Dragon fruit: A review of health benefits and nutritional importance

Abstract

The dragon fruit, also known as pitaya, is an exotic tropical plant with numerous health benefits due to its high nutritional value and bioactive components, which include powerful natural antioxidants. Extracts from dragon fruit stems, blooms, peels, and pulps have a variety of therapeutic biological effects against pathogenic microbes such as bacteria, fungus, and viruses, as well as disorders such as diabetes, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and cancer. Dragon fruit extracts also exhibit cardiovascular and hepatoprotective benefits, as well as potential prebiotic characteristics. Its cultivation is suited to tropical climates with favourable climate conditions for the development of pitaya plantations, which are very adaptable and tolerable to a wide range of environmental conditions (e.g. salinity adaptation, favour light intensity, drought resistance, etc.).