Dragon fruit

The origin of Hylocereus spp. is the tropical and sub-tropical forest regions of Mexico and Central and South America.

Dragon fruit is the most beautiful in the family Cactaceae with a bright skin studded with green scales and white or red flesh with tiny black seeds. Dragon fruit has oval shape, red in color and its fruit between 10-15 cm; weighs between 300 to 500 grams. The juicy flesh of the fruit is delicious in taste.

The tree is perennial and fast-growing climber with triangular or rarely four or five ridged stems. The stem is fleshy, vine like with many branched segments. Each segment has three wavy wings and 1-3 spines or sometimes spineless.

Dragon fruits are rich in vitamins and minerals that can help improve body metabolism. It is good for digestion and blood circulation. Reports have shown that dragon fruits have positive response to reduce high blood pressure and neutralize toxins in the body.

Besides being consumed fresh, dragon fruit can also be processed into, for example, juice and puree. They are widely used in various food products such as sweets, yogurts, ice creams, pastries, jams, jellies and wines. This is due to its special colour (especially red/purple pigments in red-flesh dragon fruit), high nutritional values and antioxidative properties of the fruit.
Dragon fruit

Antioxidants content in dragon fruit

Dragon fruit poses medicinal properties. This fruit is a natural source of antioxidants.

Antioxidant prevents colon cancer and diabetes, neutralizes toxic substances like heavy metals, reduces cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

It control high sugar levels, prevents cancer and bleeding and promotes dental health. Phenolic compounds, namely hydroycinnamates, have been reported in the pulp of dragon fruit.

The total phenolic contents of flesh (42.4 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 g of flesh fresh weight and peel (39.7 mg of GAE/100 g of peel fresh weight) of dragon fruit were similar.

The flavonoid contents of flesh and peel did not vary much (7.21 mg vs. 8.33 mg of catechin equivalents/100 g of flesh and peel matters).

The betacyanin content in red-fleshed dragon fruit juice is 525.3 mg/L, while betaxanthins of 5.3 mg/L has been reported in the juice of fed-flesh dragon fruit. Betacyanin protect against oxidative stress-related disorders.
Antioxidants content in dragon fruit