What Is Yellow Dragon Fruit & Does It Help You Poop?
You may be surprised by TikTok's newest food trend. It isn't a transformative recipe like corn "ribs" or scrambled oats, and it isn't a mind-blowing oven-cleaning hack. It's actually promoting a fruit you may not be used to adding to your cart at the grocery store.
Dragon fruit, specifically yellow dragon fruit, is becoming all the rage on the app. TikTok creators are sprinting to the store to try this fruit and sharing with their followers that they've been sitting on the toilet for hours, claiming that yellow dragon fruit gave their body an "inner cleanse." With over 12 million views and tens of thousands of comments, it's safe to say that many are intrigued by the yellow dragon fruit trend.
But what exactly is a yellow dragon fruit, and is it healthy? And will yellow dragon fruit help you poop? Read on to learn everything you need to know about the unique fruit.
Related: The Best Fruit for Your Gut Health, According to a Gastroenterologist
What Is Yellow Dragon Fruit?
Yellow dragon fruit is actually part of the cactus family. Native to northern South America, the fruit is different in color than the red dragon fruit, but it doesn't have any nutritional differences when compared to the more common variety. Both yellow dragon fruit and red dragon fruit are antioxidant-rich and packed with nutrients like calcium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C.
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They are also both high in fiber: 6 ounces of both fruits contain 5 grams of fiber. This is 18% of your daily fiber needs, making them a great source of fiber that can help relieve constipation. So yes, TikTok is right: dragon fruit can help you poop. But there are some things to keep in mind before you run to your Trader Joe's produce section.
The growing dragon fruit trend is getting touted as the best new "detox" for your body. At EatingWell, we want to make it clear that you do not need a detox to help you poop, flush out toxins or for other nutritional reasons. By following a healthy eating pattern and lifestyle habits, you can help support your body's natural detoxification processes (i.e., your kidneys and liver) and digestive system. Plus, going to the bathroom for extended periods of time is a cause for concern and may lead to dehydration, nausea, stomach discomfort and more (and it doesn't sound too pleasant to us).
Related: What Happens to Your Body When You Do a Detox Diet
The Bottom Line
If you're looking for a fiber-rich fruit that can help keep your digestive tract in check, dragon fruit—yellow or red—can be a good option. You can eat it as is, or you can enjoy your sweet dragon fruit in smoothies, nice cream or in this Coconut-Cream Fruit Salad. That said, it's not necessary to "detox" your body or to spend hours on end in the bathroom. Be sure to talk to your doctor about any symptoms you're having or before trying something new.
