Dragon Fruit

(Pitaya - Strawberry Pear)

Hylocereus undatus

Health Benefits - Dragon Fruit


Dragon fruit contains a host of nutrients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), carotene, phosphorus, iron, protein, carbohydrates, fibre and calcium. It contains a small amount of ash and is approximately 83% moisture. Health benefits of this unusual fruit range from lowering blood glucose levels, improving memory to boosting the body's metabolism.


Dragon fruits are high in antioxidants, which help fight carcinogenic free-radicals from the body. They are also low in calories and high in fiber, while the seeds have high polyunsaturated fatty acids. Dragon fruit also possesses natural skin moisturizing properties.


Dragon fruit is also known to be a natural appetite stimulant, making it a good choice for anyone recovering from a loss of appetite after illness.
It is an excellent antioxidant, which helps prevent the spread of free radicals within the body. The presence of high level of vitamin C, minerals and pytoalbumin is regarded as relevant in fighting free radicals.


The Vitamin C in dragon fruit enables it to help build the immune system and heal bruises and cuts naturally. It also acts as a natural detoxing agent, because it is able to help the body neutralize substances like heavy metals.


Dragon fruit contains vitamins B1, B2 and B3. Vitamin B1 is beneficial for energy production and carbohydrate metabolism, while vitamin B2 improves appetite. The fragon fruit's B3 content reduces cholesterol and enhances skin appearance, keeping it moisturized and smooth. Finally there are some reports that dragon fruit may combat gout and arthritis through its beta carotene content.







Bone Health - Calcium - Dragon Fruit


Its Calcium content enables it to assist with strengthening teeth and bones naturally.







Diabetes - High Proteins - Dragon Fruit


Dragon fruits has the ability to lower blood glucose levels naturally. Therefore, those suffering from diabetes can also benefit from eating dragon fruit. Its high protein content makes it beneficial for those needing to boost metabolism.







Digestive Health - Minerals - Fibres - Dragon Fruit


Dragon fruit is rich in minerals and fibers that aids in digestion, cleans toxic ingredients thus preventing the occurrence of colon cancer. Having a high fibre content is ideal for those suffering from constipation or irregular bowel movements.







Heart Health - Cholesterol - Flavanoids - Dragon Fruit


Dragon fruit is rich in flavonoids that are known to have favorable effects against cardio related disease. Dragon fruit also helps to control cholesterol levels and is able to lower cholesterol levels and high blood pressure naturally. Dragon fruits, like many other fruits and foods, are described as "nutraceuticals" when they contain natural, bioactive chemical compounds with disease-preventing or medicinal properties.


John A. Manthey, a chemist at the Winter Haven lab, is known for his work on citrus flavonoids in peel byproducts. Manthey's research has shown that polymethoxylated flavones (PMF's) decrease blood serum levels of apoprotein B, the structural protein of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood.


Manthey's previous research also provided evidence of anti-inflammatory actions, another mechanism by which the compounds may protect against cardiovascular disease.


Similar studies of cardioprotection have been started by Manthey and postdoctoral researcher Kanjana Mahatannahee on flavonoids and related phenols in select Florida-grown tropical fruits - such as mamey, guava, dragon fruit, and carambola. Scientists have found these to be extremely high in phenolic antioxidants.


Source: http://www.naturalnews.com/011740.html#ixzz2AE3QtazE







Lung Health - Dragon Fruit


Dragon Fruit has also been shown to help those suffering from respiratory infections and asthma.


Source: http://www.naturalnews.com/034163_dragon_fruit_health_benefits.html#ixzz2ADyehSW6







Weight Management - Obesity - Dragon Fruit


The dragon fruit is a low-energy dense food, meaning it has few calories compared to its serving size. This can help with reducing calorie intake without leaving you feeling hungry, aiding weight control. One dragon fruit has just 60 calories.







Weight Management - Obesity - Prebiotic Effects - Dragon Fruit


The researcher concluded that dragon fruit may be used as an ingredient in functional food and nutraceutical products for the overweight individuals and diabetic prevention management. Meanwhile, the prebiotic effect of dragon fruit should be tested in clinical studies with both the raw and extracted flesh for comparison.

Source: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0887/is_12_29/ai_n56719678/







Wound Healing - Dragon Fruit


Aqueous extracts of leaves, rind, fruit pulp and flowers of the dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) were studied for their wound healing properties. Wound healing effects were studied on incision (skin breaking strength), excision (percent wound contraction) and the nature of wound granulation tissues, which were removed on day 7 and the collagen, hexosamine, total proteins and DNA contents were determined, in addition to the rates of wound contraction and the period of epithelialization.


In streptozotocin diabetic rats, where healing is delayed, topical applications of H. undatus (dragon fruit) produced increases in hydroxyproline, tensile strength, total proteins, DNA collagen content and better epithelization thereby facilitating healing. H. undatus (dragon fruit) had no hypoglycemic activity. (Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd).


Source: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ptr.1724/abstract;jsessionid=6F4BF99B4BA76679BBF030DA132FCB20.d02t01

Source: http://www.medicalhealthguide.com/articles/dragonfruit-healthbenefits.htm







Scientific Research - Flavanoids - Dragon Fruit


1. Dragon fruit are rich in naturally-occurring flavonoids, which are primarily found in dragon fruit peel. Flavonoids have a wide range of biological activities, such as cell proliferation-inhibiting, apoptosis-inducing, enzyme-inhibiting, antibacterial, and antioxidant effects.

Source: Cook and Samman, 1996; Havsteen, 2002; Middleton and Kandaswami, 1993





2. Moreover, some findings indicate that flavonoids\ has various clinical properties, such as antiatherosclerotic, antiinflammatory, antitumour, antithrombogenic, antiosteoporotic, and antiviral effects.

Source: Cook and Samman, 1996; Havsteen, 2002





3. Numerous epidemiological studies confirm significant relationship between the high dietary intake of flavonoids and the reduction of cardiovascular risk (Cook and Samman, 1996). The formulation of preventive and healthy nutrition requires information about phenolic and flavonoid composition in the dragon fruit waste.

Souce: http://umpir.ump.edu.my/805/1/Lee,_Qiao_Hui.pdf







Scientific Research - Anti-Oxidants - Phytoalbumins - Dragon Fruit


Dragon fruit is also rich in phytoalbumins which are highly valued for their antioxidant properties. Dragon fruit or Hylocereus polyrhizus is rich in fibers, vitamin C, minerals and phytoalbumins which are highly valued for their antioxidant properties.


The dragon fruit helps the digestive process, prevent colon cancer and diabetes, neutralize toxic substances such as heavy metal, reduce cholesterol levels and high blood pressure and consumed regularly the dragon fruit can help against asthma and cough. It is also rich with potassium, protein, fiber, sodium and calcium which goods for health than other fruits. 

Source: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/article/American-Journal-Applied-Sciences/208166316.html







Study - Nutrition & Health Benefits Of Tropical Fruits - Dragon Fruit


This study indicates hypocholesterolemic effect of tropical fruits including dragon fruit or pitaya as shown in-vivo and human intervention trial, therefore it has a potential of reducing the risk factor for CHD (dyslipidemia). Soluble fiber increase fecal bile acids losses and chemodeoxycholic acid synthesis and appear to be the best substantiated mechanism by which fiber lowers serum cholesterol.


Other factors that may have contributed to the cholesterol-lowering effects are the plant sterol and phytochemical present in fruits that interfere with cholesterol metabolism. These effects maybe attributed by the active components present in the pitaya fruit such as antioxidant, polyphenolics, thiols, and their antioxidative activity from the betacyanin contents (Wybraniec & Mizrahi, 2002).

The present study results revealed that both treatments (Dragon fruit and Lovastatin drug) showed a similar effect in increasing HDL-C and lowering TC, TG and LDL-C level


Source: http://www.madamsun.com/files/Download/The nutrition and health benefits of tropical fruits with special reference to red pitaya.pdf

Source: http://nutrionomics.com/

"The Bait and Switch" ... How Big Pharma Repackages Vitamins as Expensive Drugs !!!

The latest prescription medicine called Niaspan, which targeted to men and women with coronary artery disease and high cholesterol:

“...works to raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels in people with abnormal cholesterol levels ... also works to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides.”
Plus, Niaspan can "reduce the risk of another heart attack in people who have high cholesterol and a history of heart attacks."

Now, here's the thing about Niaspan... it isn't really a drug! ... it's nothing more than time-released niacin (vitamin B3)!

You can get a month's supply (without a doctor's order) from most vitamin shops for under $7. Without a doubt, you're much better off going that route... because Abbott Labs will charge you a heck of a lot more ... this profitable hoax, earning hundreds of millions of dollars for the drug giant Abbott Labs!

Source: Dr. Allan Spreen - Nationally acclaimed as America’s “Nutrition Physician” - www.healthiertalk.com

"The Bait and Switch" ... How Big Pharma Repackages Fish Oil as Expensive Drugs !!!

You've probably heard of a prescription drug called Lovaza, right? I chuckled when I first heard about it, because it's nothing more than refined fish oil.
But it sounds snazzy and you need a doctor's prescription for it ... so it must work better than regular fish oil, right?

Wrong. It doesn't. It contains the same active ingredients you find in fish oil: EPA and DHA.
But Big Pharma managed to fool many, many Americans with this hoax.

In fact, this kind of con is hugely profitable for Big Pharma ... earning billions of dollars for the drug giant Abbott Labs.
For this reason alone, we will see more and more vitamins magically "repackaged" and sold as drugs.

Source: Dr. Allan Spreen - Nationally acclaimed as America’s “Nutrition Physician” - www.healthiertalk.com

Dragon fruit and recipe are abundant because they are delicious and versatile. The dragon fruit is commonly eaten raw and tastes better when chilled. It is also served as a juice. The flesh is sweet and occasionally in a tropical sorbet this fruit is served with mango. The fruit is also used to flavour drinks while syrup made of the entire fruit is used to colour pastries and candy. The squash of the fruit is used in producing an alcoholic beverage.

The dragon fruit makes a wonderful mixture on its own or mixed with other tropical fruits. It is sometimes used in cooking for some recipes. Unopened flowerbuds of the dragon fruit can be cooked like vegetables. This versatile fruit can be served whole, in salads, on homemade pizza and as a beverage if squeezed. It can also be used to make spreads, jams and preserves ... a nice treat for desert and good in a green salad.


Pink and yellow dragon fruits are known for their extra sweet and unique flavor. You can also take the pink and yellow dragon fruit and toss some slices in a salad to sweeten it up more and give an exotic twist. You can puree the dragon fruit and make a dragon fruit sorbet.

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