Pitahaya fruit useful properties. Prevention of visual impairment

Greetings to all who decided to get acquainted today with the unusual. Today we will talk about an exotic fruit from Thailand - Pitahaya. Dragon eye fruit is its name. It is sometimes referred to as the Dragon's Eye, Dragon Fruit, or Dragon's Heart. There are so many different names for pitahaya.

Vacation time is starting. And everyone wants to visit some resort, and preferably foreign. There is, of course, a question of opportunity. If, then you can rush to the Bahamas, but no, you can arrange a supposedly foreign vacation at home. The main thing here is the situation, and there are more pictures.

As the great minds said, “Learning enlightens and enriches.” In addition, it is always useful to learn about the area or customs of the camp where you want to visit. The most important part of travel is food. Wherever you go, you want to eat everywhere. You won’t take food with you, although there are such shots)

In general, about food, if you are not sure what the served dish is made of, it is better to ask or, thanks to the worldwide Internet, google the name so that you do not suddenly get an upset stomach.

Do not be surprised, the body of people living in different climatic conditions and accustomed to a certain diet in food has an individual reaction to foods. This applies not only to seafood or vegetables, but even fruits. Many foreigners traveling the world are allergic to unusual fruits. And good if you have insurance. And if not?

For example, Thailand is one of the favorite travel destinations for tourists. A great place with access to two oceans at once. In addition, the very season falls just at the beginning of spring, we have a cold, and there is summer.

Find the cheapest tours in Thailand, real-time prices

Dragon eye: a fruit from Thailand

Why did I start telling all this, I want to talk about unusual fruits just from Thailand, one of which is called the dragon eye fruit.

Agree an unusual name, I want to start a little with the history of this fruit. The strange thing here is that there are two Thai fruits that are considered the eye of the dragon - these are Pitaya and Longan. I will explain the difference between them.

So, with regard to Longan, the translation of the name from Thai means "dragon's eye." This, perhaps, is all ... Outwardly, there is nothing in common with the dragon at all. Rather, longan looks like a small potato with a transparent jelly-like pulp inside and a large black bone.

Although China is the birthplace of this wonderful fruit, it is very popular in Thailand. Other countries where it is cultivated:

• Indonesia;
• Taiwan.

Wherever the climate allows, because longon trees are not at all adapted to the cold. Although there are several varieties bred artificially for the highlands of China.

What does dragon eye taste like

The taste is reminiscent of green strawberries that are just beginning to sing, but this is also not necessary, so sweet and sour aftertaste. Honestly, for an amateur, if you want to appreciate it, then there is nothing better than a personal test.

Now let's talk about Pitaya, this fruit is also considered a dragon's eye. To argue with this or not is up to you. But at least its outer skin resembles dragon scales. Perhaps that is why it is called dragonfruit. In addition to this name, there are several more:

• dragon fruit;
• dragon heart;
• Pitahaya, etc.

The localities and countries where it is grown have their own name for dragon's eye.

It tastes like an exotic miracle kiwi, only sweet and there are more small bones. To be honest, I don’t like this feature, if they weren’t there, the taste would be just awesome.

another kind of dragon eye

How to eat and peel an exotic fruit

If you decide to try the dragon fruit, don't try to peel it, it's best to just cut it into slices like a watermelon. Well, or cut in half and eat with a spoon, at your discretion.

Australia is considered the birthplace of pitaya, but due to the suitable climate, the fruitful cactus tree has taken root in.

What does a dragon eye look like?

The external description of the dragon's heart resembles a scaly dark pink peel. There are yellow and purple colors of the peel, even inside the dragon fruit can be either white or dark red. And everything from the fact that this fruit grows on cacti, which grow to the size of an average tree.

The benefits of pitaya are well deserved. The presence of a whole list of vitamins and nutrients, while maintaining a minimum calorie content, makes the fruit indispensable especially for sports fans.

The benefits and calorie content of dragon fruit

• The high content of vitamin C helps to maintain the body's immunity in shape;
• Various antioxidants, due to which the youth of cells is prolonged, and free radicals in the body are neutralized;
• Minerals: iron; calcium; phosphorus;

• fruit acids;
• Alimentary fiber;
• A large amount of fiber, which helps cleanse toxins and adjust the intestines;
• Includes B vitamins;
• Improves the condition of diabetics by helping to regulate sugar, but also in metered amounts.
• The calorie content of dragon fruit is approximately 30-50 kcal per 100 grams.

Tip: When you sunbathe on Thai beaches, you can get burned. A body mask and pitahaya will help to normalize and soothe your skin.

Of course, you should not immediately pounce on the dragon fruit. You don't know if you are allergic, try a little first, and if everything is OK, you can eat calmly. There are no contraindications to pitahaya.

Unfortunately, the Thai fruit is very delicate and difficult to transport, which is probably why you rarely see pitahaya here, and if there is, then the price bites.

Many of those who have tried this exotic are highly praised, arguing that the taste is something between a banana and kiwi.

Growing dragon eyes at home

Growing this unusual fruit cactus is possible even at home. The main thing here is a careful approach. So that you can regularly enjoy pitaya without buying it in the store, you will need to work hard.

So, caring for a cactus tree with dragon fruit at home begins with planting seeds. You should buy a ripe, ripe fruit in the store so that its seeds are ripe. Then select seeds from it and place under a damp cloth to germinate.

Watch them regularly, as soon as the seeds share sprouts, immediately transplant them into separate pots. Remember, the cactus grows quite tall and sprawling, so plant one seed in one pot.

The cactus grows very quickly, so feed it regularly with fertilizers, about every second watering. To do this, dilute three grams of fertilizer in a liter of water and water.

Remember that this is a cactus, which means you need to water it once a week or even one and a half. In general, be guided by the drying of the soil in the pot. It all depends on the intensity of the sun's rays. The plant loves the sun, so keep it on the south side by the window.

In winter, the plant can withstand cold down to zero degrees, and should be watered much less, even once a month. The cactus will not only give you fruits, but also decorate the house with its exotic look.

Dress and dragon eye

But as they say, love works wonders. In short, he asked me to help. Well, in order to save his girlfriend from a possible upset stomach, I suggested that the safest option is to cook some simple salads, including fruit.

Well, much easier and without adventure, I thought. And I was very wrong. I won’t tell you with what difficulty we prepared two unfortunate salads. The result of common efforts, one is a parody of Greek, the second is fruity. And of course wine, flowers and other little things.

The next day I see a friend with such a depressed expression that it is immediately clear that dinner was not a success. I go up and ask, “How was dinner?” He says that everything started perfectly, the girl was delighted with the surprise, knowing the guy's dislike for the kitchen, appreciated his gesture.

They started dinner, chatted about everything, then my friend decided to show gallantry and court the girl. He just started putting fruit salad on her plate when the plate slipped from his hand, apparently he was very nervous, and the salad fell on the girl's dress.

What a scream started here. The problem is that the dress was white, and the fruits from the “impossible to wash” series are strawberries, oranges, and most importantly pitahaya. Just a friend decided to show the breadth of the soul and did not save on a romantic date.

We cut the ingredients quite large, but we didn’t cut the peel from the exotic fruit, we left it for beauty. Who knew that the stains from the red peel of the fruit are not washed off. What a scandal awaited my friend, I sympathized with him in absentia.

In general, I concluded. Guys, it still won't work, especially if you are not a macho, but a modest guy, like my friend.

Dragon eye - possible harm

Before trying anything new, it's good to take precautions. Read about the properties of the fruit, maybe you are allergic to any of the components of the dragon fruit. It would be useful to find out from friends and acquaintances about the fruit, maybe you should not experiment and throw money away.

On the other hand, we won't know anything if we don't try, right? I wish you successful experiments, share articles with friends. See you!

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Assortments of some stores are full of exotic fruits. Many of them, most people have never seen or heard anything about them in their lives. One of these products is pitahaya - a strange, bright and very unusual fruit. Where did this alien come from, and to what does the fruit called dragon owe its name? Let's figure it out in this article.

Pitahaya (pitahaya) is a cactus fruit that is common in the subtropics. An alternative name is dragon (dragon) fruit. The cacti themselves, on which the pitahaya grows, are in the form of climbing vines. The birthplace of this exotic alien is considered to be Central and South America. However, the dragon fruit was not limited to these geographical objects and today it can be found in Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and other countries of the world.

The mass of one fruit starts from 300 g and can reach 1 kg. The outer shell of the fruit is covered with an interesting "scale" - small leaves tightly adjacent to each other. It is they who give pitaya a resemblance to pineapple. However, in shape it resembles, rather, an apple.

This is interesting. The plant is a kind of champion in fertility and can produce up to 6 crops per year.

For most of our compatriots, the taste of the fruit did not cause taste delight. The reason for everything, most likely, was the immaturity of the tasted fruit. And all because the transportation of ripe pitahaya is associated with certain difficulties - it is very difficult to transport a juicy fruit over long distances.

The fruit can be different in color both outside and inside, depending on the plant variety.

There are 3 varieties of pitaya:

• Red pitahaya. The most common variety. Strictly speaking, it is read only nominally as red, since the peel of such a fruit is pink, and the flesh of the fruit itself is white.
• Pink pitahaya. In appearance, it resembles the first option, with the only difference being that the flesh of this fruit is bright crimson.
• Yellow Pitahaya has white flesh and does not appear on the shelves of our stores too often.

All 3 varieties differ in taste.

The chemical composition of dragonfruit

The benefits of dragon fruit (yes, that's what they call pitahaya in our area) lies in its chemical composition, which includes 13% carbohydrates and a large amount of water. But fats and proteins in the overseas delicacy are practically absent. The calorie content of pitaya is low - only 40 - 50 kcal per 100 g of product.

Also in the composition of the pitaya are:

• cellulose;
• vitamins B, C;
• minerals: potassium, iron, phosphorus, etc.

For your information. It should be noted that the chemical composition of the dragon fruit has not been thoroughly investigated.

What taste and smell does pitaya have?

The taste of exotic pitahaya fruit depends on its variety. The yellow fruit is considered the most saturated and resembles a mixture of banana and kiwi. Red fruits are fresher and endowed with a lighter aroma.

By the way. According to the reviews of dragon fruit tasters, they had a chance to taste the most delicious fruits not in Russia (which is not surprising), but in Vietnam.

How to eat exotic fruit

How do they eat pitahaya? This fruit is almost universal, because it can be eaten fresh and added to salads. In addition, jams are made from dragon fruit, and juices or wine are also made.

• The fruit can be eaten raw. To do this, the fruit is cut into 2 halves and the pulp is scooped out with a spoon from the resulting impromptu bowls.
• You can start peeling like a banana, from top to bottom. Thus, only the peeled core with small, like kiwi, seeds will remain in the hands.
• Cut the pitahaya in the manner of citrus fruits, into slices.
• Lightly cut the peel and slide it down.

Fans of exotic dishes will surely like pitahaya salad

Ingredients:

• pitaya - 1 pc.;
• kiwi - 2 pcs.;
• strawberries - 5 pcs.;
• other fruits - optional.
• yogurt or fruit juice - to taste.

Cooking:

Cut the dragonfruit into 2 halves and remove the pulp. Pitahaya and other fruits cut into cubes and mix. Top the mixture with yogurt or fruit juice.

Useful properties and contraindications

Pitahaya is a very useful product, despite its unusual and even somewhat intimidating appearance.

The main benefits of fruit for the body are as follows:

• An impressive amount of fiber and low calorie content make the fruit an indispensable diet. People who want to lose extra pounds and cleanse the body should definitely pay attention to this delicacy.
• The ability to remove toxins and toxins from the body.
• Elimination of constipation.
• Immunity boost.
• Anti-inflammatory effect.
• Regulation of blood glucose levels.
• Slowing down the aging process in the body.
• The external use of dragon fruit pulp helps in the fight against wrinkles, and also helps to improve skin turgor and heal damaged tissues. It is for this reason that pitaya is used in traditional medicine and cosmetology.

But despite all these advantages, dragon fruit is not at all harmless.

• Do not give fruit pulp to young children.
• People who are prone to allergic reactions should also be careful when eating the fruit.
• No need to consume large amounts of pitahaya for the first time.
• The product may cause diarrhea.

For your information. After eating a red fruit, the urine subsequently discharged may have an identical shade. This phenomenon is not to be feared.

How to choose and store fruit

When choosing a dragon fruit, you should follow certain rules:

• The fruit should be slightly soft (like an avocado).
• If a hard copy came across during the purchase and the choice is limited, the fruit should be sent to “soften” in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
• You should avoid buying overripe fruit. It can be identified by clearly marked dark spots on the surface.
• The peel of the fruit should be smooth and have a bright shade.
• Outgrowths-sheets should not be dry. Withered leaves are a sure sign that the fruit has been lying for a long time after picking.

Pitahaya is stored in the refrigerator for no more than 6 days. But it should be borne in mind that in a fresher product, useful properties are more pronounced.

Pitahaya is a fruit of overseas origin with original taste qualities. In addition, the dragon fruit contains many useful substances for the body and its use will be useful for people who are watching their figure. However, do not forget about moderation. It is important to monitor the body's reaction to the introduced new product, because people prone to allergies may experience an unexpected negative reaction to such a curiosity.

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Diets and healthy eating 19.02.2018

Exotic fruits are increasingly appearing in our country, in large cities you can find fruits that grow in all corners of our planet for sale. Their taste does not always meet our expectations, but interest in them is constantly growing. The greatest temptation to try various fruits occurs on vacation in hot countries.

One of these fruits is pitahaya or pitahaya, these are the fruits of several types of vine-like cacti that grow mainly in tropical climates. Most recently, I also tried this fruit, I was very interested in it, I would like to tell you about it.

These plants are widespread in the countries of South - East Asia, in Central and South America, in Israel, in Australia. Dragon fruit, dragon eye, dragon heart - this is how these unusual fruits are called in our country and in many European countries. This name is associated with one of the legends that abound in the folk ethnos of the inhabitants of Asian countries, who worship dragons and compose many legends associated with this mythical character. I suggest watching a video of how a dragon fruit grows.

Pitohaya fruits are very large, they somewhat remind me of kohlrabi cabbage, they can reach up to 800 grams, in different plant species the outer shell of the fruit has a different color - yellow, orange, pink, red. The color of the edible fragrant pulp is cream, white, pink, even purple, and the seeds are black, very small. The most popular is red pitohaya with milky flesh and small black seeds, and the sweetest pulp is yellow pitahaya.

The plant itself looks very decorative, blooming at night with large fragrant white flowers, the petals of which the locals add to tea to enhance the aroma. Look at the photos how the dragon fruit grows and looks like, what kind of fruits it has.

Beneficial features

Pitahaya, like all fruits, is useful for the presence of fiber, vitamins and minerals. This is a low-calorie product containing about 50 kcal per 100 grams. The pulp is rich in B vitamins, ascorbic acid, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron. In small quantities, it contains proteins and carbohydrates. Due to the most delicate structure and easy absorption in our body, pitahaya pulp can be included in the diet for various diseases. What are the health benefits of this fruit?

• Pitahaya perfectly quenches thirst in hot climates, can serve as a light snack on any hike or trip.
• Despite the sweet taste, dragon fruit can be consumed by people with diabetes, it does not increase the amount of glucose in the blood. It is useful for any endocrine disorders, especially for overweight people.
• Pitahaya is useful for sluggish digestion, constipation, severe flatulence, small edible seeds promote intestinal motility, contributing to its timely emptying.
• The presence of ascorbic acid indicates the benefits of these fruits for immunity, for blood vessels, and B vitamins play an important role in the activity of the central and peripheral nervous system.
• Potassium is necessary for cardiac activity, calcium and phosphorus strengthen the bone skeleton, iron is useful for many body systems, the role of this element for normal hematopoiesis is especially important.

How to eat dragon fruit

Dragon fruit or pitaya is still a rare guest with us, therefore, having bought such a wonderful miracle, you will not immediately figure out how to eat it. Usually it is eaten as a standalone product, added to various fruit drinks or squeezed juice, which, when mixed with citrus juices, gives an amazing result in taste.

Dragon fruit can be used in the preparation of various jams, mousses, yogurts, sauces, soufflés, as a result of such experiments, you can get new tastes of light dishes that will delight both family members and your guests.

When you first see these fruits, it seems that the dragon fruit is very hard, but it is very easy to cut the dragon fruit, its peel is soft and cuts well with an ordinary knife. It can be peeled completely, or peeled the way we do when peeling bananas. You can simply wash and cut in half and eat the pulp with a spoon or cut into slices, as we cut watermelons.

You can look at the video how appetizing this fruit is, how to eat it, how to cook it.

What does dragon fruit taste like?

The taste of dragon fruit is mild, rather delicate, pleasant, with different shades. Most people associate it with the taste of banana and kiwi. For the first time you may not like it, but in the future you will definitely appreciate this delicate refined taste and delicate light aroma.

How to choose dragon fruit

When choosing, it is necessary to pay attention to the uniformity of color, the absence of external damage and rot. To the touch, a ripe pitahaya should be moderately soft, its color is bright. If the fruits are pale, unripe, then the taste will be less pronounced and tart.

Many of us love to travel to exotic countries, it's always interesting, always new experiences and original dishes. But it is necessary to approach the use of new exotic products for yourself with caution so as not to cause harm to the body, this is especially dangerous if you are far from home, in a foreign country.

It is difficult to resist and not try fruits while relaxing in Egypt, Thailand, Turkey or other countries, and you don’t need to hold back, just keep moderation, especially for the first time. Eat a small piece, listen to your body, and if everything is fine, then you can continue to eat these fruits, but without abusing them.

All this applies to pitahaya, and keep in mind that its seeds are not digested, so in people with poor digestion, these fruits can cause intestinal upset.

You need to be especially careful about baby food on vacation in exotic countries. It is best for children to give their usual food and not risk the health of the baby.

Pitaya (in another pronunciation - pitahaya) is an exotic fruit, the fruit of climbing vine-like cacti of the genus Hylocereus (Hylocereus). The natural habitat of pitaya includes Mexico, Central and South America. The plant is widely cultivated in Southeast Asia, Japan, China, Taiwan, Israel and Australia.

In appearance, it is a large oval-shaped fruit of pink, red or yellow color, covered with leafy growths resembling scales. According to eastern legends, the defeated dragon spewed pitaya from its mouth before death. Visual similarities and legends have given the fruit alternative names: dragon heart, dragon eye, dragon or dragon fruit, dragon fruit (English - dragon fruit).

Places of distribution

The homeland of the dragon fruit is considered to be the west of the central part of the American continent (from Mexico to Peru). The exotic cactus is mentioned by the Aztecs, who already in the 13th century ate the pulp of its edible fruits and used small black seeds as a seasoning for other dishes.

Interesting fact!

There are versions that allow a different origin of pitahaya. But since the plant has been actively cultivated for centuries in many countries, and has successfully naturalized on several continents, it is not easy to talk about its roots with certainty.

How does dragon fruit grow?

Dragonfruit loves a dry tropical climate with little rainfall. Does not tolerate sub-zero temperatures. In countries of origin, it occurs at an altitude of about one and a half thousand meters above sea level in dry forests and coastal zones.

In the natural environment

Hylocereus in nature are epiphytic plants, they grow on other plants - phorophytes. Epiphytic plants exist by photosynthesis and moisture from the environment and do not borrow nutrients from the support plant. Aerial roots help the climbing cactus to climb trees. The stems hang down or spread along the ground.

In agriculture

Dragon fruit plantations in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, China and other exotic fruit producing countries look the same. These are fields with rows of high vertical supports, on the tops of which bunches of spreading cactus stems are attached. Some growers use electric lights at night to illuminate the beds to extend the fruiting season of pitahaya.

The plant is cultivated not only for its edible fruits, it is also used in landscape design, for example, as a hedge.

Plant appearance

The plant has three-lobed winged stems of dark green color, reaching 8 cm in diameter and 10 m in length, with a large number of aerial roots. The spines of the dragon cactus are small and often soft, in some cases the dragon cactus is not at all prickly. The flowers are white, beautiful and very large (25 cm in diameter) have a pleasant aroma, but open only once for a few hours at night.

Fruiting

Hylocereus are mostly self-pollinating plants. Cross-pollination, if necessary, is provided by moths and bats at the time of the short-term flowering of the dragonfruit. After about a month or a half, the fruits ripen on it. The ripening of the dragon fruit is characterized by a change in skin color - from green to yellow, red or bright pink. The crop is harvested on the 4th - 5th day after the change in color of the fruit. Fruits for export are harvested a little earlier, not quite ripe, for 2-3 days. Some farms get 5 - 6 harvests per year from each plant.

Pests and diseases of Hylocereus

The cactus is practically not attacked by insects or other pests either in Central and South America or in Southeast Asia. The only thing dragonfruit is afraid of is high humidity due to heavy rains or excessive watering, which leads to fungal diseases and rotting of the stem. Sometimes dark spots may appear on the fruit. This feature influences the plant's choice of areas with a dry climate for its habitat.

Pitahaya growers have to fight to keep the dragon fruit from being eaten by birds.

Pitahaya fruit

The dragon fruit fruit is oval in shape. In size, it is close to a large apple or orange. Its weight reaches 200-700 grams, and sometimes it can approach a kilogram. The textured and bright surface of an unusual fruit, red, pink or yellow, covered with vegetable scales, really resembles the heart of a mythical monster. Inside there is a homogeneous white or purple pulp with small black seeds, evenly distributed throughout the volume of the fruit.

Varieties

Prickly pears, as the fruits of pitaya are also called, grow on three types of climbing cacti.

Hylocereus undatus (Hylocereus wavy) is a red pitahaya with white flesh.

Hylocereus megalanthus (Hylocereus grandiflorum) produces a yellow dragon fruit with white flesh.

Hylocereus costaricensis (Hylocereus costaricensis) produces red fruits, which are distinguished by the red color of the pulp.

Important!

The pigment of the Costa Rican pitaya is very bright and persistent. It is used as food coloring. When the fruit is eaten, it stains the mouth, tongue, lips and hands in a bright pink color and is not immediately washed off. Be prudent.

How to choose and save pitahaya?

Pitahaya is a delicate fruit with a watery texture that is difficult to transport. Having traveled a long way to Russia, the product most often loses its true quality. Therefore, it is better to try dragon fruit during your holidays, for example, in Thailand or Indonesia.

Selection of fruit in the market

Locals recommend choosing the brightest fruit in the market. Then you need to check it by touch. If it is hard, then it has not yet ripened; if it is too soft, it may have already overripe and began to deteriorate. The cost of red pitahaya in the Thai market is about 35 baht per kilogram (about 67 rubles). Yellow dragon fruit is usually more expensive. It is rarer as it is grown in smaller quantities.

Buying pitahaya in Russia

Despite the complexity of the transportation process, the southern fruit is also found in Russian supermarkets or online stores. The cost of pitaya in a specialized online store of tropical fruits is about 900 rubles. for 1 kg. This weight accounts for 2 - 3 fruits.

Storage

Pitahaya should be bought fresh and kept in the refrigerator. It keeps well for a couple of days. It is not recommended to store the fruit for longer than 4 - 5 days.

What does dragon fruit taste like?

The taste of the fruit is not very rich, sweetish with a small amount of acid. When compared, it is partly similar to kiwi (including small black seeds), partly reminiscent of a banana. The pulp of pitaya, regardless of the color - red or white - is quite watery. Fruit is 85% water. In its structure, it is a soft mass, not divided into any internal segments. Thanks to these qualities, pitahaya pleasantly quenches thirst in a hot climate. Locals drink it in the form of juice, adding lemon or water.

Eating

The flesh of the pitahaya is mainly eaten. Seeds with a nutty flavor are rich in tannins. Although they are eaten with the fetus, the human body does not absorb them. To do this, they need to be chewed. The fragrant flowers of Hylocerius are brewed into tea, and in China they are also used in vegetable soups. The skin of the fruit is not edible and may contain pesticides.

How to peel dragon fruit?

There are several ways to clean pitahaya.

1. You can simply cut the fruit lengthwise with a sharp knife and eat whatever is inside with a spoon.
2. You can use a knife to divide the flesh of the pitahaya inside the resulting halves into squares and turn the peel inside out (as they do with mangoes).
3. You can cut the fruit into slices along with the skin and then separate it by pulling on the tip. In this case, you can eat pitaya slices with a fork, skewer, or just with your hands.

Important!

Pitaya must be chilled before serving. This will reveal in a favorable light its taste.

Cooking methods.

Fruit salads are prepared from pitaya, jams are cooked, juice and alcoholic drinks are made.

A real exotic on your holiday will be a fruit dessert made from the heart of a dragon.

Recipe!

To prepare the salad, wash the pitaya fruits and divide them lengthwise into two equal parts. Carefully scoop out the pulp and cut it into medium-sized cubes. Add fruits of your choice, suitable for the setting, season and accompanying drinks - sweet or sour. Berries and tropical fruits with a characteristic taste and bright color are well suited - strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, mangoes, etc. Use the empty halves as a serving container. Put in the fruit mixture. Drizzle with fruit juice, if desired, top with yogurt, whipped cream, or ice cream. Your holiday table decoration is ready!

Useful properties of pitaya

Indigenous peoples of South America have long used pitahaya for medicinal purposes. Its useful properties are recognized by modern scientists.

100 grams of pitaya contains:

• proteins - 0.5 g;
• fats - 0.5 g;
• carbohydrates - 13 g.

Dragon fruit also contains a number of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. For 100 grams you have:

• vitamin B1 (thiamine) - 0.03 mg;
• vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - 0.04 mg;
• vitamin B3 or PP (niacin) - 0.2 mg;
• vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - 4 mg;
• potassium - 112 mg;
• calcium - 10 mg;
• phosphorus - 16 mg;
• iron - 0.3 mg;
• water - 85 g.

On a note!

After eating the purple-fleshed Costa Rican pitaya, human urine turns red. This phenomenon scared the Spanish colonizers of South America away from the exotic fruit. They feared that the fetus was causing internal bleeding. However, it does not cause any harm to health. It's all about the persistent pigment of the Costa Rican pitaya.

Pitaya is a low calorie food. 100 grams of fruit has an energy value of about 50 kcal.

Contains a lot of fiber and lipids. The fruit is well absorbed by the human body, has a beneficial effect on the processes of fat metabolism and lowering cholesterol in the blood. Therefore, pitahaya can be included in diets for diabetes, weight loss, problems with the stomach and intestines, the cardiovascular system and metabolism. It is a natural antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals.

Tannin, which is contained in dragon fruit seeds, is good for the eyes.

Pitaya pulp has healing properties, promotes skin regeneration and the elimination of wrinkles. It is a component of cosmetics - creams, masks, shampoos. Bones are used as abrasive particles in scrubs.

Life hack!

Use pitaya pulp to treat sunburn, a popular tourist ailment in hot countries. Just rub it on the reddened parts of the body.

Contraindications

Pitaya should not be consumed by young children and people with a predisposition to allergies. In some cases, diarrhea is possible.

During pregnancy, the fruit should be consumed with caution. Expectant mothers will undoubtedly benefit from the range of properties of pitaya. However, it is important to remember that the body of a pregnant woman should not be subjected to nutritional stress.

When trying pitaya for the first time in your life, limit yourself to a small amount of fruit so as not to cause an unexpected reaction in the body. And don't forget to make a wish!

How to grow dragon fruit?

Hylocerius can be grown from seeds taken from a ripe fruit or by planting a cutting.

seeds

Pitaya seeds are removed from the fruit, planted in cactus soil and created conditions similar to the habitat. It is important to maintain the temperature in the right range and keep the plant in moderate humidity. You can use plant food. Seeds give quick shoots, but mature plants develop rather slowly.

Note!

When using seeds, there is no guarantee that the plant will bear fruit.

cutting

The stalk allows you to reduce the time of development and maturation of the plant. It also preserves the parameters of the mother tree and guarantees fruiting.

Prepared cuttings are dried for several days before planting, then planted in small pots with drainage and soil for cacti and watered abundantly. The first weeks it is difficult to notice signs of pitaya growth. Gradually, having strengthened the root system, the stems will grow. After 3 - 4 years, the plant will produce a crop.

Pitahaya is the name for certain types of cacti and their often edible fruit. Pitaahaya is native to South America.

This plant belongs to the cactus family of the genus Hylocereus. Cultivated in the tropics, some species of the genus Hylocereus have large fruits with large scales, which is why they are called dragon fruit.

Dragon fruit. Photo

Pitahaya grows in tropical forests, using trees as supports, reaches 10 meters in height and is widely distributed in Central America and northern South America. In addition, it is cultivated in Southeast Asia, China, Australia and Israel.

The fruits of this plant are oblong-ovoid berries. The skin is tough. The usual weight is from 300 to 850 grams, a record of 1.5 kg. The fruits are edible, juicy and with numerous, small, black edible seeds in the pulp, about 1 mm. The tough outer shell is inedible. Dragon fruit has a sweet taste similar to kiwi and a very subtle smell. They are good compatible with almost all foods.

Pitahaya contains minerals, vitamins (especially red-skinned fruits) and fiber. Pitahaya is red in color and contains more phosphorus, while the yellow fruit contains more calcium.

According to a study of dragon fruit contain many antioxidants, including:

• beta carotene,
• lycopene,
• vitamin E.

They may also represent a potential source of probiotics that promote the development of beneficial bacteria in the gut. The seeds are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, the seeds should not be consumed in large quantities, as they are rich in omega-6 fatty acids of approximately 50 percent, compared to omega-3 (only 1 percent) and omega-9 (approximately 20 percent). Given that an abundance of omega-6s can lead to an imbalance in the body's anti-inflammatory compounds, it's best to limit your intake of seeds.

Due to its high fiber content, consumption of dragon fruit promotes intestinal motility, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, helps regulate blood pressure, and also aids in weight loss. The high content of vitamin C is beneficial for strengthening the immune system and for collagen production. Beta-carotene is an important antioxidant precursor to vitamin A that protects the eyes and skin from UV rays and improves the body's immune response. Vitamin E, or tocopherol, is one of the key antioxidants in the fight against free radicals. It prevents heart disease, various forms of cancer and age-related macular degeneration.

Chemical composition

Fruits consist mainly of water (its amount can vary between 80-90%), fiber, protein and fat.

Pitahaya contains:

• vitamin A,
• vitamin C,
• vitamins B1, B2, B3 and vitamin E, which is found in seeds.

Minerals:

• potassium,
• iron,
• sodium,
• phosphorus and calcium.

Pitahaya fruits also contain flavonoids and substances that have antioxidant properties.

The abundance of fiber gives this fruit mild laxative properties, so this fruit is a good preventive method for constipation.

Availability vitamin C and other substances with antioxidant properties, has a beneficial effect on health. His consumption strengthens the immune system and helps in the fight against the effects of free radicals, which has a positive effect on slowing down the aging process of body cells. Free radicals, a by-product of human metabolism, are the cause of many serious diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and degenerative diseases.

Consumption of pitahaya is a good way to prevent many of these diseases. Fiber, in addition to the beneficial substances present in pitahaya, is useful in lowering blood cholesterol levels. This will reduce the risk of dangerous plaque formation in the blood vessels and is therefore a good prevention of atherosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes. Vitamin C present in pitahaya, in addition to strengthening the immune system, helps to cope with stress.

Recent studies have shown that this fruit is capable of reduce level Sahara in people with type 2 diabetes.

Flavonoids have a wide spectrum biological activity. In addition to antioxidant properties, they also have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-atherosclerotic effects.

Pitahaya: benefits and harms

Dragon fruit has anti-inflammatory properties. Its consumption can be beneficial for solving problems associated with joint inflammation. The pulp of the fruit, besides having a good taste, can be used to treat and prevent acne and blackheads by applying to the skin.

Recent research has been done with leaf, peel, pulp, and flower extracts from various varieties of dragon fruit. Experiments conducted on laboratory rats have shown that this plant and its fruits accelerate the healing process of wounds.

100 g of pitahaya pulp has only 38 calories.

Consumption of fruits prevents the formation of tumor cells, cleanses the blood and liver, and also accelerates the elimination of toxins and heavy metals from the body. In addition to preventing the risk of cardiovascular disease, it regulates blood pressure. Phosphorus, which is part of the fetus, stimulates brain activity, improves memory and concentration.

Dragon fruit also has diuretic properties and fights cellulite. Beta-carotene, an important antioxidant, protects the eyes and skin from ultraviolet rays, vitamin C stimulates the production of collagen and, together with vitamin E, fights free radicals, is a good prevention of various forms of cancer and age-related macular degeneration.

Consumption and contraindications

When choosing this fruit, you should pay attention to the color; it should be bright and saturated, which indicates its ripeness. Nowhere should be traces of rot.

The dragon fruit is cut in half and eaten using a teaspoon. To improve the taste, the pulp is seasoned with sugar and lemon. A juicy drink is also prepared from the pulp.

No health risks associated with the consumption of pitahaya fruit have been identified. The consumption of this fruit is safe for pregnant women. There may be mild allergic reactions.

Consuming pitahaya with red pulp suggests reddish urine and feces; this is a temporary change that goes away in a day or two.

It is advisable not to give this fruit to young children, so as not to provoke diathesis.