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Pitahaya

Within the PermaTree FoodForest we grow high diversity of fruits.

The Pitahaya – Yellow Dragon Fruit

Pitahaya is a producing cactus of the genus Hylocereus, originally native to central and northern South America. The dragon fruit is cultivated throughout tropical and subtropical world regions.

Dragonfruits aka Pitahayas are fruits borne from Cactus. Basically, there are three types of varieties under Hylocereus genus (aka night-blooming cactus):

Hylocereus undatus
Appearance: Red-skinned; white-fleshed
Taste: Least sweet of all the sweet pitahayas

Hylocereus costaricensis
Appearance: Red-skinned; red-fleshed
Taste: Sweeter than the above mentioned Hylocereus undatus

Hylocereus megalanthus
Appearance: Yellow-skinned; white-fleshed
Taste: Sweetest and finest of all pitahayas. 100% sweetness when riped.
Origin: Ecuador & Colombia

Nutrients

As the nutrient content of raw Pitahaya has not been thoroughly analyzed as of 2018, the US Department of Agriculture reports one limited entry from a manufacturer, showing that a 100 gram amount of Pitahaya contains 268 calories, 82% carbohydrates, 4% protein, and 11% of the Daily Value each for vitamin C and calcium (table).

Pitahaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit  

Pitahaya Health Benefits

Why is the yellow dragon fruit (known as pitahaya in Ecuador) so popular and why should we be eating it? The health benefits of dragon fruit are plentiful, with high concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The Chinese have used dragon fruit for hundreds of years as a natural aid to help facilitate digestion and decrease cholesterol and some research has indicated it helps prevent certain cancers and diabetes.

  1. Detoxification
    High dietary fiber found in the fruit helps greatly in your digestive system, allowing a quick flush of toxins accumulated in your body, lest lighten the detoxifying-workload of your primary organ, liver, and maintaining optimal health. It is highly suitable for individuals and pregnant women who experience constipation issues.
  2. Helping the Formation of Red blood cells
    Dragonfruit contains lots of iron essential for the production of red blood cells, which is beneficial to individuals who experience anemia. For pregnant ladies especially, high volume of oxygen and nutrients carried by red blood cells is needed to supply to the fetus in the womb, therefore it is highly recommended to include dragonfruit into their daily diet.
  3. Prevents Cardiovascular diseases
    An excellent source of mono-unsaturated fats, it lowers the risks of developing heart disease and high blood pressure by decreasing bad cholesterol levels and replenishing good levels.