Nopal is native to Mexico and is commonly known as the prickly pear cactus. Nopal has great health benefits as it high contains of vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, and minerals.
Nopalitos or nopales are the pads of the cactus, eaten like a vegetable commonly found in many restaurants, farmers’ markets, and grocery stores across Mexico and the American Southwest.
Nopal can be eaten raw, but the skin must be removed first, and are commonly sautéed to be used in dishes such as scrambled eggs and tacos, or put in with some onion and tomatoes to be used as a side dish. Nopal resembles a green pepper when diced and turned into jams, juice, or tea. Prickly pear fruit of the small rounded colorful part of the plant can also be consumed.
Prickly pear juice is becoming a popular food and drink for health-conscious consumers. One cup of raw nopals contains up to 1 gram of protein, less than 1 g of fat, 14 calories, 3 g of carbohydrates, 1 g of sugar, 2 g of fibre, 20 mcg of vitamin A, 141 mg of calcium, 8 mg of vitamin C, 4.6 mcg of vitamin K.
It also contains the flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol which are antioxidants which have anti-inflammatory properties. In a study which compared 3 different juices from the assorted colors of prickly pear, white-green, red-purple, and yellow-orange, the red variety was found to have the most antioxidants.
Both the fruit and the nopales have been used in traditional medicines for the prevention and treatment of diseases such as wounds, ulcers, glaucoma, fatigue, and liver conditions. Fresh nopal juice may have the health benefits of helping to heal wounds, lower blood sugar, and lower cholesterol. Human studies on the prickly pear cactus are limited, but studies have shown the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of the plant to be beneficial.
Traditionally cactus plants have been used in the treatment of diabetes in Mexico. In a small study with individuals with type 2 diabetes participants were given breakfast that was high in carbohydrates, 1 groups consumed nopal along with their breakfast, the other did not. The group who had consumed the nopal had lower blood sugar levels and lower insulin levels after their meal as compared to the other group which did not. It has been shown that people with diabetes may benefit from including high fiber foods such as prickly pear into their diets, as it may improve blood sugar levels, improve blood lipids, and lower insulin levels. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has recommended that women consume 25 g of fiber per day and men 38g. Nopal juice is often mixed with other fruit juices, which can have high levels of sugar. People with diabetes should always monitor the amount of sugar that they consume. It is best to choose fresh fruit or freshly squeezed instead of juice. It is also very important to ensure that the food is cleaned very well before consuming it just as any other fruit or vegetable
