Pitahaya: cultivation, nutritional value and benefits

About five years ago entrepreneurs They started growing in Panama dragon fruit or Dradon fruit as a product with commercial export potential, although the fruit was introduced into the country about 25 years ago by a Taiwanese mission with the same objective, but the project was not continued.

Dragon fruit has gained popularity among Panamanians, it has a great taste Nutritional value and there are many Properties which are useful for health.

Pitahaya is a rich fruit fiber, vitamins and minerals (such as vitamin C, zinc, potassium, phosphorus and others), has antioxidantslike betacyanin, it also has anticancer properties, that is, it helps eliminate free radicals, explained nutritionist Mayli Hernández.

Hernández, who specializes in conscious eating and the psychology of eating, assures that fruits in general are foods rich in fiber and pitahaya is no exception, therefore, increases satietyreduces gastric emptying and slows down the absorption of nutrients, enhances intestinal flora and for diabetics it plays an important role because it helps control glycemia.

At the cardiovascular level, due to the high fiber content, it affects blood level control. blood pressure and antioxidants strengthen the protection of the immune system.

As for its consumption, you can eat dragon fruit in its natural state to take advantage of all its properties, or in smoothies and juices, but you have to be careful with the amount of sugar you add.

“(…) dragon fruit It is a very versatile fruit and it is borrowed for consumption in smoothies, jellies, chips dehydrated, yogurt, freeze, among others. It is also a fruit used in the pharmaceutical and alcoholic beverage industries,” commented Virgilio R. Milord Franceschi, owner and general manager of Pitavera, the project crop of this fruit in Río de Jesús, Veraguas.

Milord Franceschi mentioned that there are about 40 varieties of pitahaya in the country, of which four are commercially planted and 35 are grown in Pitavera to identify the best performanceadaptation to agroclimatic conditions areas and select those that will be planted in the second phase of the project.

The production season begins in April with the appearance flower buds (they become a flower and then a fruit) and mostly ends at the end of October, in some cases it can be extended until November. It is desirable, observed Milord Franceschi, to establish the crop in April or May in order to take advantage of the early Rainy season.

The crop develops better on rich soils organic materialsandy loam or clay loam, with a neutral pH and about 2000 mm of precipitation per year.

“In general, the preferred climate for pitahaya is Antillean tropical climate, like ours. In our area (The river of JesusVeraguas) developed well and the performance was quite good, above expectations,” said the owner of Pitavera.