascular health, gut health, antioxidant properties, and more.
Also, dragon fruit encourages the immune system to function at its peak ability. So the next time you are at the grocery store and see that vibrant pink, red fruit, pick one up and slice it for an exotic change in your eating routine that will give you some great benefits.
+ 16 Sources
- Cronin, P., Joyce, S.A., O’Toole, P.W. and O’Connor, E.M. (2021). Dietary Fibre Modulates the Gut Microbiota. Nutrients, [online] 13(5), p.1655. doi:10.3390/nu13051655.
- Quagliani, D. and Felt-Gunderson, P. (2016). Closing America’s Fiber Intake Gap. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, [online] 11(1), pp.80–85. doi:10.1177/1559827615588079.
- Wang, P., Fang, J., Gao, Z., Zhang, C. and Xie, S. (2015). Higher intake of fruits, vegetables or their fiber reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis. Journal of Diabetes Investigation, [online] 7(1), pp.56–69. doi:10.1111/jdi.12376.
- CDC (2022). Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes. [online] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/role-of-fiber.html.
- DiNicolantonio, J.J. and O’Keefe, J.H. (2020). The Benefits of Omega-3 Fats for Stabilizing and Remodeling Atherosclerosis. Missouri medicine, [online] 117(1), pp.65–69. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7023944/
- Clinicaltrials.gov. (2019). The Effects of Dragon Fruit Consumption on Vascular Function. – Full Text View – ClinicalTrials.gov. [online] Available at: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03995602
- Davinelli, S., Ali, S., Solfrizzi, V., Scapagnini, G. and Corbi, G. (2021). Carotenoids and Cognitive Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Intervention Trials. Antioxidants, [online] 10(2), p.223. doi:10.3390/antiox10020223.
- Wu, J., Cho, E., Willett, W.C., Sastry, S.M. and Schaumberg, D.A. (2015). Intakes of Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and Other Carotenoids and Age-Related Macular Degeneration During 2 Decades of Prospective Follow-up. JAMA Ophthalmology, [online] 133(12), p.1415. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2015.3590.
- Galland L (2021). Magnesium and immune function: an overview. Magnesium, [online] 7(5-6). Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3075245/
- DiNicolantonio, J.J., O’Keefe, J.H. and Wilson, W. (2018). Subclinical magnesium deficiency: a principal driver of cardiovascular disease and a public health crisis. Open Heart, [online] 5(1), p.e000668. doi:10.1136/openhrt-2017-000668.
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