Red Dragonfruit Delivery or Pickup

Take your fruit bowl to the next level with vivid, striking red dragon fruit. This beautiful tropical fruit in the cactus family boasts bright magenta flesh and spines tipped with yellow and green. This unique fruit isn't simply looks, though. Red dragon fruit also packs plenty of nutrients — and it's easier to eat than you might think the first time you see it.

You can find red dragon fruit sold whole as well as products prepared in pre-cut chunks. You may also find red dragon fruit products sold using the delicious fruit's other names, including:

Though dragon fruit may seem exotic if you've never tried it before, it actually tastes a lot like other fruits. You might find that dragon fruit tastes like a slightly sweet combination of a pear and a kiwi.

The fruit is native to Central America, South America, and Mexico, though today it is grown worldwide. In fact, dragon fruit is very popular in Asian countries like Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Dragon fruit does have a season. It typically begins to flower in the early summer months and then stays in season, bearing fruit for around five months into the middle of the fall.

The two most common kinds of dragon fruit have vibrant red skin and green scales, making the fruit look like a dragon. You'll find a variety with white pulp and black seeds most widely available. There's also a less common type that has red pulp, along with black seeds. (Yellow dragon fruit is another variety of dragon fruit altogether. This type of dragon fruit has yellow skin, white pulp, and black seeds.)

Dragon fruit is considered a nutrient-dense fruit, thanks to its very low-calorie content and high amount of nutrients like fiber and magnesium. The fruit also contains several antioxidants like betalains, flavonoids, and hydroxycinnamates, protecting cells from damage.

A ripe red dragon fruit will have skin that is bright red and evenly colored. Give it a little squeeze — red dragon fruit will give slightly when ripe.

A red dragon fruit with many brown blotches or a dry and shriveled stem may be overripe. On the other hand, if you have a very firm fruit, you'll want to let the dragon fruit ripen for a few days until you get that telltale give to the flesh.

Though the scale-like skin may seem intimidating if you've never tried dragon fruit, the fruit is actually quite easy to cut. You just slice it in half using a sharp knife. Cut straight through the fruit and crack it open. Pay attention while you cut, as dragon fruit can stain your fingers.

While you can peel the skin off, your best bet is to remove the flesh by scooping it out with a spoon. You can eat the fruit right out of the skin that way, or you can slice the pulp into small pieces to serve. Make sure you remove all remnants of dragon fruit's skin from its inner fruit. You should not eat the skin of dragon fruit.