2 min read

Good Gut Dragon Fruit Salad

Why are dragonfruit beneficial for your gut?

Native to Mexico and Central America, dragon fruit season is from the months of June until September. Dragon fruit (AKA strawberry pear or pitahaya) is a tropical fruit with red skin and either white or pink flesh. This tropical treat has a slightly sweet taste. This taste has been described as a cross between a kiwi and a pear.

This vibrant, tropical fruit is considered to have superfood powers due to being high in nutrients and providing many health benefits to our bodies! Dragon fruit is rich in vitamins like magnesium, vitamin C, Iron, and many plant compounds like polyphenols, carotenoids, and betacyanins. Dragon fruit is also great for #Goodgut health as it provides many benefits to our microbiome and digestive system!

Dragon fruit promotes the growth of two good gut bacteria: lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria. Bifidobacteria is great for our guts as it helps to digest fiber, produces short fatty acid chains, prevents infections from bad bacterias, and produces healthy chemicals that prevent certain toxins. Dragon fruit contains many prebiotics which are great for #GoodGut health as it promotes the growth of good bacterias, reduces infections, which reduces the chance of diarrhea and can even help ease symptoms of Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD)!

Dragon fruit is also a great source of fiber, one cup contains 7 grams of fiber! Fiber is great for #GoodGut health as it promotes the growth of good gut bacteria, which can help to reduce gut inflammation. Fiber also helps bulk up stool as well as softens it which helps make it easier to pass, preventing or alleviating constipation, promoting good digestion, and helping ease symptoms of IBD.

Ways to eat it

This tropical treat can be enjoyed fresh either by itself, in salads or frozen & blended into smoothies!

Recipe: Dragon Fruit Salad

Picture from thesunkissedkitchen.com

Ingredients (Makes 4 Servings):

1 red dragon fruit, peeled and cubed
1 white dragon fruit, peeled and cubed
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
1 banana, peeled and sliced
1 starfruit, trimmed and sliced
1/3 cup macadamia nuts
2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped

Directions:

Add all the fruit salad ingredients together in a bowl, right before being ready to serve.
Garnish the salad with additional mint leaves, macadamia nuts, and coconut flakes.