Vietnamese dragon fruit

Dragon frut is also called “white pitaya”. The mild taste of dragon fruit flesh is often remarked upon, as it stands in stark contrast to the vibrant exterior with a “mild sweetness.

The edible parts of raw dragon fruit consist of mostly water and carbohydrates, with some protein and fat content. Dragon fruit contains slight amounts of calcium, iron, phosphorus, and other nutrients.

Thanh Long (Green Dragon) is the name of a newly cultivated fruit in Viet Nam. The fruit weighs from 200 to 500 grams, and has pink or dark-red colour. The ripe fruit looks like the kohlrabi cabbage and has an oval shape. When ripe, the fruit peels as easily as a banana. Its pulp is white and gelatinous. The pulp contains many dark seeds, which cannot be extracted.

Uses:

Particularly red-skinned dragon fruit is a good source of vitamin C.

Pitaya is rich in fiber and minerals, notably phosphorus and calcium. Red pitayas seem to be richer in the former, yellow ones in the latter.

The seeds are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, and in particular Red dragon fruit contain very little saturated fat.

Dragon fruit also contains significant quantities of phyto albumin antioxidants.

In Taiwan, diabetics use the fruit as a food substitute for rice and as a source of dietary fiber.