Yellow dragon fruit (Hylocereus megalanthus) is a cactus fruit native to South America. It has white flesh with tiny black seeds and a thick, yellow, scaly peel, giving it a dragon-like appearance. The fruit is rich in antioxidant nutrients and contains a good amount of fiber.
Yellow dragon fruit is rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C and natural plant substances called polyphenols. Antioxidants help protect cells from damage and may reduce inflammation, which supports gut and immune system health. Other nutrients you can find in yellow dragon fruit include zinc, iron, and selenium, which also help keep your immune system strong.
The fruit also contains prebiotic fiber, which feeds the healthy bacteria in your gut and makes short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs strengthen the stomach lining, have natural anti-bacterial benefits, and help your body make T cells. T cells are a type of white blood cell that supports various immune system functions, like protecting against infections.
Dragon fruit is considered a low glycemic index (GI) fruit, making it a good option for people with diabetes. A low GI food is less likely to cause spikes in blood sugar.
Both red and white-fleshed varieties of dragon fruit also contain nutrients that may help reduce insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when your body doesn’t respond properly to insulin, a hormone that helps move sugar through your blood to give you energy.
Like all varieties of dragon fruit, yellow dragon fruit contains essential minerals such as:
- Calcium: This helps your muscles work properly, including the function of the heart muscles. It can also support your bone health, balance, and overall strength.
- Magnesium: This helps maintain muscle and nerve health. It also keeps blood vessels relaxed, which supports smoother blood flow.
- Potassium: This is important for maintaining a healthy blood pressure and balancing fluids and electrolytes in your body. Having balanced electrolytes helps support normal heart rhythm, nerve signaling (how nerve cells communicate), and muscle function.
Additionally, its seeds contain healthy fats with heart-protective potential. These include polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties that can benefit your heart.
Yellow dragon fruit contains a good amount of soluble fiber. Soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol by managing fats (lipids) in the body and may support healthy lipid levels.
The fruit’s seeds may also help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol by slowing down its absorption into the intestine. LDL cholesterol, a type of fat and protein, can clog arteries and raise your risk for heart disease and strokes.
More research is needed to fully understand how dragon fruit affects fat and cholesterol in the body.
Yellow dragon fruit is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber, which benefit healthier bowel movements. Soluble fiber forms a gel that holds water and keeps stool from becoming too dry. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to the stool and helps it move through the colon (large intestine). Together, they help with an easier passage and elimination.
Other factors that may help ease bowels, include the fatty acids in its seeds and sorbitol content, both of which can have a mild laxative effect. Sorbitol is a natural sugar alcohol found in fruits.
The nutritional information for one cup of dragon fruit is:
- Calories: 122
- Fat: 0.378 grams (g)
- Sodium: 1.8 milligrams (mg)
- Carbohydrates: 29.2 g
- Fiber: 3.24 g
- Protein: 1.22 g
- Vitamin C: 35.6 mg, 40% of your daily value (DV)
- Potassium: 371 mg, 8% of your DV
- Magnesium: 25.2 mg, 6% of your DV
- Calcium: 23.4 mg, 2% of your DV
Allergic reactions to dragon fruit are uncommon. However, there have been a few severe documented cases. In one reported incident, symptoms included tongue swelling and respiratory distress (not getting enough oxygen) after consuming dragon fruit juice.
Recent research suggests that the seeds from dragon fruit with both red and white flesh may trigger allergic reactions in people with food sensitivities. Certain proteins found in the seeds have been linked to allergy reactions, including skin rashes and vomiting. However, more research is necessary.
Even though the flesh of the fruit doesn’t appear to have these allergy-specific proteins, you can’t eat the flesh without eating the seeds too.
There are a variety of ways you can enjoy yellow dragon fruit. Here are some simple ways you can add it to your diet:
- Scoop and eat: Slice the fruit in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon—or enjoy it straight from the skin like a natural bowl.
- Blend into smoothies: Add dragon fruit to smoothies for a refreshing, tangy-sweet tropical flavor.
- Toss into salads: Scoop out the flesh with a large spoon. Then dice and mix into leafy green salads with ingredients like nuts, seeds, and crumbled feta for a colorful, nutritious twist.
- Use as a garnish: Thinly slice and serve as a garnish for mild, flaky fish such as seared rockfish.
- Top chia pudding: Add diced dragon fruit to your chia pudding for added nutrients. Consider soaking the chia seeds in coconut milk for a more tropical snack.
Dragon fruit can also be processed to make wines and jams.
Yellow dragon fruit is a cactus fruit native to South America. It’s rich in fiber, antioxidants, and has heart-healthy fats in its seeds. These nutrients support gut health, immunity, digestion, blood sugar balance, and cholesterol management.
This fruit is easy to prepare—simply cut it in half and scoop out the flesh. Its tangy-sweet flavor makes it perfect for smoothies, in salads, or as a topping for chia pudding.
