Benefits of Dragon Fruit or Pitaya. Can it help to fight aging and manage weight? Health and Nutrition Information

Also known as Pitaya, dragon fruit is an exotic, tropical fruit with both beauty and health. It comes in bright colors like pink, purple and yellow. The inner flesh is white or red in color with tiny black seeds spreading all over the flesh of the fruit. The fruit originated from South Mexico but quickly spread to various Asian countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, China, etc. The health benefits of Dragon Fruit are just as numerous as the colors. Here, is a brief summary of the benefits of Dragon Fruit or Pitaya:

Dragon Fruit is a rich source of fibers. It is well known for its cleansing properties of digestive system. The fibers in the fruit help to improve the bowel movement. In case of constipation, it is a good solution to relieve the problem and bring the system back to good health.

Dragon Fruit is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. It is rich source of important vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin B and minerals like calcium, phosphorus and iron. Calcium is good for bones, phosphorus is good for body tissues and iron for healthy blood. Vitamins helps to strengthen our immune system and provide essential nutrients to our body.

Dragon fruit fights aging. This fruit is a rich source of antioxidants which helps to fight free radicals in our body. When the free radicals are reduced, it helps to slow down the aging process of our bodies. Regular eating of this food helps to keep the skin young, flexible and tight. Various cosmetic companies use the extracts of this fruit to make skin products.

Dragon fruit helps in weight management. As this fruit is low in calories and rich source of fiber, it helps to give the sensation of feeling full without adding extra pounds to our bodies. It helps to remove toxins from our digestive system, making it clean and improving our metabolic system. This all adds up in helping an individual to lose weight gradually without the hunger pangs associated with dieting. It provides many essential nutrients and keep the body hydrated too.

Dragon fruit is good for heart. This fruit is very beneficial for our cardiovascular health. It helps to reduce our bad cholesterol and improve our good cholesterol levels. It is a good source of mono saturated fats. These fats are great help to keep the heart in good condition.

Dragon fruit helps to regulate diabetes. The high fiber content of the dragon fruit helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and avoid the sugar spikes that are often observed after eating high glycemic index foods. Thus, it is good for diabetic patients. It is recommended to take doctor's advice if you are having symptoms of diabetes and want to make significant changes to your food habits.

Dragon fruit helps to control arthritis. This fruit is an anti inflammatory fruit and thus, helps to reduce the inflammation of joints. When the joints inflammation is reduced, the symptoms of arthritis are alleviated. However, if you are suffering from arthritis, it is better to consult a doctor before making changes to your dietary plan.

Thus, Dragon Fruit is a fruit with beauty and good heart. Enjoy this delicious fruit for your good health and beauty!