Benefits of Dragon Fruit

History of Dragon Fruit Spread

This cactus plant from the State of Mexico, Central America, and North America and is now spread all over the world. In the region of origin is named after the dragon fruit or pitaya roja Pitahaya. Population can often take advantage of this fruit for consumption of fresh fruit served as a dish over the kitchen. But in its development, better known as dragon fruit crop of Asia because it was developed on a large scale in some Asia countries especially countries Vietnam and Thailand. This plant was originally intended as an ornamental plant, because the shape of a triangle and thorny stems short and have a beautiful flower similar to a funnel-shaped flowers Wijayakusuma disenja and start blooming and will bloom at night. That's why this plant is also called blooming cereus night. Name of the dragon fruit dragon fruit or fruit may be due to this has bright red color and has a green skin with fins similar to the figure of a dragon in the imagination of country China. Ancient Chinese people used to present the fruits of this are by putting them between two small dragon statue on the altar table and is believed to bring blessings. 

Classification of Dragon Fruit 

Division: Spermatophyta (seed plants) 

Subdivisions: Agiospermae (seeds enclosed) 

Class: Dicotyledonae (dashed two) 

Order: Cactales Family: 

Cactaceae Subfamily: Hylocereanea 

Genus: Hylocereus 

Species: - Hylocereus undatus (white meat) 

- Hylocereus polyrhizus (red meat) 

- Hylocereus costaricensis (super red meat) 

- Selenicereus megalanthus (yellow skin, no scales) 

Benefits of Dragon Fruit  

Dragon fruit has beneficial properties for human health such as balancing blood sugar levels, protective oral health, prevention of colon cancer, reduce cholesterol, preventing bleeding and treat complaints of vaginal discharge. Dragon fruit is usually consumed as fresh fruit as relieving thirst, because the dragon fruit contains a high water content of about 90% of the weight of the fruit. It was pretty sweet because they contain sugar content reaches 13-18 briks. Dragon fruit can also be presented in the form of juice, fruit juice, jam or preserves maupu various forms of presentation according to your taste. In general, experts agree and acknowledge dragon fruit is rich in potassium, ferum, protein, fiber, sodium and calcium are good for kesihatan versus other fruits are imported. According to AL Leong of Johncola Pitaya Food R & D, an organization that examines the red dragon fruit, honey, cactus fruit is quite rich with a variety of vitamins and mineral substances which greatly helped improve the durability and useful for metabolism in the human body. "Research shows red dragon fruit is very good for the circulatory system, also gives the effect of reducing emotional stress and neutralize toxic in the blood." Research also shows this fruit can prevent colon cancer, in addition to preventing high cholesterol content in the blood and reduce levels of fat in body, "he said. Overall, each of the red dragon fruit contains a protein that is able to increase metabolism and maintain cardiovascular health; fiber (to prevent colon cancer, diabetes and diet); carotene (eye health, strengthen the brain and prevent disease), calcium (bone strengthening). Dragon fruit also contains iron to increase the blood, vitamin B1 (to prevent fever entity); vitamin B2 (add to taste), vitamin B3 (lower cholesterol) and vitamin C (increase slipperiness, smoothness of skin and prevent acne). 

Here is a complete nutritional content of dragon fruit: 

Sugar content: 13-18 briks 

Water: 90% 

Carbohydrates: 11.5 g 

Acid: 0.139 g 

Protein: 0.53 g 

Fiber: 0.71 g 

Calcium: 134.5 mg 

Phosphorus: 8.7 mg 

Magnesium: 60.4 mg 

Vitamin C: 9.4 mg