My love affair with dragon fruit

I absolutely love eating red dragon fruit for breakfast. The rich colour and the subtle sweetness make me happy. My body knows it's good for me, and I craved it daily for several months.

Dragon fruit is rich in polyphenols like flavonols, flavones, and phenolic acids. Polyphenols are powerhouses for our bodies; they are potent antioxidants, anti-cancer, anti-aging, anti-atherosclerosis, anti-inflammatory, and offer cardiovascular protection. Polyphenols also have a special relationship with our gut microbiome and act as prebiotics to increase the beneficial bacteria and lessen harmful bacteria. It's a two-way street though; our helpful gut bacteria are also responsible for breaking down the polyphenols in order to make them more bioavailable for us.

We now know that a healthy gut microbiome is essential for overall health and affects our entire body and mind organism. Everything from our immune system to our mental health depends on a healthy microbiome. Just before I began eating dragon fruit daily, I had to take a course of antibiotics due to a persistent amoeba infection I picked up while traveling. Antibiotics strip the gut microbiome, and it can take months to recover, even with the right support. I immediately felt the effects of the antibiotics on my overall health and a rise in anxiety. After a month of eating dragon fruit daily, my symptoms subsided as the polyphenols did their work. Now, after several months, I still eat dragon fruit at least once a week, but my daily craving has lessened now that my microbiome has rebalanced.

Sometimes the best medicines are not found in pharmacies or expensive supplements, but by listening to our bodies and eating the right foods at the right time.

gluten free dragon fruit muffins