Do you love pitaya bowls and always wanted to make one yourself? Then, this is the episode for you!
Ingredients:
2 bananas
1 dragonfruit
1 cup of granola
1 cup of coconut, rice or almond milk
1 cup of frozen strawberries
Instructions:
Cut dragonfruit in half. Then scoop out the inside into blender. (I have a vitamix). Add one cup of strawberries (frozen preferably). Add 1 banana. Then add 1 cup of rice, almond, or coconut milk. I use coconut milk,but if you do not want to consume saturated fat, you can use almond or rice milk. (Please refer to previous “easy acai bowl” episode for more information. Blend on high power. Then pour into bowl. You can make it in the breakfast criminal heart bowl (which I bought on amazon) for your loved ones! Then decorate it with whatever fruits you want and granola. In this episode, I use one banana (sliced) and granola to make it easy. Other suggestions are: chia seeds, shredded coconut, kiwi, fresh strawberries…
Nutrition Information:
Dragonfruit:
100g serving of dragonfruit has only 60 calories: 18 calories from fat (all unsaturated), 8 calories from protein and 34 calories from carbohydrates. (2) Dragon fruit has lots of dietary fiber with almost 1g of fiber per 100g of the fresh dragon fruit. (1)
Dragon fruit is a good natural source of anti-oxidants which help to prevent the dangers of free radicals which can cause cancer and other undesirable health detriments. Dragonfruit is rich in Vitamin C.(1) Vitamin C strengthens the immune system and helps fight against respiratory disorders. It is good for treating acne. Take a quarter of dragon fruit and make a smooth paste out of it, apply it on affected area. Rinse off with water once it gets dry. Apply twice daily. Dragon fruit juice also works well on color treated hair. Apply some dragon fruit juice on your scalp. Wait 15-20 minutes. Wash your hair with shampoo.(1)
Dragonfruits do not contain cholesterol, unhealthy saturated fat and trans fat. The seeds of dragonfruits are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) that reduce triglycerides and lower cardiovascular disease risk. 50% of the seeds were made up of an essential fatty acid, oleic acid, that helps lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol.(1)
*Ingestion of significant amounts of red-fleshed dragon fruit may result in a reddish coloration of the urine and feces.(1)
Strawberries:
There are many benefits of consuming strawberries. Anthocyanins, a class of flavonoids found in berries, reduces the risk of heart attack and strokes. Quercetin, a flavinoid in strawberries is a natural anti-inflammatory that appears to reduce the risk of clogged arteries and protect against the damage caused by low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Quercetin, in strawberries, may help to improve allergy symptoms, such as runny nose, watery eyes and hives.(3)
The high polyphenol content may also decrease the risk of heart disease by preventing platelet build-up and reducing blood pressure. Other studies have shown eating strawberries helps to lower homocysteine levels, an amino acid associated with damaging arterial lining. (3)
Strawberries are high in potassium, recommended to those with high blood pressure to help counter the effects of sodium in the body. Apparently, low potassium is as much of a risk factor in developing high blood pressure as a high sodium. Fewer than 2% of US adults meet the daily 4700 mg recommendation for potassium.(3)
Strawberries, like other fruits, contain antioxidants that work against free radicals which cause cancer. Like other fruits strawberry is also high in water content and fiber which helps prevent constipation. Strawberries are a wonderful food for diabetics since they have a low glycemic index and are high in fiber, which helps to regulate blood sugar. Eating strawberries can help reduce diabetic complications, like kidney disease and neuropathy.(3)
Strawberries also contain folate which is essential for pregnant women to prevent neural tube defects in their offspring. It may also help with depression by preventing an excess of homocysteine from forming in the body, which can prevent blood and other nutrients from reaching the brain and interfere with the production of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which regulate mood, sleep and appetite.(3)
Bananas: Please see oatmeal raisin bites blog entry for nutritional information on bananas.
Granola: Please see previous post “easy acai bowl” for information on granola
Coconut: Please see previous post “easy acai bowl for information on granola
References:
(1) Nayyar, Namita. “Queen of the night is a super fruit.” Women Fitness. 27 February 2014. Women fitness.net. Web. Accessed 2015 December 16. <http://www.womenfitness.net/dragonFruit_queen.htm>.
(2)”Dragonfruit.” Naturalfoodbenefits.com. Web. Accessed 2015 December 16. <http://www.naturalfoodbenefits.com/display.asp?CAT=1&ID=41>.
(3)Ware, Megan. “Strawberries: Health Benefits, Nutritional Breakdown.” MNT. Medical News Lexicon, International. 28 September 2015. Web. Accessed 2015 December 16. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271285.php>.