Dragon fruit, also known as red dragon fruit, is a fruit of the genus Trigonella of the family Cactaceae, with an oval-shaped fruit, 10-12 cm in diameter, red in appearance, with green, rounded triangular protrusions, white flesh, and black seeds. Cactus fruit in addition to red skin and white flesh species, there are other red skin and red flesh and red skin and purple-red flesh species, etc.. Dragon fruit is native to Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America and other places in the tropical forest. Dragon fruit in Taiwan cultivation more, has 17 or 18 years of history, has been in China Hainan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian and other provinces and regions, Chaoshan area also see sporadic cultivation, is the tropical, subtropical fruit, one of the famous fruit, the study of dragon fruit is also increasingly being people's attention. English name for pitaya or Dragon fruit.

Benefits of dragon fruit

Dragon fruit, also known as dragon pearl fruit, nutritious, unique utility, excellent effect on human health. It contains plant albumin and soluble betalains (betalains), rich in vitamins and soluble dietary fiber, which are rare in general plants. Albumin is a viscous, gelatinous substance with detoxifying effects on heavy metal poisoning. Due to industrial wastewater, waste disposal and recycling has not been emphasized, so that all kinds of water resources have been seriously contaminated by heavy metals, in addition to direct poisoning of drinking water, human intake of food with excessive heavy metal content is also easy to be poisoned. When albumin meets heavy metal ions in the human body, it will automatically combine with heavy metal ions and be eliminated from the body by the excretory system, which plays the role of detoxification. Therefore, consumption of albumin-rich dragon fruit can avoid the absorption of heavy metal ions and poisoning. Albumin also has a protective effect on the stomach wall. Moreover, the albumin in the flowers, fruits and stems of dragon fruit is very good and has excellent stability, and the polymerization of these albumin constitutes the main component of cactus mucus. In addition to the rich albumin, there is a more special component - betalains. Betanin is commonly found in the order Caryophyllales (Caryophyllaceae). Betaine is divided into beet red pigment (betacyanin) and beet yellow pigment (betaxanthin). The pigment in the skin of dragon fruit is betacyanin, and the pigment contained in the flesh of red-fleshed fruits is also betacyanin, which has antioxidant, anti-free radical and anti-aging effects, and also improves the prevention of brain cell degeneration and inhibits the occurrence of dementia. At the same time, dragon fruit also contains skin whitening vitamin C as well as a weight loss effect, lowering blood sugar and laxative effect, prevention of colorectal cancer rich in water-soluble dietary fiber. Dragon fruit set of fruit, flowers, vegetables, and not only on the fruit can be eaten, and has a very high nutritional value, and delicious, has become a novelty, excellent green health food. [