¿Why is it called dragon fruit this flamboyant South American fruit? It is from this planet although it seems to be from Avatar and it was already consumed before the arrival of the conquerors. Also find out what it is and why it is so popular. But above all, the the origin of his curious name.
Pitahaya
Its original name is pitahaya o pitaya and it comes from America. It is not very clear from which part although they are shuffled Mexico, Central America, Colombia and Antilles. That is where in theory the Spanish conquerors discovered it in the wild. But what is it? We are talking about the fruit of a Cactus. A strange thick fuchsia fur lines a white interior with pips black that looks like chocolate chip. This skin has a kind of scales similar to pineapple.
The variety we have just described is the red pitahaya with white flesh. However, there are two more classes: red pulp and the pitahaya yellow with white flesh. Depending on the variety we have, we will need to collect it in one place or another. The yellow is typical of high tropical areas such as Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia y Peru. On the other hand, we find the red one (which is less sweet than the previous one) in Mexico, Nicaragua y Vietnam .
It is eaten in various ways. You can do it natural or in juices or Smoothies. Many choose to eat it with a spoon like kiwi. Another great idea is added to Macedonian of fruits or yogurt. It is also used in the production of other products such as ice cream, sweets, jams, jellies, jellies and soft drinks.
Nutritional properties
The food most similar to dradon's fruit from a nutritional point of view it is the Kiwi. Both are foods rich in water with a minimal caloric intake. In the case of pitahaya, we talk about 54 calories and in that of the kiwi 52. Its main virtue is the same as that of the kiwi, the Vitamin C. It is rich in it although in a somewhat smaller proportion. That is why several articles scientists point out its properties Antioxidants and that facilitates the absorption of iron. In addition, this vitamin is essential for the formation of red blood cells and collagen.
Other benefits are that it helps weight control and glucose levels in blood. It is used to lose weight due to its thermogenic action in the body. That is, it generates heat and speeds up metabolism. In addition, it contains a substance called tyramine. It activates the secretion of a hormone called glucagon. The result is that the sugar and fat reserves are transformed into Energy. We can also talk about helping digestion due to its high content of fiber. Finally we mention that it is valuable to combat cardiovascular diseases.
But why is it called dragon fruit?
We already mentioned before leather characteristic of the fruit is hard and with big "Scales". It can easily remind us of a great reptile how can it be a dragon. Mystery solved. What is more curious is why it is expanding, since surely a year ago you had not heard of it. However, he had been cultivating Canary Islands and, more recently, in Málaga y Almería. Apparently it is a fruit that is very well optimized in greenhouses.
This is because the amount of water needed to produce one kilo is quite small. We refer to a figure of 2.000 cubic meters of water per hectare and year. It translates into a third of that used for other horticultural crops such as tomato. In addition, it is very easy to replicate this plant by cuttings and its service life can be extended up to 25 years. These factors imply that the number of Spanish farmers who decide to bet on it is increasing.
Taking into account the price that the consumer reads in the store, we can deduce that it is a profitable business. The one with the red pitahaya swings between 5 and 20 euros, according to the OCU. We will see how the consumption of pitahaya advances in Spain. Prices will most likely be cheaper if acreage increases faster than demand. We hope you already know enough about this food and are clear about it why is it called dragon fruit.
