What's this
What is pitaya?
Pitaya, pitahaya or dragon fruit - "dragon fruit" in English - is the name of a fruit originating in Central and South America, produced from the cacti (Family Cactaceae) of the genus Stenocereus and Hylocereus .
It is a tropical fruit that, also thanks to the numerous extra continental plantations - for example in South East Asia and in Australia - is rapidly expanding also in the commercial network of the Old Continent.
The pitaya has very characteristic shape and colors, and a weight that fluctuates between 150 and 600 g. Like most sweet fruits, it is eaten mainly raw, although it can be used for more complex recipes including desserts and drinks.
The pitaya belongs to the VII fundamental group of foods - fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C - and, among its nutritional properties of major relief, we can mention:
- Richness of soluble sugars (fructose) and calories
- Calcium richness - even if it is not clear how effectively it is bio-available
- Anthocyanin richness - more precisely betacyanine - with antioxidant function
- Water shortage
- Medium content of dietary fiber.
Not everyone can consume pitaya freely in the diet. Being very energetic, this fruit has some contraindications in clinical nutrition, especially of people who suffer from diseases related to glucose metabolism.
Nutritional Properties
Nutritional properties of the pitaya
Pitaya belongs to the VII group of foods - fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C - but it is also a significant source of soluble sugars, fibers and certain minerals. Unlike most fresh fruits, it is poor in water.
Pitaya has nutritional properties known but not too in-depth. It has a very high energy intake of almost 270 kilocalories (kcal) per 100 grams of edible portion (g / 100 g). These calories are mainly supplied by soluble carbohydrates, or fructose, (82 g / 100 g) and only marginally by low biological value proteins (4 g / 100 g); if we exclude the contents of the seeds, the fat intake is irrelevant. The remaining 11 g / 100 g consist of minerals, vitamins and phytoelements; among all, from the nutritional point of view, calcium and vitamin C (ascorbic acid) are more important.
The pitaya contains a good level of dietary fiber. Cholesterol, lactose and gluten are absent. Histamine, purine and amino acid phenylalanine appear in scarce or almost zero quantities - it is not known whether it is a histamine-conservator.
Pitaya is rich in only one vitamin, ascorbic acid (vitamin C). As far as mineral salts are concerned, the only noteworthy value is that of calcium, although it is logical to deduce that it is not completely bioavailable. If it were lacking in the diet - which, on the other hand, as we know, in the West it is on average too rich - the sodium intake could also be interesting.
Red and purple pitayas are rich in betacyanines - antioxidant anthocyanidins.
If you want to deepen the nutritional content of the pitaya you can consult the tables, referring to the pulp and seeds of the fruit, reported in the article: Fruit of the Dragon: Nutritional Properties, Role in the Diet and Botany.
Diet
Pitaya in the diet
The pitaya is not among the easiest fruits to contextualize in the collective diet. Being very caloric and sugary, it does not lend itself to being consumed frequently or in considerable portions. It is especially contraindicated in the diet against overweight and certain replacement diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertriglyceridemia. It does not seem to have direct contraindications for metabolic pathologies of primary arterial hypertension and hypercholesterolemia; it must however be kept in mind that they are closely related to obesity.
Pitaya is considered harmless for: celiac disease, lactose intolerance and phenylketonuria. Deficient of purines, it could be used in the diet against hyperuricemia and kidney stones (lithiasis) from uric acid, but we must also consider that the high concentration of fructose could hinder the elimination of uric acid - from blood to urine. Due to the lack of detailed information, in case of severe intolerance to histamine, it is better to avoid large portions of the fruit.
Poor water, the pitaya does not contribute to maintaining the state of hydration - precarious especially in sportsmen and the elderly. Instead, it is rich in soluble fiber and can increase the sensation of fullness - even if fructose, on the other hand, does not stimulate the sense of satiety as effectively as other simple carbohydrates (eg glucose). Furthermore, the soluble fibers act positively on the metabolism by regulating the nutritional absorption - reduction of the glycemic index (even if, given the sugar load, this assumes a secondary metabolic importance) and reduction of the uptake of fats such as cholesterol - and preventing constipation with its complications - hemorrhoids, anal fissures, diverticulosis, diverticulitis, anal prolapse, certain forms of cancer etc. It should also be remembered that the fibers, particularly the soluble ones, are also excellent prebiotics and effectively nourish the bacterial flora of the colon.
The pitaya has a good content of vitamin C, a nutritional factor that protects from oxidative stress, participates in the synthesis of collagen - a widespread protein in the human body - and plays an important role in the functioning of the immune system.
Instead, it is difficult to establish how much the concentration of calcium in the pitaya can really contribute to meeting the body's needs, since its true bioavailability is unknown.
The average portion recommended is approximately 50 g (about 130 kcal).
Kitchen
How do you eat pitaya?
The pitaya is eaten mainly raw, like fresh fruit. It can also be used in more elaborate preparations, such as: fruit juices, jellies, puddings and other desserts.
Pitaya is also a flavoring and coloring ingredient for fruit juices and alcoholic beverages, such as "Dragon's Blood Punch" and "Dragotini".
The cactus flowers and the seeds of the pitaya fruit are also edible; while the former are commonly eaten whole or infusions for herbal teas, from the latter - rich in lipids - it is possible to extract an oil with organoleptic and gustatory characteristics that are very reminiscent of hazelnuts.
Description
Short description of the pitaya
The pitaya is a fruit of large dimensions, with a weight that fluctuates between 150 and 600 g.
It has a yellow or red or purple color and quite characteristic features, with an oval shape and typically jagged peel - perhaps it is precisely this peculiarity, vaguely reminiscent of the skin of a mythological animal, that caused it to be called also dragon fruit.
Inside the flesh is white or purple, with shades that can vary depending on the cactus, but always characterized by the presence of black seeds similar to those of the kiwi.
The pitaya has a fairly delicate taste; the taste is very sweet, with acidulous notes of secondary importance - this characteristic may also vary depending on the botanical species of cactus.
Botany
Elements of botany of the pitaya
The pitaya is the fruit of plants belonging to the Cactaceae family and genus Stenocereus or Hylocereus . Species and varieties of Stenocereus, typical of arid American regions - such as Mexico - produce the so-called "pitaya aspra". Species and varieties of Hylocereus, on the other hand, which are more important from a commercial point of view, despite being native to Colombia and neighboring areas, are now cultivated in all tropical and sub-tropical areas - Australia, South East Asia and so on.
For more details see the article: Fruit of the Dragon: Nutritional Properties, Role in the Diet and Botany.
