Unfolding the nutritional and health benefits of dragon fruit (Selenicereus spp.): A review

Dragon fruit is gaining significance as a promising fruit crop in tropical and sub-tropical regions of India owing to its nutritional significance and consumer preference. The review offers an insight into the compositional significance and medicinal properties of dragon fruit (Selenicereus spp.). All the fruit parts of dragon fruit (pulp, peel and seed) possess distinct attributes. Pulp is rich in fibre, minerals, betacyanins, organic acids, protein and anti-oxidative properties, whereas peel is rich source of pigment betalains and phenolic comounds. Seeds are rich source of fatty acids and tocopherol hence they are considered as high-value seed. Essential fatty acids, namely, linoleic acid and linolenic acid constitute a significant percentage of the unsaturated fatty acids of the seed oil extract of dragon fruit. Dragon fruit also possesses antidiabetic, anti-cancerous property, antimicrobial and prebiotic potential. In years to come, the nutritional value, medicinal properties and market demand of dragon fruit will open a new avenues of its production potential in different agro-climatic regions of India.