Is dragon fruit good? All variants of the pitaya, including yellow dragon fruit, contain several tiny black seeds—and they can be digested with no worries. These tiny seeds are entirely edible and may even be beneficial to your health. Nature has also blessed pitaya with healthy fatty acids, so if you need to eat fruit, be sure to add it to your “must-have” list.
Nutritious fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-9 can be abundant in dragon fruit seeds. Both the cardiovascular system and cholesterol levels can benefit from these substances.
Because dragon fruit seeds naturally contain a protective gel coating, the human digestive tract cannot break down and absorb them in their whole. Therefore, even after eating dragon fruit, the bulk of the tiny black seeds in the pulp will remain in your stool.
The bacteria in the intestines can partially digest dragon fruit seeds that have been chewed up or broken. In addition, these bacteria in the gut can extract the fatty acids from seeds and then transfer them to other areas of the body where they are used.
Is dragon fruit good, we ask a second time. Do not be alarmed if, after eating a pitaya, you see that your feces include numerous tiny black specks. This is analogous to how the body cannot digest corn kernels in their complete form. However, because of the contrast in color, these stick out significantly more in the toilet bowl.
The pitaya will forever be known as a nutritious fruit, and to eat dragon fruit is to make a toast for health. While raising a dragon fruit cactus may not always be possible in your backyard, it’s good to know that the pitaya is now widely available and you can easily obtain the most nutritious fruit from groceries and online.
It’s also not true that dragon fruit poisonous. It may look unique but that doesn’t mean that it’s warning people to stay away. Rather, we believe that the dragon fruit skin is there for a good reason. It’s meant to attract pollinators and birds.
The ripest dragon fruit is high in vitamin C and other nutrients. Fresh dragon fruit is also a wonderful choice for salads, as it is one of the healthiest fruit around. Simply use a spoon or melon baller to cut the flesh of the cactus into portions. Â
The Amazing World of Digestion
The movement of food through the gastrointestinal tract is how digestion happens. The digestive process starts with chewing and concludes in the small intestine. Large molecules in food are chopped into smaller ones as they combine with digestive juices through the gastrointestinal tract.
These newly formed, smaller molecules are absorbed through the intestinal wall of the small intestine and transported throughout the body via circulation. The large intestine is responsible for expelling the solid waste digested food from the body.
Nutrients from fruits like dragon fruit are vital to your body’s optimal functioning and health, making digestion a top priority. Nutrients include water, protein, fat, glucose, vitamin, minerals, and fat. For your body to consume them and utilize them for energy, development, and cell repair, your digestive system processes them into smaller and smaller particles.
How The Digestive System Breaks Down Fruits?
- Mouth: When you chew, your mouth acts as the first stage of the digestive system. Saliva is a digestive juice produced by your salivary glands that helps to soften food and facilitate its passage through the esophagus and into the stomach. An enzyme quickly breaks down the starch in your food in your saliva.
- Esophagus: The process of peristalsis, which begins after you swallow, helps move food from the esophagus into the stomach.
- Stomach: Your stomach’s lining contains glands that secrete digestive juices, including acid and enzymes. The digestive juices are mixed with the food by the stomach muscles.
- Pancreas: The digestive juice produced by your pancreas contains enzymes that aid in the digestion of carbs, lipids, and proteins. Then, through a network of tiny tubes called ducts, the pancreas transports digestive juice toward the small intestine.
- Liver: Bile is a digestive liquid produced by your liver that is useful for breaking down lipids and even some vitamins. The bile produced by the liver travels through the bile ducts to either the gallbladder or the small intestine.
- Gallbladder: Between meals, bile is stored in your gallbladder. After eating, pressure from the gallbladder forces bile into the small intestine.
- Small intestine: Digestive juice is delivered in the small intestine and combines with bile and pancreatic juice to help break down fats, proteins, and carbs. Bacteria produce some enzymes required to break down carbohydrates in the small intestine. The small intestine pumps water from the bloodstream into the digestive system, where it aids in the digestion of meals. Additionally, your small intestine is responsible for water absorption with other micronutrients.
- Large intestine: More water is absorbed into the bloodstream from the digestive system in the large intestine. Bacteria produce vitamin K in the large intestine as a byproduct of nutrition digestion. The stool is made up of digested waste and any remaining chunks of food that are too big to be eliminated by the body.
What Food Aids Digestion?
Until something goes wrong, you almost certainly don’t give much thought to the intricate systems involved. Fortunately, you can protect yourself from problems such as cramping, swelling, dehydration, and diarrhea. In addition, consuming meals beneficial to digestion is one of the leisureliest things you can do to improve your digestive health.Â
- Because they include their own naturally occurring sources of fiber, berries like dragon fruit benefit your health; the same can be said for nuts and seeds. However, it is preferable to take both meals in moderation if possible because of their potential health risks. In addition, if not appropriately prepared, berries can become one of the most challenging foods to stomach, particularly those containing fructose, which some people find challenging to process.
- Kimchi is a popular meal in Korea that is typically made with radish, cabbage, or onion, in addition to various spices. Cabbage is typically the primary component, as it is known to encourage the development of beneficial bacteria in the colon. In addition, since cabbage contains fiber that cannot be digested, it is easier to evacuate waste and maintain regular bowel movements. The same benefits can be gained from eating sauerkraut. However, given that this dish can include a spicy component, eating kimchi is the best choice for you if you have discovered that eating foods with a spicy component brings on digestive issues.
- When you develop diarrhea from swallowing too much alcohol, eating bananas can help you go back to regular bowel function. They assist in restoring electrolytes and potassium, both of which may be lost due to diarrhea or vomiting. This fruit also has a lot of fiber, which is beneficial for digestion.
- This seasoning has a long history of use as a risk-free treatment for various stomach ailments, including but not limited to nausea, vomiting, motion sickness, stomach problems, gas, appetite loss, and colic. Consuming it in moderation is recommended for optimal health. When consumed more than 2 to 4 grams per day, ginger has the potential to trigger heartburn in some people.
How Many Seeds Are Inside A Dragon Fruit?
The edible flesh of a typical white dragon fruit will typically include between a thousand and fifteen hundred tiny black seeds. Dragon fruits vary in size; hence their seed counts will also vary.
It’s essential to remember that this is just a ballpark figure based on a partial count of cut-outs. The number of seeds in a fruit is proportional to its size.
The seeds inside the dragon fruit’s flesh can be used to cultivate your cactus. But, of course, store-bought fruit would work just as well. A paper towel and several dry slices of fruit are all required to prepare the pulp for use.
Can You Digest Dragon Fruit Seeds?
Due to their natural gel coating, dragon fruit seeds are indigestible when consumed in their entirety. However, most of the tiny black seeds in dragon fruit pulp will remain in your stool for a few days after consumption.
Bacteria can digest dragon fruit seeds that have been partially broken down or chewed in the intestine. These microorganisms in the intestine can break down the seeds into their component fatty acids, which the body can then absorb.
It’s normal for pitaya to leave little black fragments in your poop, so don’t worry if you notice them after eating one. The phenomenon is analogous to the human digestive system’s difficulty processing whole corn kernels. However, due to the striking color difference, these are much more visible in the loo.
Do You Have To Bite Through Dragon Fruit Seeds?
You can get some beneficial fiber plus fatty acids from dragon fruit seeds without chewing. In addition, the seeds of dragon fruit can be partially digested by simply chewing the fruit’s delicious flesh.
Even the slightly larger golden dragon fruit holds this same characteristic. The seeds may be slightly crunchier than those of a “normal” kind, but this isn’t a reason to consciously gnaw on them. The fruit will not gain any nutritional value or become easier to digest.
Is Dragon Fruit Seeds Toxic?
It’s not weird to wonder if a dragon fruit seed can be eaten. Apple, cherry, apricot, plum, and peach seeds, to name a few, all contain toxins that might be harmful if ingested.
The ingredient in common is cyanide, which can be found in the seeds of many common fruits. While it’s unlikely that you’ll suffer any ill effects from accidentally ingesting one or two apple seeds, consuming too many can be toxic.
Seeds from any of the most consumed dragon fruit species are safe to eat because they contain no cyanide. The yellow pitaya is non-toxic, including the large, black seeds.
Many Benefits of Eating Dragon Fruit Daily
The only thing people know about dragon fruit is that it tastes like a cross sandwiched between a kiwi and a dessert and has tiny, inconspicuous seeds scattered throughout its sweet, creamy flesh. Pitaya and strawberry pear are two other names for dragon fruit. It’s a gorgeous dragon-shaped fruit, bright crimson with green scales.
Probiotics: The Missing Link In Gut Health
Fibers called prebiotics can be found naturally in dragon fruit. Intestinal bacteria can use these beneficial fibers as food. These fibers are naturally resistant to digestion in the human digestive system. Dragon fruit is rich in prebiotics, which promotes the expansion of beneficial bacteria like bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the digestive tract.
Prebiotic supplementation has been shown to protect against gastrointestinal illnesses. It promotes the advancement of good beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract, which helps the body to naturally repel parasites, fungi, viruses, and gastrointestinal issues, including diarrhea.
Biologically Active And Rich In Antioxidants
Antioxidants abound in dragon fruit, including betacyanins and betaxanthins. The skin, in addition to the pulp, contains several antioxidants.
Free radicals might damage the cells in your body. Antioxidants can eliminate the harmful effects of free radicals. When free radicals are neutralized, they cease to be harmful.
Daily supplementation with antioxidants has been linked to various health advantages, including a reduced risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. In addition, it’s one of the best strategies to maintain your health over time.
Superior, Healthy Munch
Dragon fruit is great for snacking because its cholesterol is far below the recommended daily allowance. Furthermore, its high fiber content means you can munch on it without shame.
Because our digestive systems need time to break down fiber-rich foods, eating them makes us feel full longer. In addition, because of how much longer they digest and remain in the stomach, they provide a more sustained feeling of fullness. So, eating dragon fruit is a great way to get a long-lasting hunger fix and nourish your body simultaneously.
Stimulatory Impacts On Glucose Regulation
People with diabetes should monitor their dietary intake closely. What people eat has an immediate and profound effect on their health. For this reason, they must watch what they eat.
Among people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, dragon fruit has been demonstrated to affect blood glucose levels positively, and a meta-analysis has supported this effect.
Due to its ability to promote the development of pancreatic cells responsible for insulin production, dragon fruit effectively lowers hyperglycemia. Insulin is the chemical responsible for regulating blood sugar levels for optimal bodily function.
Vitamins And Minerals Are Abundant In This Fruit
The dragon fruit is a healthy fruit with many beneficial components. It’s a nutritious food that provides carbs, minerals, and vitamins. It’s a good source of magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and zinc, among other minerals. It also has trace amounts of calcium and copper.
Given its high magnesium content, it helps prevent cardiovascular disorders and strokes. In addition, as the body requires magnesium to perform a wide variety of functions, it makes it easier for the body to carry out these jobs daily.
Is Dragon Fruit Seeds OK To Eat?
Please don’t bother trying to get rid of the seeds so you can eat them. Hundreds, if not thousands, of tiny seeds are embedded in the meat, and it’s tough to get them all. They add healthy fats without changing the flavor or texture, so go ahead and indulge.
How Wide Dragon Fruit Varieties Are There?
There are approximately nine different species, with the skin coming in various colors ranging from red to yellow and the flesh or pulp coming in various colors ranging from white to red.
Around 24 or more identified varieties are derived from this species, some of which require cross-pollination while others do not. They have a flavor that ranges from semi-sweet to sweet.
It is possible to cultivate a dragon fruit at home using a container plant; however, you will need to take special care not to overwater the plant and to ensure that the weather is consistently warm.
How To Prepare Your Dragon Fruit?
Cut the dragon fruit in half and use a spoon to eat the uncooked pulp. The tiny seeds within are edible, and so is the fruit’s usually tender, mild-tasting flesh. Smoothies, sorbets, and even grilled dishes with dragon fruit are all possible ways to enjoy this versatile fruit.
A dragon fruit smoothie made with a banana and coconut water is a delicious and nutritious treat. Just throw everything in a blender and gulp it down. This is a great way to enjoy dragon fruit since the banana adds a touch of sweetness to the otherwise sour fruit.
Are All Parts Of Dragon Fruit Edible?
Like a mature kiwifruit, dragon fruit has a juicy, squishy consistency when it’s ready to eat. However, it does not have a very robust or sugary flavor. Don’t get us wrong, dragon fruit is neither bitter nor sour, but many other fruits are much sweeter.
Dragon fruit has a mildly sweet flavor and a crunchy texture from all the seeds. Blending dragon fruit with other fruits like kiwi, cherries, and bananas in coconut water or almond milk improves its flavor. The resulting smoothie is delicious, refreshing, and has many beneficial nutritional and health properties.
Why Are Dragon Fruits So Expensive?
Except for the skin, every part of the dragon fruit can be devoured. This is because the flesh and the seeds are palatable and highly nutritious. The flesh is tender and ranges in color from white to a deep scarlet, depending on the cultivar.
You don’t want to eat this because of how leathery the skin is. Eating the skin would be like chewing on an old belt; it would be incredibly bitter. Because of the herbicides and insecticides applied, it is inedible and likely toxic. In our opinion, the only way to save a cactus that a fungus has infected from certain death is to treat it with a fungicide.
Because nearly all dragon fruits come from far-flung places like Vietnam, they come with a hefty price tag. Few local farmers are willing to risk cultivating the exotic fruit because of low demand.
Due to the scarcity of information on cultivating, it is a gamble for a first-time farmer to try their hand at a new crop.
This is not an easy fruit to cultivate unless you know what you’re doing. These factors explain why it’s usually somewhat pricey at the nearby Asian supermarket. In some places and Asian stores, a single dragon fruit can be purchased for roughly $6 up to $15.
