Dragon fruit is one of the exotic fruits with juicy and tasty flavour. There are two types of dragon fruit, dragon fruit with white and dark purple flesh, though the flavours of those two types of dragon fruits are quite similar.
What Is Dragon Fruit Flower?
Dragon fruit has scientific name Hylocereus undatus. It has cactus-like pine with flower that later turns into the exotic-look of dragon fruit. When it comes to the nutrients, dragon fruit is packed with vitamins and minerals as well as some essential compounds such as antioxidants and fiber that are prominent for human metabolism. However, have you ever consider finding out more about the health benefits of dragon fruit flower? Well, some people said that not only the fruit but the flower is also having some medicinal properties which are good for human health. The unique thing about the flower of dragon fruit is, the flower is only blooming at night for around 8 hours. That is why the flower of dragon fruit is also well known Moonflower or Queen of the Night.
Nutritional Value of Dragon Fruit Flower
Not everyone knows yet about the values you could get from dragon fruit flower. Most people are only focusing on how to make the flower into the tasty fruit. Actually, learning something new from the value you could get from the dragon fruit flower is also super important
- Rich of Antioxidant
Just like the dragon fruit, the dragon fruit flower is also rich of antioxidants. Antioxidants are essential for human body metabolism. However, though body could product antioxidants but the amount is not enough that is why consuming foods that are rich of antioxidants are the only way to fulfil the daily intake of antioxidants. Antioxidants are the only way to fight free radicals and prevent all the worst effects caused by free radicals. It is almost impossible to avoid free radicals so you what you need to do is providing your body with the strongest protection you could get from antioxidants.
- High Amount of Vitamin C
Some early studies regarding dragon fruit flower have proven that even the flower buds of dragon fruit contain high amount of vitamin C. Surely you have known about the importance of vitamin C benefits and some people are even consuming vitamin C supplement to fulfil the daily intake. Actually, vitamin C is quite easy to be found in daily diet menu such as vegetables and fruits. Dragon fruit flower is among vegetables you could consume for its vitamin C content. Vitamin C is excellent for immunity system, great for skin by optimizing the production of collagen and many more.
- Excellent Source of Potassium
What do you know about the health benefits of potassium? Potassium is one of the essential minerals you could find in dragon fruit flower buds. Potassium has prominent role in maintaining the health of cardiovascular organ. Potassium may help eliminating the excessive amount of sodium that may be harmful for cardiovascular health. The result is you could reduce the risk of health attack and stroke by reducing the symptoms of high blood pressure. Though perhaps the amount of potassium found in dragon fruit flower is not significant but you can combine it by consuming the dragon fruit itself which is excellent source of some essential minerals including potassium, iron and calcium.
- May Contain Some Essential Minerals
As mentioned in previous point, dragon fruit flower buds may contain some essential minerals that are prominent for human metabolism. It is not easy to fulfil the daily intake of minerals when you have specific diet management. However, though dragon fruit flower may contain some essential minerals but you cannot just depend on it. It is better to combine it with other vegetables or fruits to make sure the daily intake of some essential minerals are fulfilled in daily basis. The deficiencies of essential minerals such as benefits of calcium, potassium and iron may be dangerous for human health in long term.
- Treats Insect Bites
Traditional or local people are common with the knowledge that flower may help treating insect bites. The anti-inflammatory properties found in dragon fruit flower may be beneficial to treat the swelling caused by insect bites. However, by rubbing the dragon fruit flower to the infected are may reduce the itchy or symptoms but you should be careful for the long term effect. The flower is only working temporarily, especially when you have specific allergic to insect bites, contacting professional and doctors are highly recommended. In other words, using dragon fruit flower to treat insect bites are only for first aid solution or temporary solution.
It is not easy to find proof or claims that stated about the benefits of dragon fruit flower but the top five benefits mentioned above may be helpful to tell you more about the benefits of dragon fruit because this fruit plant has a lot of benefits, not only the fruit or the flower but also the vine. Some studies have been conducted to learn more about the medicinal properties contained in the vine of dragon fruit and hopefully more studies also conducted to learn about the dragon fruit flower.
How to Enjoy Dragon Fruit Flower
The fact that dragon fruit flower is not commonly enjoyed outside from Latin America is one of the reasons why the benefits of dragon fruit flower remain unknown in some countries. However, there are some interesting facts you should know about dragon fruit flower that may surprise you.
- Dragon fruit flower is enjoyed when it is still in the form of flower bud because the flower is only blooming for 8 hours so it is not easy to cultivate the blooming dragon fruit flower.
- Dragon fruit flower is common to be consumed in Latin America.
- Though some early studies have proven that the flower bud also contain high content vitamin c benefits just like the fruit but further studies are still strongly required.
- The flower buds are often cooked before they are consumed as soup and the taste is similar to asparagus.
- Not a lot of people are aware of the benefits they could get from flower of this exotic fruit.
Though perhaps it is the first time you heard or found out about health benefits of dragon fruit flower, perhaps it a good idea to try some foods made of this exotic flower. Though it is not easy to find especially outside Latin America and Mexico but when you got a chance to enjoy dragon fruit flower don’t hesitate to savour it. Though perhaps, those who are allergic to flower pollen should avoid consuming the flower because you would never know perhaps it may be able to trig the allergic reaction.