HEALTH:Dragon fruit named `hot new superfood for 2013`

London: If you`re bored of blueberries and have had enough of splashing the cash on goji berries, the pitaya could be the super fruit for you for it has been hailed as having remarkable health-giving properties, including the ability to regulate blood sugar levels in diabetes as well as providing a dose of anti-oxidants.

While it might look innocuous, the pitaya is harvested from a South American cactus and has the spines to prove it, the Daily Mail reported.

Although the fruit originates in South America, it is now grown in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Philippines, where it`s loved for its many health benefits.

Said to be rich in vitamin C, fibre and calcium, the pitaya - or dragon fruit as it`s also known - gives you a bigger bang for your buck than similar super fruits such as acai berries.

Already available in Waitrose and Tesco, the bright pink fruit is full of edible black seeds and boasts flesh that tastes like a cross between a kiwi fruit and a pear.

Along with a mega-dose of vitamin C, pitaya is also thought to help lower cholesterol and is packed with skin-boosting antioxidants.
The tiny black seeds are a great source of healthy Omega-3 fat and there`s plenty of magnesium and calcium in the flesh.

Pitaya is even believed to help regulate blood sugar levels.