Does eating dragon fruit help control cholesterol and improve heart health?
Dragon fruit is a familiar fruit, rich in water, fiber, and contains many plant compounds. In particular, red dragon fruit contains betalains – a group of pigments that create the characteristic red color of the fruit and are of interest in studies on antioxidant activity.
These characteristics make dragon fruit a suitable choice in a healthy diet. However, does eating dragon fruit really help improve cholesterol and protect heart health?
Dragon fruit contains fiber and plant compounds
Fiber is one of the notable components of dragon fruit. A diet rich in fiber from vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains is considered beneficial for cardiovascular and metabolic health.
In addition to fiber, dragon fruit also contains plant compounds, including betalains in red dragon fruit. These compounds are being studied for their antioxidant properties and ability to impact certain processes related to vascular health.
However, current research results are insufficient to confirm that eating dragon fruit can prevent cardiovascular disease or replace proven cardiovascular risk factor control measures.
According to nutritional recommendations for heart health, fruits should be used in variety along with green vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, and appropriate protein sources; while limiting saturated fats, added sugars, and ultra-processed foods.
What do preliminary studies show?
A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2022 investigated the impact of dragon fruit on vascular function.
The study included 19 young, healthy, non-smoking adults; 18 completed the study. Participants used 24 g of whole dragon fruit powder daily for 14 days.
The results showed that some indicators related to endothelial function improved in the dragon fruit group. Some indicators of arterial stiffness also changed positively. However, the study recorded no significant difference in blood pressure between the groups.
Endothelial function is the ability of the cell layer lining the inside of blood vessels to function normally, which plays an important role in circulatory health.
These results suggest that dragon fruit may have potential for vascular health. However, the study scale was small and the follow-up period was short, so these results cannot yet be used to conclude that eating dragon fruit has the effect of preventing cardiovascular disease or treating blood lipid disorders.
Does eating dragon fruit help reduce cholesterol?
Dragon fruit contains fiber, while a plant-based diet rich in fiber can contribute to supporting blood cholesterol control.
Some studies have also recorded certain changes in metabolic or blood lipid indicators when using dragon fruit or products from this fruit. However, many studies are small-scale, have short follow-up periods, and use different product forms.
Therefore, there is currently insufficient evidence to confirm that eating dragon fruit alone can reduce blood cholesterol.
It is important not to view dragon fruit as a "cholesterol-lowering" food to replace an overall diet or prescribed medication.
Why is fiber related to cholesterol?
One of the reasons dragon fruit is of interest in a heart-healthy diet is its fiber content.
Certain types of fiber, especially soluble fiber, can contribute to reducing LDL cholesterol – the type often referred to as "bad" cholesterol. However, this impact depends on the total amount of fiber and the quality of the entire diet.
Therefore, if the goal is to support cholesterol control, one should not focus only on dragon fruit. Green vegetables, fruits, legumes, oats, and whole grains are also notable sources of fiber.
Along with increasing fiber-rich foods, sources of saturated fat such as fatty meats, poultry skin, butter, and some processed foods should be limited.
Such a balanced diet is more meaningful than just adding one type of fruit while still maintaining a diet high in saturated fats.
How to eat dragon fruit appropriately?
Dragon fruit can be used as part of your daily fruit intake. Priority should be given to eating fresh fruit instead of processing it into drinks with added sugar or dishes high in sugar.
Dragon fruit can be eaten as a snack or combined with unsweetened yogurt, oats, and nuts. This combination helps diversify meals and adds fiber, protein, or unsaturated fats depending on the ingredients.
However, one should not eat only one type of fruit. Diversifying vegetables and fruits helps provide many different groups of vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds.
For people with high cholesterol, dragon fruit should only be considered as one part of the diet. Cholesterol control usually requires a combination of proper nutrition, physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and using medication if prescribed by a doctor.
Dragon fruit should not be expected to replace treatment
Dragon fruit is a fruit with nutritional value and is suitable for a healthy diet. Initial studies show that this fruit has the potential to support some indicators related to vascular function.
However, evidence for the ability to directly improve cholesterol remains limited. Therefore, dragon fruit should be eaten as part of a diverse diet, rather than expecting it to treat high cholesterol or prevent cardiovascular disease.
If tests show increased cholesterol, patients should talk to their doctor to assess overall cardiovascular risk and choose appropriate control measures.