If you haven’t tried one before, you must be wondering, what does dragon fruit taste like? Is it sweet? Is it sour? Or is it a cross of both? Does it have a pleasant taste even when unripe? This pretty-looking fruit is indeed intriguing. Here’s what to expect from this magenta-colored fruit that’s deemed exotic despite its popularity worldwide.
Dragon fruit is a plant grown in tropical and subtropical regions, mostly in Central and South America. It’s entirely edible, but did you know that dragon fruit belongs to the cacti species? If you look at the plant itself, you will see its close resemblance to cactus. It has large edible flowers that normally start to blossom in the summer.
Also called the pitahaya plant, this fruit is known for its red skin and green spikes. The spikes are like the spikes of a reptile, or more so like a tiny dragon’s spike, hence the name. In reality, these are “shoots” protecting the whole peel or the epicarp.
Dragon Fruit Taste
With its creamy texture, it’s not easy to guess what it’s going to taste like. It comes with many varieties so the flavor will also differ, depending on the variety you’re trying. The flesh can be white, purple, or red. Those with yellow and magenta exterior usually have a white flesh while the red ones have the purplish flesh.
You can tell it’s going to be sweet by looking at the color. It will help to consider the color before buying. The lighter flesh will have a more neutral taste while the pinkish ones or those closer to red are more likely to have a pleasant taste. The lighter ones are just as good as the vibrant ones and are refreshing.
The flavor of sour pitahaya, one of the common varieties of dragon fruit is almost similar to that of kiwi. Like kiwi, dragon fruit seeds are edible. The seeds are black and super small. The sweet variety of dragon fruit is delicate and has a more tropical zest in it. You will know it’s over-ripe if it has dark blotches outside. It’s like how you would spot a banana before buying.
What does dragon fruit taste like when cooked? Like when raw, cooked dragon fruit is sweet. It boasts a nice sugary flavor perfect for people who want to eat desserts but do not like to consume preservatives. You can be creative with dragon fruit because you can include it in a variety of dishes.
How to Eat Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit is fully edible so you shouldn’t worry about consuming the seeds aside from the flesh. Like kiwi, you can eat the seeds of dragon fruit. You can scoop the flesh or slice it in half. If you don’t have a knife, you can also eat it by peeling it just like the way you peel a banana.
The best thing about dragon fruit is it’s versatile, meaning there are many ways to serve it and use it in the kitchen. You can find a lot of dragon fruit recipes on the Internet and most of them are easy to follow and do not require a lot of ingredients. Think sorbet, cocktail, lemonade, or any recipe that allows fruit in it.
You can turn dragon fruit into a smoothie. All you have to do is toss it in the blender along with soy milk and other fruits of your choice, like banana, strawberry, and pineapple to give it a healthier twist. This vegan smoothie is best-consumed after a workout to refuel the body.
If you want to experiment a little, turn that fruit into ice cream. It’s a nice way to introduce this fruit to kids. Mix it with sugar, vanilla, almond milk, and coconut milk. It will be a whole lot easier if you already have an ice cream maker because you just have to put in the pureed dragon fruit along with other ingredients.
One of the most loved dragon fruit recipes is the dragon fruit salad. To make your salad, combine your fruit with lemon juice and yogurt. If you like mayonnaise, you can add a small amount of it before whisking it with other fruit slices and leafy greens. Then put it in a fridge before serving because it’s best eaten chilled.
Dragon Fruit Health Benefits
Dragon fruit has little to none fat content. If you eat a single fruit, you will only consume less than one gram of fat. So if you’re looking to satisfy your sweet tooth in a guilt-free way, you can turn to dragon fruit! Other dragon fruit health benefits include Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, and calcium.
A dragon fruit’s nutrition makes it one of the best fruits out there. One study suggests dragon fruit can be a good laxative. This is because one fruit contains as much as 3 grams of fiber. When you’re suffering from constipation or having problems like irritable bowel syndrome, a serving of dragon fruit is all you need.
Conclusion
If you have a penchant for tropical fruits, dragon fruit should be on your list of must-eats. It’s plump and juicy, not to mention that it can be eaten as it is or as an ingredient to dessert. Indeed, dragon fruit is not just exotic but also interesting because of its versatility. Turn it to a smoothie or use it for creating your salads.
More than its tropical goodness, there’s more to dragon fruit that makes it worth trying. Dragon fruit’s nutrition is quite impressive because a single serving is loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and iron as well as magnesium. It’s highly nutritious and it has a sweet aroma. After all, it’s a powerhouse of vitamins, antioxidants, and dietary fiber. If you’re looking for a low-calorie treat, eat some dragon fruit or add it to your diet. It’s safe to eat even for young ones because there are no reported cases of hypersensitivity to the flesh of dragon fruit.
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