Dragon fruit is the superfood you never knew you needed. Because it’s not always easy-to-find and can look like something that fell off a spaceship, many health seekers go their entire lives without even noticing it in the produce aisle.
If you care about your health and wellness (which you probably do if you’ve landed on this site), it would be a shame for you to miss out on the benefits (and incredible taste!) of this nutrient-dense fruit.
Fact: whether you’ve heard of dragon fruit or not, there’s more than one reason to start incorporating it into your wellness routine. Ready to learn more about the benefits of dragon fruit? We asked the experts why this gorgeous pink fruit is so good for you. Here’s what they said:
1. Packed with antioxidants
Dragon fruit is a beautiful, unique fruit with many benefits that can easily be added to your smoothies or consumed as a tasty summer snack.
The exquisite, colorful, spiky pink dragon fruit is surprisingly packed with nutritious vitamins and disease fighting antioxidants. Antioxidants work to neutralize harmful free radicals to prevent inflammation and cell damage. Vitamin C is an antioxidant in dragon fruit that not only helps with immune defense, but also has been shown to fight against cancer.
Dragon fruit also contains the antioxidant, betalains, which can fight oxidative stress. Carotenoids are another antioxidant present in dragon fruit (and part of what gives it the pink color), which have been shown to reduce cancer risk and heart disease, while also improving the protection of the body against infection by supporting white blood cells, also known as defense cells.
Registered Dietician Rachel McBryan
@rachelmcbryanrd
Dragon fruit’s outer appearance, though beautiful, can be intimidating to most novice fruit consumers, which means it doesn’t get nearly enough attention for its taste, versatility, and most importantly, health benefits.
Dragon fruit is great for gut health, because the fiber it contains acts as a prebiotic. Prebiotics feed good gut bacteria, which regulates digestion as well as many other important processes in the body, such as inflammation and immune response.
When the gut is healthy and balanced, the body is better equipped to fight off illness and viruses. Adding dragon fruit to your daily fruit intake is a great way to help keep the gut healthy.
Lisa Richards, Nutritionist, The Candida Diet
@thecandidadiet
Dragon fruit is considered to be the king of tropical fruits. It's low-calorie and contains fewer natural sugars and carbs compared to its fellow tropical fruits.
But one of the most important benefits of dragon fruit is that it contains iron, which many women today are deficient in. Replenishing your iron with dragon fruit can boost your energy and promote a healthy pregnancy.
Additional bonus: despite its low sugar content, dragon fruit still has a delightfully sweet flavor, making it easier to eat more of this nutrient dense powerfruit. The antioxidants and vitamin C found in dragon fruit help fight off the inflammation caused by free radicals, which can help improve the health and appearance of your skin.
Eating more dragon fruit is a great way to add variety to your wellness routine. You’re sure to benefit from its excellent nutritional profile.
Trainer Josh Schlottman
@joshschlottman
4. Boosts your daily fiber intake
On average, one cup of dragon fruit has about seven grams of fiber. Eating a diet rich in fiber has many benefits, such as feeling fuller for longer, helping to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and helping to support a regular and healthy digestive system. Just one serving of dragon fruit a day can help you work toward meeting your daily fiber goals.
Kelsey Riley, Registered Nurse, Planted in the Kitchen
@plantedinthekitchen
Dragon fruit offers a sneaky way to add more vitamin C to your wellness routine.
Rich in this important nutrient, dragon fruit can help prevent free radical cell damage, boost your immune system, and make your skin look and feel better.
To incorporate dragon fruit into your diet, you can enjoy it fresh by cutting it into quarters and scooping the flesh out. You can also toss it in a salad along with other fruits or blend it to make a smoothie for a healthy snack.
Kevin Daly, Workplace Wellness Expert, Zevo Health
@zevohealth
Dragon fruit might be hard to find at your conventional grocery store, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to access. KOR’s Restore incorporates the juice of this gorgeously pink fruit into it’s healthy blend of nutrient-rich ingredients.
Restore your mind and body to optimal health with this pink and pretty shot from KOR.