Pitaya

A pitaya  or pitahaya is the fruit of several cactus species, most importantly of the genus Hylocereus (sweet pitayas).
These fruits are commonly known as "dragon fruit" as in the Chinese huǒ lóng guǒ, "fire dragon fruit", and lóng zhū guǒ, "dragon pearl fruit", the Vietnamese thanh long meaning "green dragon", the Indonesian and Malaysian buah naga, the Lao mark mang gohn, and the Thai kaeo mangkonor "dragon crystal". Other vernacular names are strawberry pear or nanettikafruit.

Sweet pitayas come in three types, all with leathery, slightly leafy skin:

• Hylocereus undatus (red pitaya) has red-skinned fruit with white flesh. This is the most commonly seen "dragon fruit".
• Hylocereus costaricensis (Costa Rica pitaya, often called H. polyrhizus) has red-skinned fruit with red flesh
• Hylocereus megalanthus (yellow pitaya, formerly in Selenicereus) has yellow-skinned fruit with white flesh.

Early imports from Colombia to Australia were designated Hylocereus ocampensis (supposedly red fruit) and Cereus triangularis (supposedly yellow fruit). It is not quite certain to which species these taxa refer, though the latter is probably the red pitaya.

The fruit can weigh from 150 to 600 grams; some may reach one kilogram.

CONSUMPTION

To prepare a pitaya for consumption, the fruit is cut open to expose the flesh. The fruit's texture is sometimes likened to that of the kiwifruit because of its black, crunchy seeds. The flesh, which is eaten raw, is mildly sweet and low in calories. The seeds are eaten together with the flesh, have a nutty taste and are rich in lipids, but they are indigestible unless chewed. The fruit is also converted into juice or wine, or used to flavour other beverages. The flowers can be eaten or steeped as tea. The skin is not eaten, and in farm-grown fruit it may be polluted with pesticides.

Ingestion of significant amounts of red-fleshed dragon fruit (such as Costa Rica Pitaya) may result in pseudohematuria, a harmless reddish coloration of the urine and faeces.

Several of the Padres who missionized Baja California recorded an unusual form of consumption of pitaya that is also shared in some O'odham stories from southern Arizona. It is called the "second harvest" of pitaya seeds. With the scarcity of fruits in their lands, the pitaya was such a prized fruit that once it was eaten, the natives would wait for their own excrement to dry, then break it apart separating the pitaya seeds. These seeds would be ground into a flour and eaten again, giving the pitaya's "second harvest" it's name. Interestingly, the O'odham name for the Milky Way translates as "the second harvest of pitaya."

Taste

The mild taste of pitaya flesh is often remarked upon, as it stands in stark contrast to the vibrant exterior. The taste has been described as being "very bland... like a melon or kiwi," with a "mild sweetness."

Nutritional information

The edible parts of raw pitaya consist of mostly water and carbohydrates, with some protein and fat content. Pitayas contain slight amounts of calcium,iron, phosphorus, and other nutrients.

USES

• Particularly red-skinned pitayas are a good source of Vitamin C.
• Pitayas are rich in fiber and minerals, notably phosphorus and calcium. Red pitayas seem to be richer in the former, yellow ones in the latter.
• The seeds are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, and in particular Red Pitayas contain very little saturated fat.
• Pitahayas also contain significant quantities of phytoalbumin antioxidants, which prevent the formation of cancer-causing free radicals.
• In Taiwan, diabetics use the fruit as a food substitute for rice and as a source of dietary fiber.
• Pitaya supposedly increases excretion of heavy metal toxins and lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. Eaten regularly, it is credited with alleviating chronic respiratory tractailments.