Liver is one of the major organs and exocrine glands in the human body which works and helps in many ways to keep a person healthy. Its health can be affected by various factors, hence it is important to maintain liver health to live a long and healthy life. This article will explore how dragon fruit helps in detoxifying liver and its other advantages.
Liver overview
The liver is an organ in the human body which is responsible for many important functions that help support metabolism, immunity, digestion, detoxification, and vitamin storage among other functions. It weighs about 1.5 kg in a healthy adult. The liver has dual blood supply from the portal vein (approximately 75%) and the hepatic artery (approximately 25%) which makes it an exclusively important part of the body.1
Role of diet in liver health and causes of liver damage
We eat different types of food, drink thousands of litres of various beverages, take various medicines, syrups, and antibiotics, among them extremely harmful–and all this passes through the liver. Its health is affected by poor life habits.
It will react if we don’t consume nutritious food, if we eat while walking, if we stuff in large amounts of fatty foods like chips, doughnuts puff pastries and drink an uncontrolled amount of alcohol. Overeating and excessive daily food eating habits are one of the main causes of lower liver function.
Overconsumption of food and drink makes the liver “work overtime”, and an exhausted liver is not as effective in detoxifying harmful substances as when this organ is relieved.2
How to keep liver healthy
- Limit excess alcohol intake
- Balanced intake of nutrients
- Avoid touching or inhaling harmful toxins
- Stay fit and exercise daily
- Prevent viral hepatitis
- Check on the medicines that you take9
Dragon fruit overview
Introduction to dragon fruit
Dragon fruit is an exotic fruit, becoming popular in the agriculture sector, and among the general public, because of its amazing colour, shape, size, and flesh.6 Dragon fruit is tropical and is widely cultivated in Vietnam. It is also known as pitahaya in Mexico or pitaya roja in Central America and northern South America. The French introduced the fruit into Vietnam over a hundred years ago. In 2013, it was announced that Vietnam is the world’s largest exporter of dragon fruit.3
Hylocereus undatus (White flesh dragon fruit) and Hylocereus polyrhizus (Red flesh dragon fruit), are highly popular and commercialized species cultivated in different parts of the world.6
Dragon fruit nutritional value
Dragon fruit can be used for promoting good health due to its various antioxidants. It also contains many vitamins and minerals which are required for a healthy body. Dragon fruit has the following nutritional value in a 100 grams (g) serving.
Calories-60, Protein-1.18 g, Fat-0g, Carbohydrate-12.94g, Dietary fiber-2.9g, Sugars (total): 7.65 g, Calcium-18 milligrams (mg), Iron-0.74 g, Sodium-0 mg, Vitamin C-2.5 mg, Cholesterol-0 mg.
The nutrients present in dragon fruit are:
It also contains smaller amounts of calcium and copper, which the body requires for good health. Additionally, the fruit is filled with antioxidants. These are compounds that counterbalance free radicals in the body. Free radicals are molecules in the body that can bring about cell damage and lead to cancer. The betacyanins and betaxanthins present in dragon fruit can stop free radicals from causing future damage.4
Antioxidant, detoxifying, bioactive compounds of dragon Fruit
Antioxidant activity
Dragon Fruit is low in calories, high in nutrients, water content, sugars, minerals, and antioxidants. It is also rich in betalains which have become popular because of their antioxidant, detoxifying and natural food colourant properties. Additionally, its seed oil holds a high value as a source of natural antioxidants. Dragon Fruit contains plenty of phytoalbumins known for their antioxidant action.
Moreover, the pulp and peel also contain an abundance of polyphenols. The study has proven peel contains more flavonoids (bioactive compounds) than the flesh. The pulp of dragon fruit (Pitaya) can be added to daily food like curd to increase the antioxidant activity.5
Bioactive compounds in dragon fruit
Bioactive compounds present in Dragon Fruit have beneficial effects on high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. The following table shows the comparison of bioactive compounds found in red flesh dragon fruit and peel.6
| Bioactive compounds | Dragon Fruit flesh | Dragon Fruit peel |
| Total phenolic content (mg GAE/100 g) | 42.4 | 39.7 |
| Total flavonoid content (mg CE/100 g) | 7.21 | 8.33 |
| Betacyanins (mg BE/100 g) | 10.3 | 13.8 |
| Antioxidant activity | ||
| DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity (µmol VCE/g) | 22.4 | 118 |
| ABTS (2,2’-azino-bis [3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid]) radical scavenging activity (µmol TEAC/g) | 28.3 | 175 |
Dragon fruit for liver detoxification and liver health
Betacyanins showed great results against obesity which lower the weight of the body by reducing the weight of the kidney, heart, and liver. Consumption of high fat-containing food in the diet, fat gets stored abnormally in blood, cells, or organs leading to fatty liver disease. This problem can be cured by the effect of betacyanins.
Methanol extract from dragon fruit acts as a detoxifying agent and greatly works against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) (which is responsible for forming toxicity in the liver that damages the liver) and protects the liver from injuries. Also, the use of Red Flesh Dragon Fruit extract is comparable to silymarin used for the cure of liver diseases.
Dragon Fruit increases the protein hormone, that is, adiponectin serum level which helps to enhance the excess level of glucose in the blood and immensely works against type 2 diabetes and also improves the oxidation of fatty tissues.
The antioxidants from the peel of Dragon Fruit showed reduced growth of cancer cells, that is, B16F10 melanoma hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) as compared to the flesh. Also, it showed a hypocholesterolemic effect on lipids and reduces the altered amount of lipids found in the blood that is, it helps to lower the total cholesterol concentration, low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides with the increment in the level of high-density lipoproteins which improves the lipid present in the blood.6
How to incorporate dragon fruit into our diet?
Dragon fruit recipes
One can incorporate dragon fruit into their diet with various dragon fruit recipes. Following are the 5 different dragon fruit recipes.
1. Dragon fruit banana smoothie - Dragon fruit, banana, and almond milk, one can also add strawberries and two tablespoons of chia seeds. This smoothie is delicious and vibrant purple.
2. Dragon fruit Salad - Dragon fruit salad can be eaten occasionally. It can be made with just a mixture of berries, kiwi, and dragon fruit flesh.
3. Dragon fruit yoghurt parfait - This is a good vegan-friendly breakfast for both kids and adults. Dragon fruit, banana, honey, yoghurt, blueberries, and granola are mixed in this recipe. It has a lot of vitamins and nutrients, and also it is very tasty to eat.
4. Dragon fruit mojito - It is made with light rum, lime juice, diced dragon fruit, simple syrup, soda water, and mint sprigs. It looks exclusive with red-flesh dragon fruit instead of a white one.
5. Dragon fruit lemonade - It requires only a few ingredients: dragon fruit, water, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and agave nectar.7
Allergies and side effects
As we know now, dragon fruit has different advantages in liver health but it might cause allergic reactions such as swollen lips and tongue, itchy throat, burning feeling in the throat, and so on. Because of high dietary fibre consumption, it has certain side effects and can cause health issues such as poor nutrients absorption by the intestines, intestinal gas, intestinal obstruction, stomach discomfort, and flatulence. It can also lead to hypotension.8
FAQs
What is liver detoxification?
It is a natural process in which the liver removes toxins and harmful substances from the body.
Can dragon fruit help with liver detoxification?
Dragon fruit is rich in antioxidants and nutrients. Different studies have proven that its antioxidant content supports overall liver health and leads to the detoxification process.
Can detoxification cure liver diseases?
No. liver diseases can not be cured by liver detoxification. It can only support its good and well-being.
Summary
The liver is responsible for detoxifying the body in various ways. Dragon fruit is rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C, which can help neutralize free radicals in the body. The antioxidant properties of dragon fruit may support the liver in its detoxification. You can incorporate dragon fruit into your diet by eating it fresh, adding it to smoothies, or adding it to fruit salads. Dragon fruit is not an option for medical treatment in cases of liver diseases.
Proper diagnosis and treatment for liver conditions should be sought from a healthcare provider. While dragon fruit is a delicious and nutritious addition to your daily diet, it should be part of an overall healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and regular exercise for supporting liver health and detoxification.
References
- Kalra A, Yetiskul E, Wehrle CJ, Tuma F. Physiology, liver. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 [cited 2023 Nov 3]. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535438/
- Hajdarevic B, Vehabovic I, Catic T, Masic I. The role of diet therapy in the treatment of liver disease. Mater Sociomed [Internet]. 2020 Sep [cited 2023 Nov 3];32(3):200–6. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7780776/
- Dragon fruit [Internet]. [cited 2023 Nov 6]. Available from: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=7988768d-891b-4bde-bf2e-deceb4be6e9f#:~:text=The%20dragon%20fruit%20has%20a,skinned%20varieties%20and%20prominent%20scales.&text=The%20fruit%20is%20oval%2C%20elliptical,or%20sometimes%20slightly%20sourish%20taste.&text=The%20flesh%20is%20either%20white,black%20seeds%20dotted%20all%20over.
- Dragon fruit benefits backed by science [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2023 Nov 5]. Available from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324655
- Safira A, Savitri SL, Putri ARB, Hamonangan JM, Safinda B, Solikhah TI, et al. Review on the pharmacological and health aspects of Hylocereus or Pitaya: An update. Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics [Internet]. 2021 Nov 15 [cited 2023 Nov 6];11(6):297–303. Available from: https://jddtonline.info/index.php/jddt/article/view/5181
- Tarte I, Singh A, Dar AH, Sharma A, Altaf A, Sharma P. Unfolding the potential of dragon fruit (hylocereus spp .) for value addition: A review. eFood [Internet]. 2023 Apr [cited 2023 Nov 6];4(2):e76. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/efd2.76
- Insanely Good Recipes [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2023 Nov 7]. 20 best dragon fruit recipes. Available from: https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/dragon-fruit-recipes/
- Beware of these side effects of dragon fruit [Internet]. [cited 2023 Nov 7]. Available from: https://krishijagran.com/health-lifestyle/beware-of-these-side-effects-of-dragon-fruit/
- CARE Hospitals [Internet]. [cited 2023 Nov 7]. Natural remedies to improve liver function | ways to boost liver function. Available from: https://www.carehospitals.com/blog-detail/natural-remedies-to-improve-liver-function/
