Pitahaya taste for what. Pitahaya (Dragon Fruit)

Pitahaya or Dragon Fruit, popular all over the world for its eye-catching shell and pleasant aroma, is the fruit of a liana-shaped climbing cactus. This plant was originally found in South and Central America, now it is grown in the suitable climate of Southeast Asia: in Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia. Pitahaya, which has many other names, is used to prepare exotic dishes, delicious desserts and drinks.

Pitahaya fruit

The Aztecs knew about the dragon fruit. The cactus grows profusely in Mexico, and the Indians soon discovered that it was suitable for food. They even used the seeds, roasting them, grinding them, using them as a food supplement. Pitahaya has many names: prickly pear (although the surface of the fruit does not prick at all), pitahaya, dragon fruit, the rest of the “nicknames” of the fruit are also associated with a fire-breathing one.

The Dragon Eye fruit is unusual in both taste and appearance. The size of the fruit is comparable to a large apple, it is covered with a dense skin that forms curved scales with greenish tips. On average, dragon fruit weighs about 500 grams, but it happens that it reaches one kilogram, it has different varieties. Growing a plant is possible at home. Harvest after flowering can be removed in a month.

The fruit of the plant is easily cut, the flesh is of various colors and contains black seeds that look like dots. There are several varieties that differ in skin color. Often found red pitahaya, which has a red skin, and the flesh is white and pink. The fruit has a slightly bland and grassy taste, reminiscent of kiwi and banana. The Costa Rican pitahaya has the same red flesh and skin. Less common fruit with a yellow peel. This variety of pitahaya has white, aromatic flesh.

Dragonfruit is almost tasteless. Fresh and ripe pitahaya fruit should have tender flesh. The Indians believed that the Dragon Heart fruit absorbed the fiery power of this mythical creature. Anyone who eats the pulp of pitahaya receives part of the power of a flying monster, gains courage and power. Modern research confirms this to some extent. It was possible to find out that the substances contained in the pulp of the fruit have a beneficial effect on the activity of the heart and gastrointestinal tract.

Biochemical composition

Pitahaya is recognized as a dietary product. 100 g of pulp contains approximately 50 kcal, and also fats (0.1-0.58 g), ash (0.5 g), proteins (0.52 g), fiber (0.35-0.9 g), carbohydrates (10-13.5 g), water (up to 90 g). Pitahaya fruit contains a large amount of vitamin C (from 5 mg to 25 mg), which helps to strengthen the body's immune system. Dragonfruit pulp contains antioxidants that can fight aging. In the fruit of the plant - iron (0.35 mg to 0.69 mg), phosphorus (from 15.5 mg to 35 mg), calcium (from 6 mg to 9.5 mg), potassium (110 mg -115 mg). Contains B3 vitamins (0.2 mg to 0.4 mg).

Beneficial features

The Dragon Eye fruit has amazing benefits for the human body. The pulp contains a lot of liquid, small bones, which can cause diarrhea to naturally cleanse the intestines. The cactus fruit is considered a good remedy for bloating. The seeds contain tannin, which has a beneficial effect on vision, and other components contribute to the normal functioning of the heart and endocrine system.

Pitahaya is an amazing fruit, its properties reduce blood glucose, normalize blood sugar in diabetics. Due to its low calorie content, dragonfruit often appears in diets, allowing you to get full without getting fat. The cactus fruit has properties that contribute to the removal of toxins, the normalization of the intestines. Pitahaya finds its application in the cosmetic industry.

Contraindications

Like any exotic fruit, pitahaya requires caution in use. An excess of fruit leads to flatulence, causes heartburn. An individual allergic reaction to the fetus is also possible. If this is your first time trying sweet pitaya fruit pulp, start with small portions. It is better not to give pitahaya to children, it can cause diathesis. In adults, the pulp can cause diarrhea.

How to eat dragon fruit

There are several ways to get to the delicious pulp of the pitahaya. How to do this can be seen in the photo or video at the end of the text. Before use, the dragonfruit is peeled, then the peel is removed by grabbing and pulling on the curved scales. Pitahaya pulp can be eaten like an apple or cut into slices, as is done with an orange or melon. There is a way when the fruit is cut vertically in half, and the pulp is taken out with a spoon. It must be remembered that the skin is inedible.

Dish recipes

Fruit salad

Cooking time: 10-15 minutes.

Servings: 2 persons.

Calorie content of the dish: 475 kcal

Cuisine: Asian.

The pulp of exotic fruits will not burden this salad, giving it lightness and Asian sourness in the hot summer. The recipe is simple, which also needs to be adopted by the hostesses, to whom the guests suddenly descended. You can surprise with sophistication, spending a minimum of time. Pitahaya salad is suitable for those who are losing weight, because it contains only fruits and honey, and the calorie content of the dish pleases.

Ingredients:

• red pitaya - 1 piece;
• mango - 1 pc.

For sauce:

• juice of 1 orange;
• honey - 1 teaspoon.

Cooking method:

1. Carefully remove the white pulp of the pitahaya, cutting the fruit lengthwise. Cut into cubes.
2. Peel the skin off the mango. Cut into cubes.
3. Stir, fold the pieces into an empty dragon fruit skin.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad, for which mix orange juice, honey, sugar syrup.

Fruit salad

Cooking time: 10 minutes.

Servings: 4 persons.

Calorie content of the dish: 870 kcal

Purpose: lunch, dinner, dessert.

Cuisine: Asian.

Difficulty of preparation: easy.

This pitahaya salad has many different ingredients that are not so figure-safe. Sour cream and nuts are useful, but are not dietary products. The salad is easy to prepare, the Asian fruit looks harmonious with the sauce of sour cream and nuts, and what a healthy dish: vitamins, proteins, trace elements in one plate. Worth noting for pitahaya lovers.

Ingredients:

• yellow pitahaya - 2 pieces;
• vanilla sugar - a bag;
• sour cream - 150 g;
• nuts (preferably hazelnuts) - 50 g.

Cooking method:

1. Cut the flesh of the pitahaya into cubes.
2. Pour over the sauce, which is made from sour cream with the addition of vanilla sugar and chopped nuts.

Cooking time: 2-3 hours.

Servings: 4 persons.

Calorie content of the dish: 230 kcal.

Purpose: for dessert.

Cuisine: Asian.

Difficulty of preparation: easy.

Sorbet is a light variation on the ice cream theme. Fruit puree or pulp is frozen and served as a dessert in bowls. For the preparation of sorbet with pitahaya, the traditional recipe is preserved: water, sugar and lemon juice are present. This icy delicacy, which is so refreshing in the hot summer, is so harmonious with the secret Asian ingredient that will refresh and invigorate, reminiscent of the tropics and paradise islands of Thailand.

Ingredients:

• pitahaya - 2 pieces;
• cold water - 3/4 cup;
• lemon juice - 1 tablespoon;
• cane sugar - 2 tablespoons.

Cooking method:

1. Puree the pulp of pitahaya with a blender.
2. Add water, lemon juice and sugar.
3. Freeze delicious juice, serve sorbet in pitahaya peel.

Video

In recent years, products of exotic origin have been gaining popularity. Pitahaya is a fruit with a large number of useful properties, originally from America. The most useful fruits are those eaten in the first week after harvest.

What is pitahaya - a description of the fruit

The exotic fruit is the fruit of several varieties of cactus. The product has such names as dragon's eye or dragon fruit. There are several types of fruits of these plants:

• red pitahaya;
• yellow pitahaya;
• costa rican pitaya.

The fruits grow on vine-like cacti. These plants have large white flowers, with a pronounced aroma, which open only at night. From one hectare planted with these plants, you can get more than 30 tons of fruits.

Cactus fruits have a low energy value. Calorie content per 100 grams of product - 40 kilocalories. The low calorie content of pitahaya is due to its high liquid content and low sugar content.

It is the low calorie content that makes the fruit popular among people who want to lose weight without denying themselves the use of tasty, but at the same time healthy food. The glycemic index of the product is low, so the product can be consumed even by diabetics.

The inside of the dragon fruit contains a juicy white pulp and a large number of small, dense seeds.

Note! The flesh of the pitahaya is white, only if it is a red pitahaya, in other varieties the color of the inside may be different, and have a raspberry or yellow color.

The average weight of one fruit is 250 grams. Sometimes there are specimens having a mass of more than 1 kg.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of dragon fruits are observed not only in terms of medicine, but also in cosmetology.

Health benefits of dragon fruit:

• improvement of the immune system;
• slowing down and preventing the development of cancer cells;
• normalization of the gastrointestinal tract;
• restoration of intestinal microflora;
• normalization of blood sugar levels;
• maintaining the work of the cardiovascular system;
• normalization of blood pressure in hypertension;
• restoration of optimal values ​​​​of cholesterol in the blood;
• improving the functioning of the organs of vision;
• improvement of the central nervous system and brain;
• normalization of the psycho-emotional state;
• slowing down cell aging.

The benefits of fruits also lie in the fact that the substances contained in them slow down oxidative processes in the body, which prevents the development of complications in people with diabetes.

The benefits of the fruit are observed with its regular use. Most of all, the dragon fruit is useful for people suffering from diseases of the heart and blood vessels, as it can slow down the development of diseases.

Not only the pulp of the fruit is useful, but also their seeds. They prevent the development of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and are also a prophylactic against cancer.

Negative impacts

Fruits can bring not only benefit, but also harm. The main contraindications are children under 5 years of age and individual intolerance. The fetus can lead to an allergic reaction, even in people who are not prone to this phenomenon.

Since the fruit is exotic, the first time it is used, an intolerance to the fetus by the body may develop, expressed in skin rashes and upset stools.

How to eat dragon fruit

Eating cactus fruits is simple, all that is needed is to cool the product and cut it into several pieces. From the resulting pieces, the pulp should be eaten out with a teaspoon.

Also, sweets, ice cream, sherbets and yogurts are prepared from the product. The pulp of the fruit is well suited for making cool fresh juices. In cooking, not only the pulp is used, but also the seeds, peel and even flowers of this vegetation.

Prepared from pitaya:

• sauces;
• marmalade;
• alcoholic drinks;
• jam.

On the basis of the dragon's eye, you can prepare an aromatic tea that has healing properties for the body.

The taste of the fruit depends on the variety in question. Most often, pitaya tastes like a mixture of kiwi and banana.

Note! Yellow fruits have a more pronounced taste, red fruits have a bland taste and a weak aroma.

People who eat this fruit note that the best-tasting fruits were imported from Vietnam.

How to choose fruit and determine ripeness

Choosing a ripe fruit is not difficult, as it has distinctive features. Ripe fruits have a skin color characteristic of the variety, such as red or yellow. The green-skinned dragon eye is immature.

There should be no spots on the skin, as this indicates that the fruit is overripe and may have begun to deteriorate.

When pressed, the fruit should have a dense texture. Excessively hard or soft fruit is not worth buying. Vitamins are contained in fruits of any maturity, but ripe fruits have higher taste qualities.

How to peel a fruit

To peel the fruit, no special skills are required. In order to get to the pulp, the dragon's eye must be cut into pieces. In the cut, the pulp is exposed, which can be easily separated from the peel with a spoon or hands.

Note! Pitahaya should be cleaned carefully, as the colored pulp has a strong pigment that can stain objects and fabrics.

Grow at home

It is possible to grow a plant at home, for this you need to purchase overripe, but whole fruits.

It is grown from seed.

1. The seeds must be separated from the pulp and dried, and then sown in the ground.
2. Shoots will be plentiful, so do not avoid picks.
3. The plants that have come into the world should be planted and stuck in a pot of supports along which they will curl.
4. Since the plant is a cactus, it does not need abundant watering, but it does require a lot of light in order to actively grow.

If the fruit is eaten correctly, it will only benefit the body. The product should be introduced into the diet with caution in order to be able to track the reaction of the body and not harm it.

Exotic fruits have received the greatest popularity and mass cultivation in Thailand. After all, this country occupies almost the first place in the cultivation of all exotic fruits. Jackfruit, lychee, longan, durian, pomelo, mango, papaya, dragon's eye and many other fruits come from Thailand. Their fruits are so unusual that they simply attract and cause a strong desire to try them. In addition, the appearance of fruits may not at all correspond to their taste and the color of the contents inside. Therefore, in order to understand what they are, they must be bought and tried. And even better, if you find information about these exotics and look at the photo, so as not to be disappointed in the future, but, on the contrary, to be already a little aware of what you are going to purchase while in Thailand.

Exotic fruits from Asia

Durian is covered with spiky light green scales ( on the picture). It is strictly forbidden to use it with alcoholic beverages. Since problems with blood pressure and heart can occur. Durian is the most valuable and popular fruit in Thailand. Quite large in size, about 8 kg in weight and 30 cm long, the fruit has an exquisite nutty-cheesy taste, but a rather unpleasant smell of rot. The contained pulp inside the fruit is divided into chambers. This unusual fruit of Thailand remains in the memory of many tourists, having an unpleasant smell, but at the same time an amazing taste.

It has several varieties, and its color depends on it. The fruits begin to ripen in late spring and throughout the summer. It is advisable to eat the pulp with a spoon so as not to touch the peel, the unpleasant smell of which can remain on the hands for a long time.

The people of Thailand revere the durian very much. In the process of eating it, they consume salted water.

Jackfruit belongs to the sweet varieties, similar in appearance and size to durian ( on the picture). It also has a light green color, and its peel is covered with thorns. But its taste qualities are very different from the taste of durian. Very often, local residents use the unripe fruit for cooking soups, meat dishes, i.e. use it as a vegetable. The jackfruit ripening period is from mid-spring to September.

Its unusual taste combines two flavors - melon and pineapple. This fruit, similar in shape and size to watermelon, grows on trees, mainly in the southern regions of Thailand. Jackfruit goes very well with other fruits, it is added to coconut milk and ice cream, and the seeds are cooked separately and added to different dishes.

Lychee

The amazing red color of the lychee fruit is grown in the northern regions of Thailand, China and India. It is sometimes also referred to as the "Dragon's Eye". It contains white flesh with a tart-sweet delicate taste.

This Chinese fruit has several varieties:

• Gim Cheng is a juicy red fruit with white flesh and a small stone inside.
• Oblong pink-red Hong Huai containing sweet and sour white flesh.
• Particularly tasty is the O Khia variety, which has a red color and sweet flesh.
• Chinese fruit of burgundy color Chakapat containing sweet pulp with a large bone.

A very popular and beloved mango fruit. Its color, depending on maturity, varies from light green to juicy yellow. It is better not to use unripe fruits, as they have a sour taste. They are often used to prepare various dishes, especially well combined with vegetables in salads. Its amazing juicy and sweet pulp is consumed raw, and is also used to prepare various compotes, juices, jellies, seasonings.

Its fruit is a real storehouse of vitamins, which contains useful properties. It contains xylose, sucrose, glucose, maltose, as well as vitamin C, D, E and B vitamins; minerals - iron, calcium, phosphorus and all the vital 12 amino acids.

A very tasty fruit of the citrus family, reminiscent of grapefruit in appearance - pomelo ( on the picture). It has a juicy yellow color, and the pulp contained in it is divided into slices with a sweet and sour taste. The main difference between pomelo and grapefruit is the absence of bitterness. It is especially good for breakfast. It, like mango, is valued for its high content of vitamins (vitamins A, C, B, fiber, calcium, phosphorus). The period of fruit ripening falls in mid-summer and until September.

The unusual name of the papaya fruit, as well as the unusual dark green color of the fruit, especially attract many tourists. This fruit is oblong, round and torpedo-shaped, weighing up to 4 kg. Papaya flesh is bright orange in color and tastes like boiled carrots. These fruits are used to make the most popular Thai salad, Som Tam. Papaya contains papain and chymopapain. These substances are used in the preparation of medicines that are effective in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.

The taste of papaya is very similar to melon, for which it received the second name melon tree.

Fruits can grow up to 8 kg. If papaya is grown as a cultivated variety, then its fruits can reach a weight of 3 kg. The process of planting occurs by sowing seeds. Its distinguishing feature is rapid growth and the presence of a crop in the first year of cultivation. Plus, this fruit is famous for its high yield, and the ripening period lasts all year round.

Ripe papaya fruits are sweet in taste, and regular consumption of them has a very positive effect on the digestive system. The green colored fruit is very famous as one of the ingredients of spicy Thai salad. When buying this amazing exotic, you need to pay attention to the fact that it is yellow without spots and slightly soft. The ripening period of papaya occurs almost the entire year - from January to December. It grows in the tropical climate of Thailand.

Delicious "Dragon's Eye"

An unusually exotic bright pink fruit - pitahaya, pitahaya, aka the Dragon's Eye, has a colorful appearance and belongs to the cactus family. Its origin dates back to the time of the Aztecs. Back in the 13th century, people used this fruit for food - they ate the pulp, and the seeds were used in the preparation of stew. These fruits were especially popular in those days and were distinguished by ease of harvesting and mass yield.

To date, the Dragon Eye is very successfully grown in Mexico, Israel, Vietnam and the South America, and is also cultivated willingly in the southern regions of Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Japan and Sri Lanka. The size of the pitaya is about the same as that of an apple.

For its juicy hot pink color and unusual appearance, the Dragon's Eye was called by another name "prickly pear".

The fruits of this woody bushy cactus ripen at the ends of the stems. And the flowering period occurs only on certain days of the month - the first and fifteenth.

The Dragon's Eye contains beneficial properties

The fruits of this plant are very good for gastric, endocrine diseases, and are also useful for people with diabetes.

This fruit is a real storehouse of vitamins. It contains vitamins C, PP, almost all B vitamins, phosphorus, iron, calcium and proteins. The high water content helps to quench your thirst.

The beneficial effect on the immune and cardiovascular system is further enhanced by its healing properties.

Plus, the Dragon's Eye is considered a dietary product. It contains a decent amount of carbohydrates, but moderate consumption of its fruits will not affect the figure in any way.

And that's not all the beneficial properties that these amazing fruits contain. You can talk about them endlessly, but the above benefits are considered the most important.

There are several types of pitahaya as a sweet fruit with a characteristic smooth skin:

• "Dragon fruit" or pitaya, characterized by a reddish-pink exterior and white flesh inside.
• Pitahaya is yellow, having a yellow skin color in the fruit, containing white pulp.
• The Costa Rican pitahaya is a fruit with a bright red skin and flesh.

Pitaya has fruits in a mature form of medium size from 150 to 600 grams. But there are also fruits that grow up to 1 kilogram. In terms of taste, the Dragon's Eye is significantly inferior to its bright and unusual appearance. The taste of the fruit has no aroma and richness, and a little sweet. This fruit is not for everyone, and there are cases when its taste is considered insipid. Although the number of those who love pitaya significantly prevails. Fruit pulp is consumed raw and chilled. Best of all, the Dragon's Eye is combined with rich dishes.

Fruit is very successfully used to make juice, wine, or add to other drinks. Even the flowers of this amazing plant are edible and are often added to blended teas.

The Dragon's eye is often used in the manufacture of various sweets, exotic fruit salads, sherbets, ice cream and yogurt, and even jam and jelly. Pitaya is also readily used for the preparation of alcoholic beverages.

To taste the taste of this exotic, the fruit must be cut vertically into two parts. Then, you can simply cut it into slices, as is done with a melon, or simply eat the pulp with a spoon from the divided halves. The grains that contain the pulp have useful properties - lipids. But the fact is that they are not absorbed, and their use does not make sense, unless they are cut. The skin of the fruit is not edible, moreover, excessive consumption of this fruit, especially Costa Rican pitaya, can lead to redness in feces and urine, although this is absolutely harmless.

How to Grow a Dragon Eye

You can even try growing this creation of nature at home. For this you need:

• Prepare fertile soil, place the grain in a pot and sprinkle a good layer of sand on top, somewhere in 1 cm. The soil should be well moistened.
• For planting, be sure to use a fresh bone. Bury it halfway in the sand. Then cover tightly with glass, film or a transparent container and place in a warm place. You can even use a battery for this.
• The seedling needs a high temperature. Under this condition, after 7 days the root appears, and after another week the first process.
• We give the plant a little harden and put it on the windowsill, always on the south side. The Dragon Eye loves heat and light very much, it is not for nothing that it is so successfully grown in Thailand. If there is a lack of light, it will be necessary to make up for it artificially.
• The reason for slow growth or even its cessation can only be the lack of light and heat. It can also serve as a small pot size.
• But the most important rule to grow this plant at home is high temperature exposure.
  If you follow all these simple rules, you will definitely be able to enjoy the fruits of this amazing fruit at home.

And it’s much better to pack up and go to a country full of exotic delicacies and surprises, where you will be warmly welcomed by the locals and will cook amazing dishes from the above fruits.

Dragon eye, also known as pitaya, is the fruit of a cactus. Inside, under the soft reddish, or yellow-orange, depending on the variety, peel, snow-white flesh with small black pits is hidden, but there are also varieties with purple-red flesh. The flesh of the dragon's eye does not have a bright and rich taste, but it is very juicy, creamy and perfectly quenches thirst, however, the aforementioned lilac-fleshed variety usually has a much sweeter taste. The size of pitaya can vary quite a lot, usually palm-length fruits are found, however, there are also very large specimens that can weigh up to 1000 grams. The birthplace of this unusual cactus, growing like a vine, is Mexico and other countries of South America.

Usage

In the East, wine is made from the fruits of the dragon's eye, and its flowers are brewed into tea. Also, the pulp of this fruit is included in many creams, shower gels and shampoos. In addition to eating fresh fruits, in Colombia, Nicaragua and Guatemala, pitahaya juice is added to ice cream, yogurt, a variety of sherbets and sweets, and sauces, jams and jellies are prepared from the pulp. A traditional drink in Spain is pitahaya juice with lime. On Mexican farms, high-quality alcoholic beverages are made from fruit: wines and liqueurs. Cactus flowers are also edible, but are more commonly brewed as a tea.

Compound

Water - 80-90 g
Proteins - 0.49 g
Fats - 0.1-0.6 g
Carbohydrates - 9-14 g
Dietary fiber (fiber) - 0.3-0.9 mg
Ash - 0.4-0.7 g
calories
100 g of pitahaya contains on average about 35-50 kcal.
Vitamins:
Niacin (vitamin B3) - 0.2-0.45 mg
Micro and macro elements:
Potassium - 112 mg
Calcium - 6-10 mg
Phosphorus - 16-36 mg
Iron - 0.3-0.7 mg

Beneficial features

Dragon fruit will be useful for those who have problems with the heart, endocrine system and vision, for example, it is increasingly recommended for patients with diabetes. This is not surprising, because pitahaya has the ability to normalize blood glucose levels. In addition, the small edible seeds of the dragon's eye are rich in tannin, a substance that protects brain cells and has anti-inflammatory properties, moreover, pitaya seeds contain saturated omega-3 acids, which help cleanse the arteries. Today, scientists have proven that pitaya also helps lower blood cholesterol levels. Thus, the use of dragon fruit is an excellent prevention of strokes, heart attacks, atherosclerosis and exacerbations of diabetes.

Treatment of diseases

Digestive problems. Pitaya contributes to the normalization of digestive processes, primarily due to the high content of fiber in it, which helps our intestines to cope with their work. Seeds containing tannin will help relieve inflammation, if any, and help stop diarrhea.
Weight loss and diets. Dragon eye is perhaps one of the best fruits for weight loss. Judge for yourself, there are only about 40 kcal per 100 grams of pulp! According to this, pitaya is often included in various fruit diets, because with such a low calorie content, it also helps to speed up digestion processes.
SARS prevention. This fruit contains vitamin C, which is useful for everyone from young to old, and especially for people who lead an active lifestyle, because it strengthens the immune system and helps us resist colds.
Treatment of hemorrhoids. Pitahaya is used orally in the treatment of hemorrhoids, since this fruit has vasoconstrictive properties.
Gastritis. With gastritis of high acidity, pitaya can also be used as an analgesic and relieves heartburn.

For women. Dragon fruit has a number of elements that have an extremely beneficial effect on the skin, namely B vitamins and calcium. So, Vitamin B3, which is part of the pitaya, helps moisturize the skin, smooth wrinkles, nourishes it, making it younger and more attractive. Well, calcium is the key to beautiful hair, strong nails and healthy teeth, not to mention the general importance of this element for our skeletal system. Pitahaya has recently become very "loved" by cosmetologists in many countries.

For pregnant. Each of the elements that make up the dragon's eye will benefit the woman and her unborn baby, so pregnant dragon fruit is not only possible, but necessary. B vitamins will have a positive effect on the formation of the baby's nervous system, calcium will contribute to the formation of strong bone tissue, and the cleansing properties of pitaya pulp will come in handy for those who suffer from constipation during pregnancy. In addition, this juicy, light and refreshing fruit, rich in vitamins and trace elements, will improve the overall well-being of the expectant mother!

For the elderly. Contains antioxidants and prevents aging of the body, and also contains trace elements that contribute to the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system

Contraindications

It is better to refrain from eating dragon fruit during an exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as with individual intolerance to this fruit.

According to an ancient legend, when warriors fought dragons and brought them to exhaustion, instead of tongues of flame from the frightening mouth of a ferocious dragon, its heart flew out - dragon fruit pitahaya.
These plants are found with different fruits, different colors of skin or flesh, different in size and shape, as well as in taste and formation of growths on the skin.

Kinds

Pitahaya yellow
Pitahaya costarican

Pitahaya red

cultivation

In nature, pitaya grows in a dry tropical climate. Excessive rain causes bud drop and fruit rot. The maximum temperature that this plant can withstand well is about 40 C. Pitaya is an epiphyte, so this plant has aerial roots, with the help of which it finds nutrients in various cracks where organic matter settles and accumulates. On industrial plantations, they are grown almost like vines, giving them very strong supports, which over time are covered by a network of adhering aerial roots, and the entire silhouette of the plant on the support takes on a fountain-like appearance. Propagated by stem cuttings. Flowers bloom at night (blooms only one night). Many species of pitahaya do not self-pollinate, so pollinating insects are needed for cross-pollination. Currently, up to 30 tons of ripe pitahaya can be obtained from 1 hectare in one season, despite the fact that it ripens several times a year.

Storage and transportation

A fresh dragon's eye fruit can be refrigerated for about a week, this will not affect its taste in any way, on the contrary, the people of Thailand say that the pitaya should be cooled before eating. These are very delicate fruits that are difficult to transport. They are laid out in soft boxes separately from each other and transported in refrigerated containers.

An overview of an exotic fruit - pitahaya: what it looks like, where it grows, what is its usefulness, chemical composition and taste, dragonfruit calorie content and interesting facts.

Dragon fruit or pitahaya is the fruit of a plant from the cactus family, a relative of the sweet pitahaya. The plant itself does not look like an ordinary tree or palm tree, it is an epiphytic vine-like climbing cactus. The birthplace of such a bizarre cactus is Mexico, America (Center and South). Now the plant is cultivated in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and other countries of Southeast Asia and Australia. There are some other names for the fruit, which it is called in Asia - pitahaya, dragonfruit and pitahaya.

Pictured is a pitahaya tree with fruits

Pitahaya blooms exclusively at night with white fragrant flowers. After 30–50 days, fruits with sweet creamy pulp and a pleasant delicate aroma are tied on the trees. It is difficult to imagine, but one such cactusoliana can bear fruit up to 6 times a year (approximately 30 tons per hectare).

Appearance and taste of dragon fruit

Exotic fruits also look exotic, pitaya is no exception: bright pink the size of a large apple, elongated, covered with large scales with bright green ends, there is also an external resemblance to a small pineapple. The average fruit weight is 300-500 grams, there are also larger ones up to a kilogram. The shell is soft and easy to cut with a regular knife. Depending on the variety, the tender flesh is also multi-colored - from purple to colorless (white). Inside it there are a lot of small bones, like in kiwi, they are practically not felt in the mouth.

There are many varieties of dragon fruit. All of them differ in shape, size, color (pulp and peel), even in the number of scales on the skin. The most common types:

• Red pitahaya, with a bright pink shell and white flesh. Its taste is more insipid with herbal notes of aroma;
• Costa Rican, with red skin and red flesh;
• Yellow, with a yellow shell and white inside. This is the sweetest variety of pitahaya and the most fragrant (and I did not find it in Thailand).

If we compare the taste of dragon fruit with fruits already common to us, then we can define it as kiwi-banana. Although the taste is barely noticeable, there are fruits that are almost tasteless.

They choose ripe pitahaya for eating. It is soft to the touch (evenly over the entire surface). There should be no obvious dents and rotten spots. Red varieties have a distinctive feature: the darker the color of the peel, the richer the taste.

1. like a banana, separate the peel with your hands (pull the upper scales) and eat the pulp like an apple;
2. cut into slices and eat slices like an orange;
3. cut the peel without touching the pulp, and peel it off as you eat the internal contents.

The chemical composition of pitahaya

Dragonfruit is best eaten fresh, but in some countries it is made into jams, sherbets, and sauces. For example, in Mexico they make fine wine from it.

Pitahaya is a dietary product, 100 g of dragon fruit pulp contains no more than 50 kcal, as well as:

• Fats - 0.1 × 0.58 g
• Proteins - 0.52 g
• Carbohydrates - 10? 13.5 g
• Fiber - 0.35? 0.9 g
• Water - up to 90 g
• Ash - 0.5 g

Vitamins and trace elements in the composition of dragonfruit:

• - 5 mg to 25 mg
• B3 - from 0.2 mg to 0.4 mg
• Iron - 0.35 mg to 0.69 mg
• Potassium - 110 mg -115 mg
• Phosphorus - 15.5 mg to 35 mg
• Calcium - 6 mg to 9.5 mg

This is not just a beautiful exotic fruit, but also useful. Especially well it helps in the presence of gastrointestinal problems (for example, bloating). The flesh of the pitahaya is very watery with the presence of small seeds, which almost always causes diarrhea. But this is not bad, the intestines also need to be cleaned. The black small seeds themselves are rich in tannin - this is good for vision. The pulp of a ripe dragon fruit contains calcium, iron, phosphorus, vitamins B and C. All this is good for the endocrine and cardiovascular systems, diabetics can safely eat the fruit, it reduces blood glucose.

Due to its low calorie content, pitahaya is used in diet recipes, it brings satiety, but does not add fat cells.

In perfumery and cosmetics, dragon fruit has also found its application: in shampoos, creams and masks.

Pitahaya Contraindications

The use of exotic fruits should be treated with caution. For example, a large amount of pitahaya can cause flatulence or heartburn, some pulp is generally contraindicated and can cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, if you are eating dragon fruit for the first time, then you need to start trying it with small portions. It is better for babies not to give food that is unusual for them at all, the likelihood of diathesis is high.

There is no need to be afraid if, after eating a large amount of dragon fruit, the urine turns reddish (if you eat red fruits). Diarrhea is also possible.

According to an oriental legend, dragons once had the fruit of pitahaya instead of fire. They spewed it out of their mouths when they could no longer breathe fire. The fruit looks like the scales of an ancient monster and was hidden deep inside its body, which is why it tasted so good. According to Eastern legend, people's love for this taste killed all dragons.

The white flowers of the pitahaya cactus creeper are brewed into drinks, into tea.

Eating dragon fruit pulp is better chilled, its taste becomes brighter.