When Edita Aguinaldo-Dacuycuy, first held a dragon fruit, it was for a cure of her daughter Kate, who is afflicted with cerebral palsy.
Never did she imagine that the scaly bright pink fruit that reminded some of a dragon would also bring her fortune and honor.
Last May 23, the 66-year-old mother of four was in Malacanang to receive her presidential award as this year's most outstanding high-value commercial crop farmer. The award came with P100,000 prize.
"We only thought of the benefit of the dragon fruit, which we have proven effective to our daughter Kate," said the former manager of an insurance company and a graduate of Psychology at the University of the Philippines in Dalian, Quezon City
Dacuycuy said her first dragon fruit came from a friend who came from Macau who has heard of the fruit as good for those suffering from frequent constipation problem, common among cerebral palsy patients.
After seeing the dragon fruit doing wonders for Kate's bowel movement problems, the Dacuycuy family planted the vine orchid cactus in their backyard in Poblacion 2, Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte about six years ago.
She recalled that when asked by neighbors what they were doing, they never told them they were planting dragon fruit.
"We were not sure then if what we were planting would really bear fruit," Dacuycuy said. "Others may laugh at us once they know that what we were doing is simply a trial and error."
The internet served as Dacuycuy's main library. She learned that the exotic dragon fruit is rich in fiber that helps in the elimination of wastes. It contains high levels of vitamin C, calcium and phosphorous, including other nutritional benefits such as high levels of antioxidants that can help prevent cancer, high blood pressure, rheumatism and urinary tract infection.
By Leilanie Adriano/ for yahoo.ph
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