How To Eat Dragon Fruit: The vibrant pink and yellow coloured fruit that now you often spot at grocery stores is dragon fruit. A tropical fruit coming from Central America is getting quite popular across India now. Not only is the fruit visually appealing but it is packed with the goodness of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fibre.
A lot of us skip buying this exotic fruit since we aren't versed in cutting it correctly. So, we thought of bringing you a quick guide with everything, right from buying ripe dragon fruit to cutting it.
How To Select A Dragon Fruit?
- When picking a dragon fruit, make sure it is firm and not too hard on the outside. The skin of the fruit should be bright and free of any marks.
- Gently press the outer skin of the fruit. It shouldn't be too soft or too hard.
- Ripe dragon fruit has a mild and sweet aroma at the stem. If the fruit has a strong smell, the fruit is overripe.
- If the dragon fruit has a lot of marks, it hints that the fruit isn't fit for consumption.
- You also find dragon fruit with stems. Check if the stem is green and looks fresh. If the stem is dry, it suggests that the fruit is overripe.
- Also, look for the scales on the fruit skin. The scales should be evenly coloured. If they appear withered, the fruit is overripe.
How To Eat Dragon Fruit?
Wash The Dragon Fruit
Rinse dragon fruit under running cold water to gently scrub off any dirt on the skin.
Trim The Ends Of Dragon Fruit
Using a sharp knife cut off both the ends of the dragon fruit.
Cut Dragon Fruit Into Two
Next, hold the dragon fruit vertically from the center into two halves.
Scoop Out Dragon Fruit Flesh
Time to scoop out the fruit. Take a spoon and take out the flesh. You can further into cubes.
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You can also consume dragon fruit as is. The outer layer of the skin is edible. While some people prefer peeling it off, others choose to eat it with the peel on.
Benefits Of Eating Dragon Fruit
- Dragon fruit is low in calories and high in essential nutrients like vitamins, iron, and magnesium.
- Since the fruit is high in fibre, it is great for our digestive system. It prevents digestive issues like constipation and indigestion.
- Dragon fruit is packed with water which keeps you hydrated for long.
- The antioxidants and vitamins present in dragon fruit are great for your skin health. They promote collagen production and protect the skin against oxidative stress.
- The antioxidants, fibre, and healthy fats present in dragon fruit help keep the heart healthy.
Ways To Add Dragon Fruit To Diet
- Snack on dragon fruit cubes when you get hunger pangs.
- Add in dragon fruit to your smoothies, and cereal bowls for that beautiful colour and flavour.
- Make dragon fruit cubes part of your fruit salad plate.
- Prepare dragon fruit sorbet by blending dragon fruit cubes and honey.
- Add dragon fruit cubes to your fruit skewers along with other fruits for a quick, healthy snack.