Due to its vital nutrients, dragon fruit is suitable for all diets as it is high in fibres and vitamins which work best for laxative and also to the liver. Dragon fruits are found to be b eneficial for the circulatory and gastro-intestinal system, cancer chemoprevention, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and cardiovascular mortality risk reducing properties. Red-fleshed varieties are found to be high in antioxidant content due to betacyanins pigments. Fatty oil has been obtained from the seed kernels of white dragon fruit are rich in unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) and most of the UFA was linoleic acid. It is an essential fatty acid that cannot be synthesized in the human body but is taken from other food. High content of linoleic acid is favorable for medicinal and nutritional application since it is responsible for cardio-protective, antidiabetic, antimicrobial activities.

Table 2: Nutrients content of red-fleshed dragon fruit (or every 100 g of pulp)

Nutrient

Unit/ 100 g

Water (g)

82.5 - 83.0

Protein (g)

0.16 - 0.23

Fat (g)

0.2 - 0.61

Fiber (g)

0.70 - 0.90

Carotene (mg)

0.005 - 0.012

Calcium (mg)

6.3 - 8.8

Phosphorus (mg)

30.2 - 36.1

Iron (mg)

0.55 - 0.65

Vitamin B1 (mg)

0.028 - 0.043

Vitamin B2

0.043 - 0.045

Vitamin B3

0.30 - 0.43

Vitamin C (mg)

8.0 - 9.0

Source: Taiwan Food Industry, Development and Research Authorities

Table 3: Nutritional value comparison between white-fleshed and red fleshed dragon fruit

Nutrients

White-fleshed

Red-fleshed

Water (%)

83.5

85.6

pH

4.7

5.2

Soluble solids concentration (%)

13.7

11.9

Titratable acidity (%)

0.35

0.16

Sugar concentration (%)

7.5

6.5

Starch (%)

6.5

1.2

Ascorbic acid (mg/100 g)

3.64

2.55

Pulp colour

L

60.5

41.21

a

-3.62

37.09

b

8.5

12.39

Source: M. Zainudin, 2005