Dragon Fruit Archives - Amazing Health Benefits

It’s a lovely Wednesday again to discover the many health benefits of pitaya. I just used pitaya but you’ll know of it if I call it dragon fruit. There are more terms you can use for pitayas like Hylocereus Undatus, Dragon Fruit, Belle Of The Night, Strawberry Pear, Queen-Of-The-Night Cactus, Nightblooming Cactus, Fire Dragon Fruit, Pitahaya, Red Pitaya, Nightblooming Cereus, Cinderella Plant, Thanh Long, Kaeo Mangkon, and Buah Naga. Here is the list of health benefits of pitaya that I’ve collected. 1. Pitaya Contains Good Amounts Of Nutrients Eating pitaya will give you vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, and vitamin C. You also get calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and sodium. Besides what I’ve mentioned above, it’s also a source of carbohydrates, fiber, lycopene, protein. 2. May Help Improve Your Brain’s Functions B vitamins are linked to proper and even improved brain functions. This is an additional health benefit you can get from just eating pitaya since it’s a source of these vitamins. Pitaya also contains magnesium that’s attributed to helping boost brain functions and treat depression. Food that’s also good for your brain and nervous system is paco or more popularly known as a vegetable fern. I have here an article about the health benefits of paco that you may want to read too. 3. Pitaya Is A Good Source Of Antioxidants You can eat pitaya for its antioxidants contents. In published research by the Journal of Food Science, pitaya has been seen to have high contents of flavonoids and polyphenols. Other antioxidants in pitaya are betalains found in the pulp of red pitayas and hydroxycinnamates. To add more, vitamins A and C that are present in this fruit can also act as antioxidants in your body. Antioxidants help fight oxidative stress that can result in damages in your organs. This effect can help prevent chronic diseases and delay signs of aging in your body. 4. Helps Improve Your Cardiovascular Health There are articles that will tell you that the seeds of pitaya are sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which are good for your cardiovascular health. The fruit, being high in fiber can help in reducing cholesterol levels which is a marker in checking the health of your heart. Vitamin B3 in pitaya also works in reducing your bad cholesterol levels while increasing good cholesterol levels. The antioxidants in pitaya also play a big role in keeping your heart healthy from chronic diseases. 5. Pitaya Boosts Your Immune System Pitaya is rich in vitamin C which stimulates the functions of your immune system. This fruit also contains antioxidants like flavonoids and polyphenols. These antioxidants are useful in preventing different chronic diseases as they fight free radicals in your body. A good immune system in your body will most of the time reduce the risks of getting diseases. 6. May Help You Lose Weight Pitaya is rich in fiber. This means that eating this fruit can make you feel fuller and keeps you away from eating more than your body needs. Its nutrients like the B vitamins are useful in keeping a good metabolic rate in your body which uses the food you eat as energy. 7. Pitaya Is Good For Skin Care Vitamin C in pitaya is good for your skin because this vitamin is used by your body to produce collagen. Collagen is what gives your skin its elasticity and texture. We’ve also mentioned the importance of antioxidants. This has an effect on your skin as well because it can delay signs of aging in your skin like wrinkles and dark spots. The combination of the nutrients in pitaya can aid with relieving skin conditions like acne and dry skin. It can also brighten your skin. 8. Is High In Fiber Pitaya is a great source of fiber. A diet that’s rich in fiber is helpful in your digestion. It can prevent digestive disorders like constipation and diarrhea. Furthermore, published research in Food Chemistry showed that pitaya contains oligosaccharides. These promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut. Having a high fiber diet can also help you lose weight because fiber makes you feel fuller when eating. 9. Pitaya Has Anti-inflammatory Qualities In particular, the peels of the red pitaya has shown anti-inflammatory qualities. You can read more about this study here. This can be very helpful to people who are suffering from different forms of arthritis. 10. Helps Control Diabetes Eating pitaya regularly can be helpful to you if you’re a diabetic. The regular consumption of this fruit has been linked to reduced blood sugar levels. There’s even a study that showed prediabetics that consume pitaya have greater blood glucose reduction. 11. Pitaya Aids In Eye Care Because pitaya is a source of vitamin A or beta-carotene, it’s a good fruit to regularly eat to protect your eyes. You can prevent cataract formation and macular degeneration in your eyes. There’s even a study that will tell you that pitaya was able to inhibit the growth of a certain substance that’s linked to the development of congenital glaucoma. 12. Contains Iron You can also get iron from eating pitaya. Iron is needed by your body because it’s used in the development of red blood cells. Red blood cells distribute nutrients and oxygen to all parts of your body. Regularly eating pitaya can be helpful in avoiding anemia and its symptoms like dizziness, feeling fatigued, and weakness. 13. Pitaya Helps With Strong Bones And Teeth Eating fruits with calcium and phosphorus like pitaya is very helpful to naturally reach your daily calcium needs. Meeting this desired calcium amount daily can help develop your bones, keep it healthy, and avoid bone-related diseases like osteoporosis. Conclusion Pitaya is an amazing rare fruit if you check its health benefits. I like pitaya but it’s difficult to find and is quite expensive compared to the other fruits you can choose. You may have already guessed as to my favorite benefit in the list of health benefits of pitaya. This is its anti-inflammatory qualities. I now only depend on the foods that I eat for relieving or preventing symptoms of arthritis. I feel like I’ve already ingested so many pain killers before. How about you? Which one on the list of health benefits of pitaya do you need the most? But you should first talk it over with your doctor or medical professional if it’s safe for you to eat or consume. Please share this article if you find value in it. Thank you!