Dragon fruit: A review of health benefits and nutrients and its sustainable development under climate changes in Vietnam

Abstract

Dragon fruit or pitaya is an exotic tropical plant that brings multiple benefits to human health thanks to its high nutritional value and bioactive compounds, including powerful natural antioxidants. Extracts from stems, flowers, peels, pulps of dragon fruit own a range of beneficial biological activities against pathogenic microbes including bacteria, fungi and viruses, and diseases like diabetes, obesity, hyperlipidaemia, and cancer. Moreover, dragon fruit extracts have cardiovascular and hepatoprotective properties, as well as prebiotic potential. Vietnam is a tropical country with favourable climate conditions for the development of pitaya plantations, which have great adaptability and tolerance to a wide range of environmental conditions (e.g. salinity adaptation, favour light intensity, drought resistance, etc.). The dragon fruit, thanks to its nutritional properties, biological activities, and commercial value has become a cost-effective product for the Vietnamese economy, particularly in the poorest areas of the Mekong Delta region, and a driving force in the sustainable development of Vietnam under the challenges posed by the global climate change such as saline intrusion and drought.

Nutritional Analysis of Red-Purple and White-Fleshed Pitaya (Hylocereus) Species

“…Phenolic compounds are an excellent source of antioxidants that play an important role in protecting human health. These compounds also contribute to the taste, color, and health benefits of plants [65][66][67]. Phenolic compounds play a major role in contributing to overall antioxidant capacity [68].…”

“…The aroma in fruits is an important parameter to attract consumers and commercial market competition in pitaya fruit [67]. In addition to fruit flavor, volatile compounds have also been reported in some studies to play important roles in pitaya fruit aging, biotic-abiotic stress factors, and responses to plant disease [29,51,67,73,74].…”

Acidity, pH and Viscosity of Red Dragon Fruit Yoghurt with The Addition of Some Levels of Sucrose

“…Buah naga merah kaya akan kandungan nutrisi, selain mengandung vitamin, buah ini juga kaya lemak tak jenuh yang penting untuk tubuh (Luu et al, 2021). Serat yang ada pada buah ini bermanfaat untuk pencernaan dan mengatur kadar gula darah.…”

Comparing Different Methods for Pruning Pitaya (Hylocereus undatus)

“…Cactaceae), commonly known as pitaya, pitahaya, or dragon fruit, is currently presented as an interesting and very profitable alternative to traditional crops. Today, it occupies a growing niche in the exotic fruit market, mainly because of its attractiveness, nutritional value, and abundance in bioactive compounds (mainly organic acids and phenols) that provide multiple benefits to human health [1,2]. Pitaya comprises a number of perennial climbing cacti of different species with a complex taxonomy and frequent hybridization between them.…”