12 Health Benefits of Dragon fruit and it's uses

 12 Health Benefits of dragon fruit and it's uses 

Dragon fruit is a storehouse of magnesium; know why Bhagyashree is recommending it.

Do you know the benefits of magnesium? Do you know from which food sources it can be obtained? If not, then let us understand the benefits of magnesium through this article.

There is one. It is very important to fulfill the regular amount of magnesium in the body; otherwise, one may have to face health problems. 

You can get it from many important food sources. So, do you know the benefits of magnesium? Do you know from which food sources it can be obtained? If not, then let us understand the benefits of magnesium through this article.

Bollywood actress, fitness expert, and nutritionist Bhagyashree has talked about the best food sources of magnesium while explaining its benefits. She cites dragon fruit as her favorite source of magnesium. To fulfill the requirement of magnesium, Bhagyashree likes to eat dragon fruit (benefits of dragon fruit). So let us know about this in more detail.

Why is magnesium important for the body? (benefits of magnesium)Magnesium is an important mineral for our body. It regulates muscle and nerve function and helps maintain blood sugar and blood pressure levels. It also helps make proteins, bones, and DNA.

Dragon fruit, as the name suggests, resembles a dragon. It grows on a climbing cactus known as Hylocereus, which can be found in tropical regions. The outer covering of dragon fruit is in shades of red, pink, or yellow. Their leaves resemble a dragon and have spikes that shoot up like a flame around the fruit. Hylocereus originally grew in southern Mexico, South America, and Central America, and the French brought it to southern East Asia during the early 19th century.

The inside of a dragon fruit is a white, semi-solid fruit that can be eaten with a spoon and has nutty seeds sprinkled all over it. It is juicy with a slightly sweet taste, whereas the seeds have a nutty flavor. There are many benefits to dragon fruit that we will discuss later in this blog. Let's first discuss its nutritional value.

Nutritional Value170 grams of dragon fruit cubes contain:

Calories: 102

Carbohydrates: 22 grams

Protein: 2 grams

Fat: 0 grams

Fiber: 5 grams

Sugars: 13 grams

It also contains the following vitamins and minerals:

Vitamin A: 100 international units (IU)

Vitamin C: 4 milligrams

Calcium: 31 milligrams

Iron: 0.1 milligram

Magnesium: 68 milligrams

Magnesium is needed for the production of sleep-inducing melatonin and should be replenished from time to time to help you rest, repair, and rejuvenate. Not only this, but it also helps in the production of energy.

Now know the benefits of Bhagyashree's favorite dragon fruit.

1. Effective in the case of diabetes:

Dragon fruit contains high amounts of fiber, which keeps blood sugar levels normal. Its consumption prevents spikes in people suffering from diabetes. Some researchers also attribute this benefit to its ability to replace damaged pancreatic cells. The pancreas produces insulin, which breaks down sugar. Hence, dragon fruit is attributed to controlling sugar

2. Reduces the risk of cancer:

Dragon fruit is rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, phenolic acid, and betacyanin, which inhibit the damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are the substances that cause cancer and premature aging. 

This fruit has anti-cancer properties; it reduces the risk of colon cancer. The vitamin C present in it plays an important role in boosting immunity. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects you from diabetes, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's.

3. Help Boost Immunity :

Dragon fruit contains rich amounts of vitamin C, which works effectively in boosting immunity and preparing your body to fight diseases. By consuming it, the risk of the body getting infected is reduced. All you need to do is consume 1 cup (200 grams) of this fruit every day.

4. Good for digestion:

Dragon fruit is a rich source of oligosaccharides (a carbohydrate), which promote the growth of good bacteria like flora, which aid in digestion. An adequate amount of fiber is found in it. It is very important to include fiber-rich foods in the diet for healthy and balanced digestion.

Dragon fruit contains prebiotics such as oligosaccharides, which encourage the growth of good gut bacteria. These prebiotics help in the digestion of food since they reside in the lower digestive tract, where they encourage the growth of good gut bacteria. Gut bacteria help break down food by making it easily absorbed. They also provide vitamins that protect the body against various diseases.

5. Maintain heart health:

Dragon fruit contains betalains (which produce a red color inside the fruit), which act effectively in reducing the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol). The small, dark black seeds inside the fruit are rich in omega-3 and omega-9 fatty acids that can be extremely beneficial for the heart.

6. Slows down the aging process:

The aging process can start prematurely due to stress, pollution, and other factors like a poor diet, etc. However, it is a rich source of antioxidants that help in treating sunburn, dry skin, and acne. The vitamin C present in it makes the skin glow.

7. Good for Hair:

Studies suggest that taking dragon fruit every day with milk reduces hair damage caused by pollution and artificial colors. It also makes our hair soft and shiny, enhancing its beauty.

8. Healthy Bones:

Dragon fruit contains magnesium, which strengthens bones, helping us avoid injury and pain associated with old age. Hence, it is highly recommended that individuals who are at a higher risk of bone diseases consume dragon fruit regularly.

9. Good for Eyes:

This fruit contains beta-carotene, which breaks down into vitamin A. The human eye lens is rich in lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin, which help maintain eye health and prevent ophthalmic diseases. Research suggests that humans should take 3 to 6 milligrams of beta-carotene every day to prevent eye diseases.

10. Good during pregnancy:

Dragon fruit helps during pregnancy in the following ways:

Rich source of fats:Good fats help maintain high energy levels in the body and also assist in the development of the fetal brain.

Guards against infections:Dragon fruit safeguards one against infections and helps in cell regeneration.

11.Relief from constipation:

Fibers in dragon fruit prevent constipation and other gastric diseases in pregnant women.

12.Elevation of hemoglobin levels:

The iron in the dragon fruit helps improve the blood cells' capacity to carry oxygen, thereby boosting hemoglobin levels, which is highly essential for pregnant women.

Apart from dragon fruit, these fruits also contain magnesium.

According to Bhagyashree, to include an adequate amount of magnesium in the diet, consume green vegetables like almonds, cashews, spinach, coriander, pumpkin seeds, curd, and even dark chocolate. 

Many fruits, such as banana, avocado, cantaloupe, kiwi, papaya, and the favorite dragonfruit, are also excellent sources of magnesium. All these not only provide magnesium to the body but also contain many other important nutrients, which can also be beneficial for health in many other ways.

Side Effects of Dragon Fruit:

One of the major dragon fruit side effects is the allergic reaction that it causes. It may include swelling of the tongue, hives, or vomiting. All these side effects are temporary, happen to a small fraction of people, and vanish once the fruit is completely out of the system.