Pink pitaya is an exotic fruit that gives your meals a burst of brightness with its **insta-perfect** vibrant pink. But its beauty goes beyond the eye-catching colour – this tropical health booster has several advantages for your liver, immunity, and general health. So, incorporating it into your diet can be a delicious way to enrich your meals. Add it to your drinks, desserts, or any other recipe that calls for colour!
What is Pitaya
Pitaya is native to the Americas, and you may also know it as “dragon fruit”. This name refers to the outside of the fruit, which is covered in scaly spikes and skin that resemble the skin of a dragon. Cut it open and you will enjoy a sweet and sour pulp,with a mild exotic flavour. The pulp is speckled with small black seeds that give each mouthful a satisfying crunch. Did you know that there are multiple types of pitaya? The pulp can be dark red, white, or magenta!
The Medical Medium recommends pink Pitaya
The Medical Medium describes it as a “liver rejuvenator” and talks about how the dark pink pigment in its red-fleshed version revitalises the cells in the liver. According to him, this fruit enables your liver to create cells more quickly, promoting liver regeneration. The fruit takes care of the liver’s deep, inner core, which typically succumbs to disease if neglected for too long. This is also why it is sometimes referred to as a “fountain of life” fruit since it slows down and reverses liver ageing.
Look for it in the frozen department of the supermarket or online. If you are lucky, you may even find it fresh in some supermarkets. But if you don’t, pure pitaya powder is a great concentrated alternative when you can’t find fresh pitaya in the place where you live.
The exclusive benefits of pitaya
Pitaya is not only a liver-healer, but it’s a real nutritional power bank with numerous other benefits. Here are some other important nutrients offered by this fruit:
– It’s one of the few vegetarian sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
– It helps with weight control as it has few calories and lots of fibre, which makes you feel full and stops you from overeating, and it can help control blood sugar levels.
– Thanks to the high content of Vitamin C, it helps skin health by reducing skin ageing, as well as boosting wound healing and collagen production.
– It has anti-inflammatory characteristics that might help persons with arthritis or other inflammatory illnesses feel less pain and swelling.
– An excellent source of iron, it can help with anaemia.
– It supplies calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, which are crucial for bone strength and density, and it helps hair growth as well.
Cooking ideas using pitaya
A visually appealing dish creates a pleasant and enjoyable dining experience for yourself and others. It’s the best way to convince your kids to eat their healthy meals, it can be a memorable dessert when you have friends over, and why not, a simple way to just spoil yourself whenever you feel like it.
You can create mesmerising shades of pink for your food using fresh, frozen, or powdered pitaya. Thanks to its intense colour, you can use it as food colouring that is all natural and good for you! If you would like to include more pitaya into your diet, these are our tips:
∙ Lemonades and flavoured water– If you keep forgetting to drink enough water, adding a little blended pitaya or a teaspoon of pitaya powder to your drink will make it easy for you to stay hydrated and refreshed.
∙ Porridge and granola – Use a healthy porridge or granola base and mix in a teaspoon of nutritious pitaya powder. It will make it irresistible for your kids and yourself!
∙ Fresh juices and mocktails – Experience with colours by mixing different fruit juices with blended or powdered pitaya. Decorate with frozen berries, edible flowers, or mint for a mocktail that will instantly transport you to an exotic holiday.
∙ Plant-based milk – Add a pop of pink to your oat, rice, or nuts milk if you are looking for a delicious dairy-free milk alternative. Enjoy it warm or cold.
∙ Fruit salads – Slice your pitaya, or – if available – use a melon baller scoop to make perfectly round balls and add them to your exotic fruit salad.
∙ Sorbet and ice cream – Blend frozen pitaya with water or plant-based milk, lemon juice, and your favourite healthy sweetener for a delicious cold treat.
∙ Smoothies and smoothie bowls – Blend pitaya with banana and coconut milk. Add water to make it drinkable or keep it thick and decorate it with contrasting toppings like kiwi slices, pistachio, blueberries, mint leaves, or coconut flakes.
∙ Bakes – Add pitaya powder in the batter for fun waffles, pancakes, and cakes.
