What does nopal mean?
Nopales are a vegetable made from the young stem segments of prickly pear, carefully peeled to remove the spines. They are particularly common in their native Mexico. Nopal means cactus in spanish. Farmed nopales are most often of the species Opuntia ficus-indica, although the pads of almost all Opuntia species are edible.
How are they sold?
Nopales are generally sold fresh, bottled, or canned, less often dried, to prepare nopalitos. They have a light, slightly tart flavor, and a crisp, mucilaginous texture.
Which are its health benefits?
Nopales are very rich in insoluble and especially soluble dietary fiber. They are also rich in vitamins (especially vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K, but also riboflavin and vitamin B6) and minerals (especially magnesium, potassium, and manganese, but also iron and copper). Nopales have a high calcium content, but the nutrient is not biologically available because it is present as calcium oxalate, which is neither highly soluble nor easily absorbed through the intestinal wall. Addition of nopales also reduces the glycemic effect of a mixed meal. Nopales are low carbohydrate and may help in the treatment of diabetes.
Which are its medicinal uses?
1. Diabetes: A quarter of prickly pear, half slice of pineapple and the juice of an orange or grapefruit. It is blended and liquified and taken daily, you lent ( do not eat anything before taking it).
2. Blood cholesterol (fat in the blood): Add 3 nopal roots to one liter of boiling water for ten minutes. The infusion is taken every day. There are no contraindications for any of them.
Nopales Recipes: http://http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/nopalitos_list.htm
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