CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY: The fruit that is legendary in Ilocos
Norte because of its nutritional benefits is finally noticed here.
Once considered a fruit for royals, the Dragon fruit
is now available to mediocre Pinoys as an alternative to apples.
“Ang dragon fruit mao ang sagad halinon sa
kamerkadohan sa dakbayan ug halinon sa merkado panahon sa pasko,” reports
DxRU-Radio Ultra.
“Bag-uhay pa lamang nadiskubrehan ang maong lagutmon
nga nagsumikad sa Ozamiz City diin sagad nga gibaligya sa daplin sa kadalanan
ilabina kon paingon ka sa Bukidnon,” Radio Ultra added in its report.
Pitihaya (Strawberry Pear) or Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus
undatus) is actually the fruit of a large cactus plant that is believed to be
native to Central America. The oval fruit is usually six inches long and comes
in pink or golden-yellow hues.
The pulp is a juicy, like a white version of kiwi
fruit, with hundreds of little black seeds scattered throughout the pulp. According
to cultivators, it has a shelf life of 40 days.
It is a typical fare as a preserve food in fruit
platters in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Australia. In the
country, dragon fruits are available from May to November in a year.
Available at P100 to P150 per kilo, dragon fruits
are said to prevent cancer cell formation and hypertension. (MICHAEL MEDINA)