Why should you eat dragon fruit? After all, it’s just a fancy fruit with a weird name, isn’t it? It’s not like it actually comes from dragons, does it?… does it?! Sorry to burst your bubble, but dragons still don’t exist (as far as we know), and dragon fruit is instead just a really unique looking and tasting fruit that originated in the less fantastical and very much real lands of Southeast Asia and Latin America. It does not get its name from gigantic winged serpents that hoard gold and breathe fire. Instead, dragon fruit is named for its reddish skin and light green scales. The point is; if you haven’t tried dragon fruit, you’re just plain missing out. Get over here and try some of it for yourself. That’s unless, of course, you’ve got some more questions. If that’s the case, all you have to do is keep reading.
Why should you eat dragon fruit?
Oh wow, where do we even start? Dragon fruit is more than just a fruit-related curiosity or the centrepiece of many Instagram posts. Whether you’re an avid fruit enthusiast or just looking to shake up your diet, there are a wealth of reasons why a good ol’ Pitaya aka dragon fruit is right for you. Pitaya was a name used in Central America but dragon fruit is the most common word used when describing it. Tell you what, why don’t we start with the obvious one?
Dragon fruit tastes good…
It makes sense, doesn’t it? After all, we wouldn’t be here talking about dragon fruit if they didn’t taste good. You could describe the taste as sweet and delicate; think of it as a cross between a kiwi fruit and a pear. That’s right, it’s basically two great-tasting fruits merged together, but with the added bonus of a creamy texture that blends perfectly with all kinds of foods, whether it’s a tricked out breakfast bowl, a hearty snack on a hot summer’s day, or the perfect compliment to the dessert you spent all day meticulously crafting. So, if taste is the one factor stopping you from trying dragon fruit, you’ve got nothing to worry about.
… even on their own
You don’t even have to spend a couple of hours preparing a three-tier dish that’ll make you cry when you eat it in order to enjoy dragon fruit. You can even eat dragon fruit on its own. Trust us, a bag full of frozen dragon fruit pieces are a sweet, tasty, and refreshing treat that’ll melt in your mouth.
Dragon fruit looks good
Not only do they have soft inviting flesh covered in stylish, fluorescent skin, but they even come in colour variations. These variations of dragon fruit depend on the location. The most common version of dragon fruit has pink skin over white flesh. There’s a larger, sweeter version that keeps the pink skin over a more intense red-coloured flesh. If you’re looking for dragon fruit that’s native to Central and South America, you’re looking for a version with pink skin and purple flesh.
It’s easy to prepare
Sure, it looks a little bit complicated, but one of the great things about dragon fruit is that it’s actually really easy to prepare. All you have to do is:
- Cut the dragon fruit in half
- Scoop out the fleshy contents of the fruit
If your dragon fruit is ripe, the flesh should come out really easily. Then bam, you’ve got yourself a nice, tasty bit of dragon fruit ready to eat or freeze or do whatever you want with. Of course, if you’re in a rush and you’re just craving the taste of dragon fruit, you can always go for the pre-frozen option. We promise we won’t tell anyone (only because you’ll want to tell everyone, and we don’t want to take that away from you).
It’s even easy to spot when they’re ripe
Does your dragon fruit have:
- Bright, even coloured skin
- A slightly malleable texture
- A texture that’s not too blotchy, soft or mushy?
Then congratulations, as you’re in possession of a dragon fruit that is ripe and ready to eat. Enjoy!
A Pitaya can be eaten at any time
Here are just some of the ways that you can eat dragon fruit:
- The ideal addition to a breakfast bowl or a sweet, refreshing smoothie
- A nice little snack throughout the day
- An ingredient for the kind of dessert you’ll be bringing out again and again
That’s right, dragon fruit isn’t just a fruit that you can enjoy, it’s a fruit that you can enjoy at any time.
You can make a lot of dishes with them
We’ve talked about bowls and smoothies, but the sky’s the limit. Salad? Salsa? Skewers? Lemonade? Cocktails and margaritas? Hey, how does dragon fruit ice cream sound? Let your imagination run wild. It’ll taste great, we promise.
You can’t eat the skin of a dragon fruit though
Yeah, don’t do that. Stick to the flesh. Sorry if you were hoping to do that. It won’t taste very nice, it’ll feel unpleasant, and it’s just not something you need to do. If you were hoping to discover why you should be eating dragon fruit for yourself, you should reach out to us, and we’ll help you get your hands on some premium, high-quality frozen dragon fruit.