What Does Dragon Fruit Taste Like (and Why It’s Just as Healthy as It’s Cool)

Before we answer this question, let’s get one thing out of the way: dragon fruit WON’T make you spit fire. Flamey spikes and scales and the bright red skin are just there for the cool looks that could put Daeneris’s dragon eggs to shame.

But what does dragon fruit taste like?

Dragon fruit has a sweet flavor. It’s similar to kiwifruit but more sugary, which is why so many people love eating this fruit!

But there’s so much more to this fruit than meets the eye (or your taste buds). Read on to find out WHY your organism wants you to eat it, and how.

Related Post: What Does Mango Taste Like?

First Off, What Is Dragon Fruit?

Pitaya, pithaya, night blooming cereus, strawberry pear. These are different names for the same fruit, depending on where you find it.

Dragon fruit is the fruit of a cactus that’s native to South and Central America. The fruit comes in a variety of different colors:

• Pink skin and white flesh: This type of dragon fruit is the most common. It’s not a very sweet dragon fruit and has more citrusy notes.
• Pink skin and pink flesh: This dragon fruit is related to the pink skin and white flesh variety, but is much sweeter. It also tends to be quite a large variety.
• Pink skin and purple flesh: This type of dragon fruit has a very mild flavor. It has a subtle sweetness and tastes a bit more like pear.
• Yellow skin with white flesh: Yellow dragon fruit is the sweetest variety. Good luck finding that one, though! It’s the rarest of them all.

Regardless of which type of dragon fruit you try, the flavors are relatively similar. It’s a mild and refreshing fruit that is rising in popularity around the world.

What Are the Health Benefits of Dragon Fruit?

Aside from its delicious taste, dragon fruit is a great choice in fruit thanks to the many health benefits it offers. Each bite will make your body happy and grateful thanks to several much needed nutrients. Let’s check them out.

Fiber

Dragon fruit is one great way for you to get your daily dose of fiber. Professionals recommend that adults eat a minimum of 25 grams of fiber a day. Dragon fruit gives you 7 grams of fiber in just a 1-cup serving, making it a great way to get your daily dose of fiber!

The reason why fiber is so important is because it helps keep your heart and gut working correctly. Plus, fiber fills you up which helps you eat less and lose weight!

Carotenoids

These natural pigments are important not only for making this fruit look so appealing, but also for improving your vision and potentially reducing the risk of developing cancer.

Lycopene

A subtype of carotenoid, lycopene may help reduce your risk for developing cancer as well as boost your heart health.

Magnesium

Dragon fruit contains 18% of the recommended daily value of magnesium for adults. Without magnesium, our bodies’ cells wouldn’t be able to function correctly.

Iron

Dragon fruit also contains 8% of the recommended daily value of iron. Why should you care? Because iron is what boosts your energy levels and keeps your blood healthy.

Vitamin C

Finally, dragon fruit contains a healthy dose of vitamin C, which is important for boosting your immune system and for helping your body properly absorb iron.

How to Eat Dragon Fruit

Do we have you dying to eat dragon fruit? Don’t let the looks intimidate you: it’s easy to eat. You can either eat it fresh, grill it, or blend it into smoothies! 

But the easiest way to eat dragon fruit is to eat it fresh.

Select Your Fruit

Here’s how to quickly disappoint yourself in 3 simple steps. 

You walk into a store, pick your fruit with your eyes only, and go home only to find that it’s either green or mushy underneath that lush surface.

Nah! To eat dragon fruit AND enjoy while at it, you need to observe first, feel second.

It should have a bright yellow, red, or pink color depending on which variety you’re eating. 

To check if the fruit is ripe, gently press the skin of the fruit. If it gives a little bit, then it is ripe. If it’s squishy, then the fruit is overripe. If the fruit is completely hard, it isn’t ripe yet and will need to be left for a few days before you eat it.

When selecting your fruit, steer clear of dragon fruit with dry spines, bruises, dark spots, or dry brown patches.

Open the Fruit

Once you’ve selected your fruit, slice the dragon fruit in half. You’ll find bright white flesh that is spotted with small black seeds.

Next, use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the fruit. Run the spoon along the skin’s edge and loosen the flesh by scooping underneath. The fruit should easily separate from the skin as long as it is fully ripe.

Eat the Fruit

Now you’re ready to dig into the fruit! You can spoon the dragon fruit directly into your mouth (best for lazy eaters), cut it up into bite-size chunks, or use it in a recipe.

We recommend eating dragon fruit cold. The cold brings out the flavors of the fruit, so by refrigerating it beforehand you can get a really delicious snack!

Also, remember not to eat the skin of the dragon fruit. It’s considered inedible and has a bitter and unpleasant taste.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have questions about this unique fruit? We’ve got some answers for you!

How Many Servings Are in a Dragon Fruit?

Dragon fruit typically has 1-2 servings. You can slice the dragon fruit in half and share one side of it or can enjoy the entire dragon fruit yourself! 

Can I Eat Dragon Fruit Everyday?

While you’re more than able to eat dragon fruit every day, it’s important to note that dragon fruit has a diuretic side effect. If you eat more than one or two a day, you could wind up spending a lot of time in the restroom.

What Color Dragon Fruit is Best?

Since yellow dragon fruit is the sweetest, it tends to be the preferred choice for most people. However, if you prefer more acidic flavors, you’ll enjoy pink dragon fruit.