The health benefits of opuntia fruits (cactus)
Opuntia ficus-indica is a domesticated type of cactus. Both domesticated and wild species of Opuntia are food sources. The fruit of the Opuntia is called prickly pear and contains health-boosting nutrients like amino acids, fatty acids and antioxidants such as flavonoids, quercetin, gallic acid, phenolic compounds and betacyanins.
What Is Cactus Fruit?
Cactus fruit may look intimidating, but once you get past its spiny outsides, it yields a mild and nutrient-rich flesh. This fruit is delicious eaten raw, added to recipes, or turned into a refreshing beverage.
Cactus fruit comes from the Opuntia cactus genus that’s native to Central America and the drier, desert parts of North America. There are about 90 species of Opuntia in the United States alone, and all produce cactus fruits.
The fruit, both the flesh and the skin, ranges in color according to the variety. Even within the most common species, Opuntia ficus-indica, you might see fruit that’s white, green, purple, yellow, red, or orange.
Opuntia ficus-indica is a domesticated type of cactus used as a crop plant, but wild species of Opuntia act as food sources too. The fruit of the cactus is also known as prickly pear, cactus pear, prickly pear fruit, nopal fruit, tuna, sabra, Barbary pear, and Indian fig.
Cactus pads and cactus fruit have long been tied to indigenous cultures all across Mexico, with people using them as food as far back as 9,000 to 12,000 years ago. Today, you’ll find Opuntia grown as a crop throughout Mexico, the Mediterranean, northern Africa, Chile, South Africa, the Middle East, California, and other parts of the Southwestern United States.
These antioxidant compounds, especially quercetin play an important role in reducing free radicals in the body and preventing gut and colon cancer.
Cactus fruits improve digestion; and betalains in this fruits have anti-inflammatory effects to protect digestive tract function.
Health benefits of cactus fruits
Boosting immune system
Cactus fruit or prickly pear has high amount of vitamin C. Vitamin C boosts the body’s immune response to various infections. Consumption of cactus fruit also increases the production of white blood cells. As a result, the body’s ability to kill infectious microorganism’s increases. Also flavonoids and Vitamin C in the cactus fruit act as strong antioxidant and reduce damages caused by free radicals in the body and strengthen the immune system.
Gastrointestinal health
Cactus fruit is rich in fiber; therefore, it can be helpful for the digestion process. Also fiber helps to better absorption in the digestive tract by increasing the volume of feces and cleansing the intestines. It is also effective on constipation, bloating and other digestive problems such as stomach ulcers. Consumption of prickly pear due to the presence of betalains has a positive effect on the gastric mucosa and reduce pro-inflammatory compounds in the stomach and relieves the stomach pain.
Consumption of cactus fruit reduces inflammation and oxidative stress which causes damage to the large intestine wall. The antioxidants of this fruit, scavenge free radicals and inflammatory compounds, thereby cleanse the gut and reduce the effects of oxidative stress on the liver.
Anti-cancer properties
Cactus fruit is rich in betalains, polyphenols and flavonoids. These substances act as antioxidant compounds and neutralize free radicals before damaging the body’s cells. In addition, cactus fruit helps to prevent the growth of tumors; However, more researches are needed in this area.
Antioxidant properties
The antioxidants in cactus fruit help to maintain skin health and reduce premature aging. Strengthening eyesight, preventing muscle wasting and improving brain function are other properties of antioxidants in this miraculous fruit. The high levels of tocopherol and beta-carotene in cactus fruit are benefit for both skin and eye health. Free radicals are partly responsible for the oxidation of nerve cells, which leads to many diseases. Consumption of fresh cactus fruit help to reduce oxidative stress.
The high fiber and nutrient density, low calorie and unsaturated fatty acids of cactus fruit can help to keep the body health without gaining weight.
Anti-inflammatory property
In traditional medicine, cactus fruit was crushed and placed topically on the inflamed part of the body. Oral intake of this fruit reduces joint inflammation, gout and muscle tension due to antioxidants and minerals. This fruit can be placed locally in the place of insect bites.
Reduce blood sugar
Those cases who ate cactus fruit had lower blood sugar. When this fruit is used concomitantly with diabetes medications, blood sugar levels are better regulated rather than medication alone. Cactus fruit reduces the absorption of glucose from the intestines due to pectin fibers.
Heart health
The fiber of cactus fruit reduces cholesterol in the body. In general, this fruit is effective in preventing atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease and heart attack. The antioxidants and flavonoids of cactus fruit also help to maintain cardiovascular health.
Blood pressure
Prickly pear is rich in potassium that helps to control the normal blood pressure. The betaline in this fruit also strengthens the inner walls of blood vessels and contributes to cardiovascular health.
Anti-aging properties
Cactus fruit contains vitamins E and K to moisturize the skin and also has a lot of linoleic, oleic and palmitic acids and nourishes the skin. Consumption of fatty acids in the diet prevents the formation of wrinkles on the hands and face.
Migraine headaches
Taking anti-inflammatory compounds can help to relieve headaches. Anti-inflammatory compounds such as indexanthanine in prickly pears can reduce various inflammatory factors in the body. Cactus fruit, can fight migraines or reduce the severity of headaches.
Strengthen teeth and bones
One cup of raw prickly pears contains 83 mg calcium, which is about 8% of daily calcium requirements for strengthening bones and teeth.
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https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/benefits-of-prickly-pear-for-skin-hair-and-health/
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