Red Dragon Fruit

Common Name: Dragon fruit (Red flesh) Vernacular Name: Pitaya, Pitahaya, Strawberry pear, huǒ lóng guǒ, Buah naga, Thanh long Botanical Name: Hylocereus coastaricensis [ex-Hylocereus polyrhizus] The red dragon fruit is a beautiful fruit and pretty attractive to look at, especially the maroon flesh. Just cut the fruit into half and scoop it with a spoon. Taste is only mildly sweet, quite similar to eating a green kiwifruit. The numerous small, black seeds are edible and crunchy, so don't bother spitting it out. One dragonfruit can weigh between 150 and 600g, but with its thick covering, only about 60 percent is edible. To enjoy dragonfruits, it is best to eat the creamy pulp cold. The middle part is the sweetest, and after cutting the fruits in half, you just have to spoon the flesh out. Dragonfruits are common in Asia (particularly in Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines) and in Central and South America. They are among the many wonder fruits that are said to provide multiple health benefits. In addition, dragonfruits help protect the environment because they absorb carbon dioxide at nighttime, and then release oxygen to purify the air. Dragon Fruit is very high in antioxidants, and thus help boost the immune system. The fruit is beautiful also full of vitamin C, essential nutrients that also boost the immune system, among many other things. Dragon fruit also provides a rich source of vitamins B1, B2, and B3. This vitamin increases the body's cholesterol levels, increase energy levels, help metabolize food, and even improve the quality of your skin. Dragon fruit seeds are also very good for you, they provide a source of essential fatty acids.