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The abundance of Pitayas or dragon fruits in Mauritius

The demand for seasonal fruit consumption diminished with the closure of the borders to tourism. The gardens of Mauritius soon found themselves with a surplus of fruits, some of which were formerly considered as rare or uncommon. One of these is the Pitaya, hitherto somewhat unknown, but so full of benefits.

The pitaya is the fruit of a climbing cactus often winding on a pole or clung to a tree. Its flowers called ‘beauty of night’, with a diameter of 30 centimeters and smelling of vanilla are ephemeral, bloom overnight and usually wilt by the evening. Five kinds of fruits are marketed. On stalls, they attract by their shape and color. From bright red or vermilion, you really have to cut it to see the beauty of its luscious flesh, filled with small black seeds somewhat laxative.

Rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, this low-calorie fruit is an antioxidant and helps reduce uric acid levels in the blood and prevents gout. In this era of global warming, pitaya is certainly a fruit of the future because it has the advantage of requiring five to ten times less water than any other fruit crop.

Thanks to Mother Nature for all this abundance… Thank you for allowing us to consume the dragon fruit, so delicious in its natural state. Really refreshing in summer… I won’t mind having one of the Pitaya sorbets, a delight for the taste buds and our eyes!

Lza M Natur

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