What Does Dragon Fruit Taste Like?

You’ve probably heard of Dragon Fruit, but it’s not a big surprise if you haven’t tasted it before. While you can get it in supermarkets, it is not as readily available as say apples or bananas.

Because Dragon Fruit looks so striking, lots of people are curious about how it tastes before they actually try it for themselves.

Most people aren’t super brave when it comes to Dragon Fruit, but once they try it, they either love it or hate it! 

If you’ve found your way to this article then you’re in luck! We’re going to give you a taster of what Dragon Fruit actually tastes like, and we’ll also be talking a little bit about the different variations you’re likely to come across.

What Does Dragon Fruit Taste Like?

What Is Dragon Fruit? 

For those of you who don’t know what a Dragon Fruit even is, let’s go over a bit about it now.

You’ll mainly find Dragon Fruit coming from Central America, Southern America, and Mexico, but it is also grown in Asian countries, especially China, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand.

You may have heard of Dragon Fruit by its other names: pitaya, pitahaya, or strawberry pear.

Dragon Fruit (see also ‘What Does A Persimmon Actually Taste Like?‘) is especially unique in the way they look. At first glance, it doesn’t really look edible at all, and it looks more like a cactus than a fruit.

And that’s because it technically is a cactus. It comes from the genus known as Hylocereus. 

Though it comes in a few different variations, the one you are most likely going to come across will be green in color when it’s not ripe and pink when it is. It is incredibly vibrant in color and boasts some incredibly amazing green scales. 

You might be wondering if the skin is edible, and you’d be surprised to learn that yes, it is! But you have to know how to prepare it properly in order to eat it.

The flesh of the Dragon Fruit can be white, pink, or red, depending on which variation you have and how ripe the fruit is. 

What Does Dragon Fruit Taste Like?

Dragon Fruit is known for its sweet and refreshing taste. When comparing the Dragon Fruit to other fruits, it is often described as being a mix of flavors similar to pears and kiwis (for more fruits that start with a K, read here).

The level of sweetness actually varies depending on which type of Dragon Fruit it is, but we will get into that a bit later.

Though the Dragon Fruit might look like it’s come straight from an alien planet, the flavor is quite a bit different from its appearance. The best way to describe the flavor is by saying it’s mild, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring! 

The flesh is incredibly tender and it can be scooped out of the shell with a spoon to enjoy. On top of this, Dragon Fruit is known for the little seeds you can find throughout the fruit and they offer a nice crunchy addition to each bite. 

If you want a fruit that tastes refreshing and tropical, then the Dragon Fruit is definitely a great choice for you.

It’s hard to accurately describe the taste to someone who hasn’t tasted it before, but once you have, you’ll be wondering why you’ve been missing out! 

Heath Benefits Of Dragon Fruit

Along with looking like it is from an alien planet and tasting great, the Dragon Fruit has lots of health benefits that you should know about: 

  • Dragon Fruit is rich in antioxidants like flavonoids, phenolic acid, and betacyanin. 
  • It can strengthen your immune system and it is very high in vitamin C.
  • If you’re looking for a natural way to boost your iron levels, then Dragon Fruit can definitely help. Dragon Fruit is filled with iron and the vitamin C found in the fruit also works with iron to give you more energy. 
  • Dragon Fruit is filled with prebiotics. Prebiotic food feeds the healthy bacteria in your gut which is called probiotics. Having lots of prebiotics in your gut helps you to fight off disease and bacteria and strengthens your immune system. 
  • It is also naturally fat-free and very high in fiber. If you are looking for a snack to keep you full between meals that are also healthy, Dragon Fruit works really well. 
  • Though it’s not fully proven, there are lots of studies and research that suggest Dragon Fruit helps to lower your blood sugar. Researchers believe it does this because it repairs damaged cells in your pancreas that make insulin. 

Different Dragon Fruit Variations

Different Dragon Fruit Variations

As we’ve previously mentioned, there are a few variations of Dragon Fruit, each with its own name, color, and level of sweetness. 

We’ve added the five main types of Dragon Fruit to this article so you can get a feel for each one, so let’s take a look! 

1. White Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus Undatus)

Let’s start with the most popular, the White Dragon Fruit. This is the variation of Dragon Fruit that you will most commonly find in supermarkets. A White Dragon Fruit has white flesh and pink skin. 

When it is ripe (see also ‘How To Tell If A Papaya Is Ripe‘), the White Dragon Fruit is sweet in taste, but it might surprise you to know that it is the least sweet (aside from the Sour Dragon Fruit) of the five varieties. 

2. Red Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus Guatemalensis)

Next, we have the Red Dragon Fruit. It is slightly different from the Pink Dragon Fruit in the color of the flesh. If you want to eat this variation at its sweetest, you need to wait for the skin to turn a deep red. 

The Red Dragon Fruit is moderately sweet, being sweeter than the White Dragon Fruit, but not as sweet as some of the Yellow Dragon Fruit.

The Red Dragon Fruit is usually used to make desserts, but it is harder to obtain than the White Dragon Fruit. 

3. Pink Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus Polyrhizus)

The Pink Dragon Fruit is similar to the Red Dragon Fruit, but it is pink in the skin and the flesh.

Like the Red Dragon Fruit, this variety is moderately sweet, being sweeter than the White Dragon Fruit but not as sweet as the Yellow Dragon Fruit. 

The Pink Dragon Fruit is most popularly used to make smoothies and cocktails because its fantastic pink color translates so well. In Asia, the Pink Dragon Fruit is especially popular as a dessert. 

4. Yellow Dragon Fruit (Selenicereus Megalanthus)

The Yellow Dragon Fruit is the sweetest variant of the Dragon Fruit, but it is incredibly hard to find because it’s only really grown in Central America. 

As you can guess from the name, this variety of Dragon Fruit has yellow skin and the flesh is white. 

5. Sour Dragon Fruit (Stenocereus)

And finally, we have the Sour Dragon Fruit. As the name would suggest, this variation of Dragon Fruit is sour in taste rather than sweet. 

In terms of looks, it is pretty much exactly the same as the White Dragon Fruit, with the same pink skin and white flesh. Though they look the same, Sour Dragon Fruit is actually juicer than White Dragon Fruit. 

This variety of Dragon Fruit is mostly grown in America, but it is quite hard to find and buy. 

Conclusion

Dragon Fruit is definitely one of the more bizarre and otherworldly fruits out there, but it’s worth trying at least once in your life. 

Lots of people do get intimidated by its alien-like appearance, but once you give it the time of day, you’ll regret the fact you’ve never tried it before. 

You’re most likely to come across White Dragon Fruit before you find one of the other variants, but if you do manage to find the others, don’t pass up on the opportunity to try them!

Each variant has a different level of sweetness that is absolutely to die for! 

Jenna
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