Nutrition facts
Benefits
What is cactus nopal good for?
Prickly pear cactus — or also known as nopal, opuntia and other names — is promoted for treating diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity and hangovers. It's also touted for its antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties.
Can you eat raw nopal cactus?
Nopales are also edible when raw. When a person dices them, they resemble a green pepper. Additionally, people can turn them into juice, jams, or tea. Individuals can also eat prickly pear fruit, which is the small, rounded, and often colorful part of the nopal plant.
Do nopales make you poop?
Nopal is a type of cactus and therefore contain a lot of dietary fiber essential in the digestive process. The fiber found in nopal can reduce constipation and diarrhea by allowing bowel movements to pass through the digestive tract easier.
What does nopal cactus taste like?
What's it taste like? Nopales have a moist crunchy texture with with a slightly slimy texture similar to okra. In terms of flavour, they are tart, with a slightly citrusy taste.
What happens if you eat too much cactus?
Downsides. Prickly pear is safe to consume when properly prepared, but it may have some downsides. If you eat too much prickly pear, you may experience side effects related to excessive fiber consumption. These include diarrhea, indigestion, bloating, or nausea.
Is prickly pear and nopal cactus the same?
Nopal (from the Nahuatl word nohpalli [noʔˈpalːi] for the pads of the plant) is a common name in Spanish for Opuntia cacti (commonly referred to in English as prickly pear), as well as for its pads.
Is nopal good for weight loss?
The nopales are a low calorie vegetable, and you can eat 100 grams of nopales for only 16 calories, making them a great addition to your low calorie diet. These succulent vegetables are a great source of dietary fiber, particularly non-carbohydrate polysaccharides, including hemicellulose, mucilage, and pectin.
How do you get the slime out of nopales?
Preheat an oven to 375°F. Dice your nopales and toss with a little salt, as much as you'd want just to season them (so a lot less than when you prep them raw). Arrange in one layer on a baking sheet and bake about 20 to 30 minutes. The slime will ooze out and dry up.
Is cactus good for high blood pressure?
A study found that eating cactus can reduce body fat, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Incorporating cactus fruits into your diet can help reduce the risk of diseases like stroke, coronary heart disease, and peripheral vascular diseases.
How long do I cook nopales?
Put a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil, adding a hefty pinch of salt and couple smashed cloves of garlic, if you desire. Add prepared nopales and boil for about 15-20 minutes, or until tender. You want to boil out the gelatinous substance that will ooze out of the nopales.
Do Mexican people eat cactus?
Cactus has been declared the new food trend of 2018, but the fruit, traditionally called nopales, has been a staple of the Mexican diet for hundreds of years. The fruit has a similar taste to a sour green bean, and although it is usually served boiled, it can be enjoyed raw too.
How do you prepare cactus for eating?
0:031:32How to Prepare Nopales (Cactus Pads) | Sunset - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd lay a pad flat scrape. A nice knife. Across each side to shave off the spines. And the barbedMoreAnd lay a pad flat scrape. A nice knife. Across each side to shave off the spines. And the barbed fuzzy dots. Now take a vegetable peeler and pare around the rim to remove any spiny.
What is Nopal?
Since the era of the Spanish invasion in Mexico, Nopal Cactus has been an unknown plant in Europe and other American countries. This green plant that grows in the Mexican wilderness has many uses and remains edible in Mexico and other Central American countries.
How does Nopal Cactus food supplement work?
Prickly pear, the fruit of cacti, has many health benefits for people who like to receive supplements:
Composition of Nopal Cactus
Many people would wonder to have a detailed look at the minerals, nutrients, and calories they take with every 100 gr. of nopales serving. Here is the complete guide:
Who is the Nopal Cactus for?
Nopal cactus pads and prickly fruit are suitable for adults who wish to regulate their blood sugar and increase their metabolism function to lose weight.
Effectiveness of Nopal Cactus
There are numerous studies and reviews for Opuntia and its benefits for your health. A literature review published in Molecules journal in 2014, showed that Nopal Cactus has a strong anti-inflammatory action.
Dosage: How to Use Nopal Cactus?
Since prickly pear consumption has increased through the years, it would be useful to know the recommended daily dosage.
Risks, Hazards, and Side Effects of Nopal Cactus
As with any substance, prickly pears consumption may be risky for those who have juvenile diabetes and undergo treatment with short-acting insulin. Nopal Cactus can significantly lower the glucose levels in your blood and with the presence of the acute acting insulin could cause hypoglycemic episodes to these persons.
Can antioxidant-rich fruit help treat diabetes?
Cathy Wong is a nutritionist and wellness expert. Her work is regularly featured in media such as First For Women, Woman's World, and Natural Health.
Health Benefits
While quality research on the benefits of nopal is limited, there is some tangible evidence that nopal may be useful in certain situations.
Possible Side Effects
Although nopal is generally considered safe when consumed in reasonable amounts, little is known about the long-term effects of nopal consumption. Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, bloating, headache, and increased stool volume and frequency. 5
Dosage and Preparation
In Mexico, South America, and the southwestern United States, you can often find fresh nopal in local food markets. Prickly pear fruit can be found in many high-end grocery stores. Fresh nopal should be peeled and can be eaten either raw or cooked.
Other Questions
Eating nopal is one way of adding variety to your fruit intake. However, due to the lack of quality research, nopal should not be considered a viable treatment for diabetes or any other health condition.
How is nopal cactus consumed?
The health benefits of nopal cactus can be obtained in many different ways. The plant may just be eaten directly, and this provides the benefits. It may also be added to other foods. Several recipes that include nopal cactus as an ingredient.
What is the recommended dosage of nopal cactus?
Most supplements typically recommend taking at least one dose of 500-650 mg daily. More research is required to determine the exact dose of nopal cactus required per day.
What are the side effects of nopal cactus?
Nopal cactus is considered the safest when eaten as a food instead of supplements. Although supplements are considered safe, more evidence is needed to prove the same.
Nutrition
Per US cup serving, nopal fruit is an excellent source of the dietary mineral manganese (20% of the Daily Value, DV) and a good source of vitamin C (13% DV), magnesium (11% DV) and calcium (14% DV), with nutrient content improving as the plant matures.
Economic value
The nopal cactus grows extensively throughout Mexico, being especially abundant in the central Mexican arid and semi arid regions. In Mexico there are over 3,000,000 hectares (7,400,000 acres) of land used to cultivate nopal. There are three typical ways to cultivate nopal cacti — commercial plantations, family farms and gardens, or in the wild.
What are Nopales?
Nopales represent the prickly pear cactus paddles. Most Mexican markets sell it, as they are the edible parts of the cactus. These green pads are often grilled and left whole, or they can also be chopped to use it for salads, soups or other dishes.
Where to buy Nopales?
Where in the US can I buy Nopales? Online, we know that Amazon sells fresh Nopales here. There are other specialized vendors as well. The best Nopales you will of course find in Mexico. Most (if not all) Mexican restaurants will also have nopales on the menu. It’s an extremely popular ingredient in Mexican cuisine.
Are there any health benefits of eating Nopales?
Eating Nopales can offer many health benefits. Some of these benefits include:
Uses
Prevention
Clinical significance
- Nerve cells can be damaged like all other cells. This can lead to sensory loss or pain. Nopal cactus can protect against this damage. For instance, a 2014 study found that it contains neuroprotective properties. This can help prevent nerve cells from damage or loss of function.
Benefits
- Antioxidants can protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals. Nopal cactus is full of antioxidants, and a 2013 study found that the cactus is able to reduce oxidative stress. Antioxidants can benefit everyone, regardless of age and preexisting conditions. Nopal cactuss health benefits can be obtained in several different ways. The most obvious way which also offe…
Research
- An early study found evidence that nopal cactus was able to decrease cholesterol. While overall levels of cholesterol dropped, LDL cholesterol (or bad cholesterol) dropped significantly. Nopal cactus may be able to lower cholesterol with much fewer side effects than traditional cholesterol medications.
Treatment
- Nopal cactus may actually help with the symptoms of hangovers. Theres a catch its most effective when you take the cactuss extract before you start drinking, preventing the problem instead of treating it later. A 2004 study found strong evidence that nopal cactus extract significantly reduces the severity of hangovers when taken before drinking.
Toxicity
- More research is needed to determine safe and efficient doses of each form of cactus. Most supplements typically recommend taking at least one dose of 500-650 milligrams on a daily basis.
Contraindications
- Women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant should not take nopal cactus supplements, because there isnt reliable information about whether or not it is safe.
Risks
- If you have diabetes, you should be particularly careful when consuming nopal cactus or its supplements, as it can affect your blood sugar. Talk to your doctor before taking it, and make sure that you check your blood sugar frequently when testing it.
Diet
- Ready to incorporate more nopal cactus into your diet? Now you can with these quick and easy recipes: