Yellow Dragon Fruit: Benefits and Preparation Tips

If you are familiar with dragon fruit, also known as pitaya, at all, it might well be the pink version that more readily pops into your mind. But, yellow dragon fruit is becoming rather popular for some claimed health benefits.

Let’s do a bit of an investigation on this exotic fruit and find out what it’s all about.

What Exactly is Yellow Dragon Fruit?

Source: ShamrockgirlWorld/YouTube

Yellow dragon fruit, or yellow pitaya (Hylocereus megalanthus) is the fruit of a cactus native to northern South America, most notably Colombia and Ecuador. Since they are a tropical plant, they also grow in Florida and California.

The yellow variety of this fruit is less common than its red cousin, but it is thought to be sweeter and less tart and has much thinner skin. Both varieties, however, are very similar in nutritional value.

The fruits come from a climbing cactus that has long leaching arms. The branches of the plant grow in segments that can be separated from the mother plant and used to start new plants.

Why Is It Called Dragon Fruit?

The name dragon fruit is said to have originated in Southeast Asia. It is thought that the Vietnamese gave the fruit the name ‘thang loy’ meaning ‘dragon fruit’. When the fruit started to become popular in China, the name stuck.

It really does have quite a whimsical shape that could be perceived as dragon-like if you use your imagination!

Nutritional Value of Yellow Dragon Fruit

With its bright yellow skin, white flesh, and tiny black seeds, the yellow dragon fruit is a powerhouse of nutrients. One 6-ounce serving will provide you with-

• Calories: 102
• Fat: 0 grams
• Protein: 2 grams
• Carbohydrates: 22 grams
• Fiber: 5 grams
• Sugars: 13 grams
• Vitamin A: 100 international units (IU)
• Vitamin C: 4 milligrams
• Calcium: 31 milligrams
• Iron: 0.1 milligram
• Magnesium: 68 milligrams

Health Benefits of Yellow Dragon Fruit

Antioxidants- Dragon fruit is rich in antioxidants such as flavonoids, phenolic acid, and betacyanin which help to fight free radicals in your body that can cause cell damage.

Iron- It is also a great source of non-heme iron (plant-based iron) as well as being vitamin C-packed, too. Non-heme iron is actually quite difficult for our bodies to absorb, but eating it with vitamin C helps the bioavailability of iron. With a bowl of yellow dragon fruit, you will definitely give your body an iron boost.

Immune Boosting- Its high vitamin C content may also help to boost and strengthen your immune system. Vitamin C helps to protect the body from infection, protects cells from free radical damage, and plays an important part in skin health.

Prebiotic- Yellow dragon fruit is a good source of prebiotics. These are foods that help to feed the good bacteria in our guts. Yellow dragon is especially efficient in encouraging the growth of probiotics lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. These help to digest your food and kill harmful viruses and bacteria.

Rich in Fiber- Just 6 ounces of dragon fruit gives you over 20% of your daily recommendation of fiber. Fiber is an essential part of a healthy balanced diet. It keeps our digestive system running well by adding bulk to our food waste making it easier to pass through our bowels. It can also help to reduce digestive discomfort.

Due to its high fiber content, having too many dragon fruits can cause some stomach upset.

How to Choose and Prepare Your Dragon Fruit

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Dragon fruits are perfect for eating when the skin gives just a little when you press it. If it is too hard, it won’t be any good. The same goes for a fruit that is too mushy! Another great tip is to make sure the skin is super yellow with very little green.

Once it is ripe, you can either cut away the skin and chop the flesh into cubes, or you can cut the fruit in half and scoop the innards out like you would with an avocado. The seeds are edible but don’t eat the skin.

Dragon fruit is delicious to eat just on its own or tossed into a fruit salad. It works beautifully in smoothies and can be frozen and turned into yummy vegan ice cream just as you would with other frozen fruits.

This article is for informational purposes and should not be used as medical advice. Consult a medical professional if you have any questions or concerns.

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