Tag: vitamin c

A bit about Dragon fruit.

Todays post is about Dragon Fruit.

A friend of mine has given me a cutting of a dragon fruit plant and we are looking forward to growing our own. I will share what I know and also what I have researched about this strange looking fruit.

So, what is Dragon Fruit?

Dragon fruit is the fruit of several types of cactus that are indigenous to South America. It is cultivated throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world including Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, Florida in the United States and Australia.

The English name “dragon fruit” has its origin from around 1963, due to the leather-like skin and prominent scaly spikes on the outside of the fruit. Theses fruits are also known as pitaya, strawberry pear, cactus fruit, Kaktus madu, night-blooming cereus and Belle of the night.

There are 3 different types of dragon fruit all with slightly leafy looking, leathery skin.

Pitaya blanca or white-fleshed fruit has pink skin with white flesh. This is the variety most commonly seen.

Pitaya roja or red-fleshed fruit has red skin with red flesh.

Pitaya amarilla or yellow fruit has yellow skin with white flesh.

The fruit normally weighs from 150 to 600 grams; some may reach up to 1 kilogram. It is usually juicy with a slightly sweet taste that some people describe as a cross between a kiwi, a pear, and a watermelon. The texture closely resembles kiwi fruit and the seeds have a nutty flavour.

Is it a healthy fruit?

Dragon fruit has many potential health benefits. It is low in calories but rich in vitamin C, minerals, fibre and contains several types of potent antioxidants.

The antioxidants Beta-carotene and lycopene are the plant pigments that give the fruit its vibrant colour. These natural substances protect the cells from damage by free radicals that can lead to diseases like cancer and premature ageing.

Dragon fruit is one of the few fresh fruits that contain iron. Iron is important for moving oxygen through the body and breaking down food into energy. And the vitamin C in dragon fruit helps the body take in and use the iron.

The fruit contains it’s own specific type of prebiotic called dragon fruit oligosaccharide (DFO). 

A recent study suggested that DFO changed the composition of the gut micro biota by increasing the beneficial bacteria. The DFO also had the ability to stimulate immune-related genes. These and other helpful bacteria can kill disease-causing viruses and bacteria. They also help digest food and strengthen the immune system.

Dragon fruit is also a great source of magnesium, a nutrient needed for over 600 biochemical reactions in the body.

It’s naturally fat-free and high in fibre. 

This surprisingly healthy fruit can be eaten on it’s own or added to salads, smoothies and yogurt. We are looking forward to being able to eat our own homegrown dragon fruit in the future.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper.

Sources – ( Healthline – WebMD – Science Direct )

A Choc-Orange Slice recipe

Today I’m sharing another recipe, this time featuring Oranges.

At this time of the year our orange trees are full of fruit and I like to find different ways of using it.

What I like about this recipe is that it uses the whole fruit and nothing is wasted. You get every bit of nutrition out of the fruit.

I have previously written about the health benefits of Oranges, of which there are many.

As is usually the way with many fruits, eating an orange is healthier than just drinking the juice. With this recipe, you eat the peel as well, which actually contains higher amounts of some nutrients than the flesh.

This slice is wheat free and almost dairy free (the eggs) and tastes amazing when served a little warm with cream or yoghurt.

 Choc-Orange Slice

Makes 16 pieces

 Ingredients

2 whole organic oranges (about 400gm weight)

4 large eggs

100 gms desiccated coconut

75 gms almond meal

100 gms rapadura sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup (or rice malt syrup)

3 tbsp cacao

2 tsp bi carb soda (or baking powder)

 Method

  • Wash oranges and put them in a large saucepan, covering them with water. (Put a small plate on top of the oranges to stop them floating.)
  • Bring to boil, and then simmer for approximately 40 minutes till the skins have softened.
  • Take the oranges from the water, cut them into quarters and allow to cool.
  • Remove any pips and place the pieces into a food processor.
  • Process till you have a smooth pulp.
  • Add the eggs and maple syrup processing till just mixed.
  • Add the dry ingredients and process till combined.
  • Pour the mixture into a prepared 20 x 20 cm tin and bake at 180* for approx. 1 hr until firm to the touch.
  • Allow the slice to cool a while before removing it from the tin and cutting into squares.

** Variations **

  • If you have a nut allergy you can swap out the almond meal for more coconut.
  • If you don’t want the chocolate, just leave it out.

A bit about Orange peel

Although orange peels are edible, they are not nearly as sweet or as juicy as the pulp.

It may surprise you that the skins have about four times more health benefits than the actual orange fruit that we eat.

Orange peel actually has more fibre than the fruit inside. The pith of the orange — the white part between the skin and fruit — can be sour or bitter but actually contains just as much vitamin C as the fruit itself.

The orange peel contains flavonoids and other phyto-chemicals that are highly beneficial for our health. Flavonoids are antioxidant compounds that help prevent chronic diseases such as cancer and heart diseases.

Orange peels contain several B vitamins, vitamins A and C. In addition, the peel contains considerable amounts of copper, calcium and magnesium.

(Sources:  www.livescience.com, www.manipalhospitals.com, www.articles.mercola.com)

Also keep in mind, that unless you’re eating peel from an organic orange, it could be covered in chemicals.

I hope you enjoy this slice as much as we do.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Passion fruit & a great recipe

Todays post is about Passion fruit. We have a very healthy passion fruit vine on a shared fence at the moment, so we have a good supply of fruit.

I really like passion fruit, though not always with the seeds. It is also a good source of nutrients, especially fibre, and vitamins C and A. So I decided to make some nectar.

After harvesting a dozen fruit off the vine, which were all ready to eat. I put the pulp from all of the fruit into the blender and pulsed it for a couple of seconds. To seperate the seeds, I then put the mixture in a sieve over a bowl and rubbed the nectar through the sieve to remove the seeds. This made approximately 250 ml of passion fruit nectar. The nectar is really versatile; you can mix it with soda water for a refreshing drink of pour it over ice cream.

I decided to make a really easy Chia Mousse. Something healthy enough to have for breakfast and yummy enough to eat for dessert.

 Passion fruit Coconut Chia Mousse

serves 1

  • 70 ml Coconut Cream
  • 60 ml milk or water (or non dairy milk)
  • 3 tablespoons Passion fruit nectar
  • ¼ cup Chia seeds

Just mix all of the ingredients together, pour into a glass and refrigerate till set. (approx. 1hr)

Top with the pulp of 1 passion fruit.

 The passion fruit health profile.

Passion fruit is a beneficial fruit. It contains high levels of vitamin A, vitamin C, Beta-carotene, Magnesium, Iron, Potassium, Phosphorus, Niacin, and approximately 2 grams of fibre.

It’s also rich in beneficial plant compounds, including antioxidants such as carotenoids and polyphenols. In fact, one analysis found that passion fruit was richer in polyphenols than many other tropical fruits.

Polyphenols are plant compounds that have a range of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This means they may protect against chronic inflammation and diseases like heart disease and cancer.

Antioxidants play a vital role in keeping the body systems healthy. Scientists know that antioxidants improve blood flow, specifically to the brain and nervous system.

Beta-carotene is also an important antioxidant. In your body, it is converted to vitamin A, which is essential for preserving good eyesight.

Our body doesn’t usually absorb iron from plants very well. However, the iron in passion fruit comes with a lot of vitamin C, which is known to enhance iron’s absorption.

Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that you need to get from your diet. It helps support a healthy immune system and healthy ageing.

For such a small fruit, passion fruit is packed with nutrients that our body needs.

 The Chia seeds

I have written before that Chia can be considered a legitimate super food because of its nutrient content. The seeds are full of healthful omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids; they have high levels of protein, fibre, and no cholesterol. They also contain several minerals in significant amounts, including calcium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper, and manganese.

 So for a super easy, very nutritious snack, give this recipe a try.

 Till the next post,

 Live clean n prosper.