When Are Dragon Fruit In Season -How to Eat Them

With its vividly colored skin and white or pink interior, dragon fruit is probably one of the aesthetically pleasing fruits. Recently, as more people switch to healthier eating habits, dragon fruit has grown in popularity. If you grow dragon fruit, you might be curious about when it's the right time to eat them.

• The hot months of the summer are when dragon fruit is in its growing season.
• The blooming season in Europe lasts from July to October.
• The plant is frequently found in Asia, Mexico, and parts of South America. The summer seasons vary in South America. Between December and March is the dragon fruit season on this continent.
• They will also grow well in a warm and sunny spot indoors

When Are Dragon Fruit in Season?

Originally from Mexico, Central America, and South America, dragon fruit is a summer fruit that is picked between the months of June and September. California is the state where dragon fruit is primarily grown in America. Dragon fruit can flourish here because of the ideal environmental conditions.

Dragon fruit comes in three main varieties: Pitaya Blanca, Pitaya Roja, and Pitaya Amarilla.

• Pitaya Blanca is the most commonly seen dragon fruit. It has a pink exterior, a white interior, and black seeds that pierce the fruit.
• Pitaya Roja has pink skin and a red or pink inside with black seeds. The Pitaya Roja is reputed to have the strongest flavor.
• Pitaya Amarilla has yellow skin, with white inside and black seeds. Some claim that this type of dragon fruit is the sweetest.

These three varieties are all cultivated in comparable environments, and all three are picked in the summer. Cactus species like dragon fruit require warm climates to grow. In addition, they don't require a lot of water.

How Do You Determine If Dragon Fruit is Ready for Harvest?

Dragon fruit doesn't ripen well when taken off the vine. The fruit must therefore be harvested after it has reached the ripe stage. The dragon fruit grows to be oval-shaped and weighs about a pound. Unripe dragon fruits will taste sour and bitter and may give you stomach aches, so you shouldn't harvest them.

Before being harvested, the dragon fruit must reach its full color. Pink or yellow skin tone is appropriate. A dragon fruit is not yet mature if its skin is green.

Before the fruit is ready to be picked, the dragon fruit's leaves should also start to turn a light shade of brown and shrivel up. The fruit is not yet ready if the leaves are still bright green and stiff. If you lightly squeeze the dragon fruit, it should feel soft but not mushy.

Consider that you have already chosen a dragon fruit that is ready for picking. Then, by slightly twisting the fruit and pulling, you can get them off the cactus. When the fruit easily separates from the cactus, the dragon fruit is ripe. The best course of action is to wait a day or two longer if the fruit is difficult to remove from the plant because it is not yet fully mature.

Once you've taken the fruit off the plant, store it in a bag in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it. For roughly two weeks, dragon fruit can be stored in the refrigerator. It is best to eat it right away, though.

How Do You Prepare a Dragon Fruit?

Preparing a dragon fruit might seem challenging due to the "scales" on its skin and leathery texture. However, it's actually very simple to prepare a dragon fruit.

You must ensure that your dragon fruit is not overripe before you prepare it. Like an apple, overripe dragon fruit will have brown spots on the outside. The texture and appearance could both be wrinkly. The dragon fruit is also overripe when the inside is brown and should not be consumed.

You can start preparing your dragon fruit if it is still ripe.

• Trim the end of your dragon fruit first. Afterward, a skin incision should be made. The dragon fruit's skin is delicate and simple to cut through.
• When the skin is removed, the soft, white interior is revealed. The interior will resemble a coconut in shape, being in a ball.
• Now, you can cut the dragon fruit's interior however you like. The fruit's tiny, black seeds are palatable, flavorless, and nutritious.

The inside of the dragon fruit can also be removed by cutting it in half. The skin of dragon fruit cannot be eaten. However, given how lovely it is, you could use it to serve the dragon fruit. Because dragon fruit does not keep well in the refrigerator after being cut, it is best to consume it right away.

Additionally, you can freeze the dragon fruit. To accomplish this, chop it up, lay it out on a baking sheet, and freeze it. You can put the frozen dragon fruit in a bag and freeze it after that. Up to three months' worth of dragon fruit can be frozen.

The best way to eat dragon fruit is to simply cut it up and consume it cold. Dragon fruit can also be used to make ice cream, smoothies, and fruit salads.

What Does Dragon Fruit Taste Like?

These vividly colored fruits have a mildly sweet flavor that has been likened to a cross between a pear and a kiwi. The creamy flesh is loaded with tiny seeds that can be eaten. If the flavor isn't as vibrant as the color on the outside, don't get upset.

Dragon Fruit Nutrition and Health Benefits

Dragon fruit is regarded as a fruit with a high nutrient density because it only has 60 calories. Here are just some of the nutrients and health benefits this tropical fruit can provide:

• Fiber: In comparison to the 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men that are advised daily, one cup of dragon fruit has 7 grams of fiber. This promotes digestion and prolongs the feeling of fullness.
• Prebiotics: Prebiotics, a kind of fiber found in dragon fruit, help the good bacteria in your gut grow.
• Vitamin C: Dragon fruit is excellent for preventing infections due to its high vitamin C content.
• Iron: Due to its high iron content and vitamin C content, which aids in iron absorption, dragon fruit is excellent for preventing iron deficiency.
• Magnesium: Magnesium, which is essential for over 600 physiological reactions in your body, including the synthesis of ATP, is present in one cup of dragon fruit, or 18% of your daily recommended intake.
• Antioxidants: Antioxidants, which guard against the harm done to cells by free radicals, are also abundant in dragon fruit.

Additionally, compared to other tropical fruits, dragon fruit has less sugar and carbs.

Dragon Fruit Guaycura Cocktail Recipe

The Cape, a Thompson Hotel in Los Cabos, has a food and beverage director named Gerardo Osorio. He notes that shrubs (or drinking vinegar) can be a novel way to include dragon fruit in homemade cocktails.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz dragon fruit shrub
• 1 oz mezcal
• 3 oz ginger beer
• 1 dash fresh lemon juice
• 2 chili oil drops

Directions:

Prepare dragon fruit shrub: Take two cups of dragon fruit, two cups of vinegar (try apple cider vinegar), and two cups of sugar. Heat the sugar and vinegar over the stove while stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. After adding the fruit and letting it simmer for a few minutes, cool the mixture and strain the solids out with a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. To allow flavors to meld, store in the fridge for two or more days.

Mix the cocktail: Mix the dragon fruit shrub, mezcal, lime, and ice in a shaker; then strain into a sherry glass, top with ginger beer, and garnish with a few drops of hot sauce.

What Happens If You Overeat Dragon Fruit?

Even though dragon fruit has few calories and many healthy qualities, it should still only be eaten occasionally.

Dragon fruit can cause allergic reactions in some people. Swollen tongue, hives, and vomiting are the symptoms of a dragon fruit allergy. You should stop eating dragon fruit immediately if you experience any of these symptoms after eating it.

Most people won't exhibit any allergies to dragon fruit. However, consuming too much dragon fruit can result in colored urine. It could turn pink or red, for instance. Although this dragon fruit side effect is not harmful or alarming, it does suggest that you may have consumed too much of the fruit.

With the added benefits of a stunning exterior and delectable flesh, dragon fruit is a powerhouse of health benefits when consumed in moderation.

How to Choose Dragon Fruit

If there are too many blemishes on a fruit, it may be overripe. When you press down on a ripe dragon fruit, it should give slightly but not become mushy. You can leave it on the counter for a few days to ripen if it's too firm.

How to Use Dragon Fruit

Although it can be preserved as a jam, dragon fruit is typically served raw, seeds and all. Its soft, scoopable flesh begs to be pureed for use in sorbets, smoothies, or mixed drinks. It makes an eye-catching addition to a fruit salad or yogurt bowl when chopped up. Additionally, it goes well with seafood; try it with mahi-mahi or cod in a salsa along with other tropical fruits.

Make a refreshing dragon fruit milkshake with it and other summertime fruits, or wow your guests with a dragon fruit colada, a unique cocktail.

Anywhere that calls for kiwi, including in recipes for salads and margaritas, dragon fruit can be used as a substitute. Browse our collection of kiwi recipes and consider the options!

How to Store Dragon Fruit

Since ripe dragon fruit is extremely perishable, you should store it in the refrigerator for up to five days in a sealed bag to prevent it from absorbing the smells of nearby foods. Depending on how ripe it is, it should be kept in the refrigerator for a few days after being cut. If your dragon fruit is too hard, you can allow it to ripen by setting it on the counter for a few days at room temperature.

Dragon Fruit Cuttings Or Growing from Seeds?

It is never a good idea to plant dragon fruit. This is due to the fact that it may take the plant several years to produce fruit. First fruits can appear between 5 and 7 years after planting seeds. The quickest method for growing dragon fruits is from a cutting. It will take one to three years. Cuttings of dragon fruit are available. View the various varieties of dragon fruit we offer.

FAQs

When is Yellow Dragon Fruit in Season

Dragon fruit in the color yellow is available all year long. It has a peak season in early summer and fall.

When is Red Dragon Fruit in Season

The summer (June through September) is the main season for fresh dragon fruit. For most varieties, August and September are their busiest months.

Where is Dragon Fruit Grown

Dragon fruit is grown in Asia, Mexico, Central America, South America, and Israel today.

Where is Dragon Fruit From

Dragon fruit originates in Central and South America. Although we refer to this intriguing plant as a fruit, it is actually a cactus.