🐉 Dragon Fruit Delight: The Surprising Benefits of Pitaya for your Skin + Gut

Are you tired of eating your boring old bananas and fruits? Well, then say hello to pitaya, also known as dragon fruit! This spiky pink fruit is not only visually stunning; it is also packed with amazing health benefits that can do wonders for your skin and gut.

Dragon fruit benefits the skin

Let’s start with the benefits to our skin. Dragon fruit is the perfect fruit to combat ‘dragon skin’. Pitaya is loaded with vitamins such as vitamin C, which helps to promote healthy skin and wound healing. Because pitaya is rich in antioxidants such as betalains and flavonoids, it can which help to protect cells from free radical damage, reduce inflammation, and slow down the signs of aging. Say goodbye to fine lines and wrinkles and hello to youthful and glowing skin! Not to mention, the fruit’s high water content helps to hydrate your skin from the inside out. Yes, please!

Pitaya is a gut superhero!

Its high fiber content helps to promote digestion and prevent constipation – essentially, pitaya helps you poo! Plus, the fruit’s probiotic properties help to maintain a healthy gut flora, which can boost your immune system and improve your overall well-being.

Dragon fruit helps your heart and nervous system too

Pitaya is a good source of magnesium, an essential mineral that plays a role in heart health and nerve function. The iron contained in dragon fruit is responsible for red blood cell production and oxygen transport in the body. It also contains potassium, which is an essential electrolyte that helps regulate blood pressure and fluid balance along with calcium which aids in muscle and nerve function.

Now that you know what pitaya can do you for your body, make sure you put this fabulous fruit on your grocery list!

How to eat dragon fruit + ways to incorporate it into your diet

Now, we know what you’re thinking. “How do I even eat this funky-looking fruit?” Well, fear not, friends, for there are countless ways to include pitaya into your culinary creations.

First up, smoothies! Simply blend pitaya with some fruit, non-dairy milk of your choice, nuts or protein powder. Here’s the 🦄 Pink Unicorn Smoothie ✨ to try

A variation of this would be a pitaya smoothie bowl which you could top off with your favorite granola, such as DIY Hippie Granola, and fresh fruit. Voila! A nutritious, Instagram-worthy breakfast.

But wait, there’s more! You can also slice up pitaya and add it to your fruit salad, mix it with some coconut water (or a margarita) for a refreshing summer beverage, make it into salsa, or even grill it for a unique and flavorful taco ingredient.

The possibilities are endless with pitaya, so get creative and enjoy this versatile and nutritious fruit in any way you like!

There you have it, folks. Pitaya, the superfruit that not only looks good but tastes delicious and also benefits your skin, gut, and heart. So go ahead, give it a try, and thank us later!

Serving vs. Portion Size

Dark chocolate coconut ice cream with banana chips, gluten-free mini cookies, and dark chocolate pieces. Truly decadent.

Do you know how much you’re really eating? It can be difficult to tell if our portion sizes are right for our bodies’ nutritional needs.

Portion sizes have grown quite drastically in recent decades and, with it, people’s waistlines and confusion about how much they are eating versus what they should. Let’s get back to the basics. Even with healthy food, eating too much can add inches to our waistlines and counteract progress to our goals.

What is a serving size and how do I find it?

The serving size is the amount of food listed on a product’s nutrition facts label, along with the nutritional values (calories, protein, fiber, sugar, carbohydrates, etc) associated with that amount of food. So let’s say you are drinking a 20oz soda and the serving size is 8oz; there are 2.5 servings in the bottle. If you drink that whole bottle, you’ll need to multiply 2.5 with all of the calories, sugar, carbohydrates and more listed in the nutrition facts label. It’s sobering.

For foods without a nutrition facts label, how will you know what a serving size is? Luckily WebMD has a handy-dandy handout with some common household items as a reference point for servings of various fruits, vegetables, grains, and more.

Okay, but how many servings of each food should I eat?

Here’s a guide from the American Heart Association with suggested serving sizes from each food group to get started. Remember, your needs and chosen food groups may be different from what is listed. It’s a guide; reach out to your nutrition professional to set up an individualized plan (especially if there are certain food groups you’re avoiding due to food allergies or sensitivities or dietary preferences, such as being gluten-free or vegetarian/vegan).

Whaaaa? It’s says here my ice cream servings is 1/2 cup. That’s totally too small!

First, as fellow ice cream lovers, we agree with you. This part of your exploration may shock you. Check out serving sizes for cheese, nuts, and oils for further surprises.

What’s the difference between serving and portion sizes then?

A portion size is the amount of food we choose to eat at one time and this means we can control our portion sizes. We can choose to eat less than a serving of food or multiples of it.

So as discussed before, the serving size of ice cream is 1/2 cup; however, the portion size can vary…it is the amount of food you choose to eat in one sitting. So, for ice cream, you/me/we may choose to eat closer to 1 cup of this decadent dessert. In this case we’ve all screamed for more ice cream and promptly devoured 1 portion but 2 servings total.

What I do now?

How far do you want to take this? It can be helpful to use measuring cups to actually see what 1/2 cup of ice cream or 2 Tbsp of nuts looks like. Counting out a serving size of pretzels or chips can be eye-opening as well.

You can also stick with a guideline of 1/2 your plate being vegetables, 1/4 of it being protein, and 1/4 of it being starch (try for whole grains or healthier starchy vegetable such as sweet potato versus macaroni and cheese or pasta).

Consider tracking your serving sizes and portion sizes for a few days; you can write the food you eat and the amount down in a food journal or use an app such as MyFitnessPal. Increased awareness may jump-start a few small changes in how much you eat and can help with weight loss.

 

 

 

Recipe: Spiced Vanilla Chia Pudding

Oh boy – this is a filling, satisfying treat without tons of calories. What’s more, it’s made with a variety of items that may be found in your pantry or fridge. Get your sweet tooth filled without tons of sugar and experience the health benefits of fiber, omega-3s, blood sugar stabilization, and CHOCOLATE.

Ingredients
2 cups homemade almond milk
6 tablespoons chia seeds
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 heaping tablespoons whole cacao beans or 1/4 cup cacao powder for a smoother finish
1/4 cup fruit (i.e. raspberry, strawberry, and kiwi work well)

Instructions
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Refrigerate overnight, or until set. Garnish with cinnamon, fruit, cacao beans, and a drizzle of honey if desired.

Deconstructing Cravings

Cravings… everyone has them, but you don’t have to indulge in them! Your body naturally craves things that you are lacking nutritionally. For example, if you are craving something salty, you may need more sodium. Since sodium is essential to several pathways in our body, we need this nutrient but too much becomes harmful. You can get this nutrient in healthy ways instead of over indulging in unhealthy sources.

Your body is very efficient and intelligent always trying to maintain balance. When you consume artificial foods, caffeine, alcohol or drugs, your body’s balance is thrown off. For this reason, the body creates cravings to get what it is not getting, These things trick the body often causing more cravings.

So what can you do when you feel an intense craving coming on?

• Try drinking a glass of water and then see if you are still craving it. Are you truly craving something or just bored?
• Try eating healthier versions of your craving
• Craving sweets? Eat fruit or root vegetables

Think about why you are having the craving. Are you bored or yearning for something in your life? Did something happen that affected you emotionally?
If you go through all of these and decide you want to indulge in your craving, truly savor it. Enjoy what you are eating, taste every bite, and be conscious of how it affects your body.

“Nobody can give you wiser advice than yourself”

-Cicero

Recipe: Fruit Nut Smoothie

Ingredients

1 cup strawberries (quartered)
1 bananas (sliced)
1/4 cup raw almond
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt or 1.5 cups almond milk
1 tsp maple syrup

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender.

Blend until creamy/smooth

Enjoy!

 

Food Focus: Fruit

Fruit is a great snack and very accessible on the go. Fruit is filled with antioxidants and fiber. It is packed with nutrients and will help keep you full with its fiber.  As mentioned above, snacking can be tricky if you snack on the wrong kinds of food. Fruit is one of the best snacks you can choose. There are several different types of food all with different nutritional benefits.

• Citrus fruit is great to add to infuse in water to add some flavor
• Berries are rich in antioxidants and are great to incorporate into smoothies
• Tropical fruits like pineapple and mango promote natural detoxification
• Bananas are full of potassium and can be a great snack with some nuts or nut butter

Fruit is full of nutrients but is also sweet. It is a good thing to turn to when you are having a craving for something sweet. Because fruit contains fiber, it will satisfy your sweet tooth and keep you from wanting more unlike a sugary candy bar. A great snack to turn to when you are hungry and want to indulge in your sweet tooth is a fruit smoothie. You can find a great fruit nut smoothie on the next page.