Is dragon fruit the fruit of a cactus? The truth explained once and for all

Cactus is a plant of the genus Opuntia in the family Cactaceae, also known as prickly pear, Guanyin palm, overlord, fire palm, etc. It is mainly distributed in the arid regions of the southern and southeastern coastal areas of the United States, the West Indies, Bermuda, northern South America, southern China and Southeast Asia and other tropical and subtropical regions. Now let us take a look at whether dragon fruit is the fruit of a cactus!

Is dragon fruit the fruit of a cactus?

Dragon fruit is not the fruit of a cactus. Dragon fruit is a perennial climbing succulent plant of the genus Hylocereus in the family Cactaceae. It contains plant albumin and anthocyanins, which are rare in ordinary plants, and is also rich in vitamins and water-soluble dietary fiber. It is named dragon fruit because its fleshy scales look like the outer scales of a dragon. The cactus, on the other hand, is a clustered succulent shrub of the genus Opuntia in the family Cactaceae, with very small fruits whose skin has hard spines. Dragon fruit and cactus are closely related and both belong to the family Cactaceae, so it is not strange at all that the dragon fruit plant looks like a cactus.

Does a cactus bear fruit?

The fruit of the cactus is called cactus fruit, the fruit of plants in the genus Opuntia. The flesh is rich in trace elements, protein, amino acids, vitamins, polysaccharides, flavonoids and pectin, etc. The ancient book "Dictionary of Traditional Chinese Medicine" records that cactus fruit has the effects of promoting the flow of qi and blood circulation, removing dampness and reducing heat, and promoting tissue regeneration, while Native Americans and Mexicans use cactus fruit as both food and medicine.

Can the fruit of a cactus be eaten?

The fruit of a cactus can be eaten. The taste of cactus fruit is rather refreshing and cool, but not every kind can be eaten. Everyone should check carefully whether it is an edible cactus and not eat it carelessly. Moreover, cactus fruit has great benefits. It can promote the expansion and regeneration of normal human fibroblasts, and it is of great significance to the healing of both internal and epidermal wounds. The fruit extract has the miraculous effects of accelerating wound healing, making the skin soft and delicate, preventing dry skin and reducing wrinkles, because cactus fruit is rich in antioxidants, riboflavin and thiamine (vitamin B1), making it an excellent nutrient for moisturizing and caring for the skin. It is an indispensable plant.