What Is a Nopal Cactus?

Plant Information

• The nopal cactus is also known as the nopal cardon. According to Desert-Tropicals.com, the nopal cactus' scientific name is Opuntia streptacantha and it is native to desert regions of North America, South America and Central America. A nopal cactus has flat prickly parts with thick skin to help protect it from the desert heat. The fruit of the cactus is dark pink with a thinner skin, prickly like the green parts of the cactus, and has a flavor like a cherry or plum. The juice of the nopal fruit is deep red and can stain light-colored fabrics.

Vitamins

• Nopales are high in vitamins C and A and have high levels of calcium and fiber. According to Gordon Monnier's guide to the nopal cactus, they have been shown effective in reducing the occurrence of hypoglycemia and can reduce the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. Sonoran Bloom Nopalea identifies the fruit of the nopal plant as the source of many powerful antioxidants called betalains, "Betalains are the pigments that give the nopal cactus fruit its vibrant pink color."

Food Use

• This prickly cactus is a common food element in Mexican culture. Nopal is often called nopales or nopalitos. It is served in many applications where you might use celery, green beans or peppers. It is a versatile vegetable which is rich in healing antioxidants and inexpensive to buy fresh at your local market.

Eating Preparation

• The nopal cactus is entirely edible; except for the spines, of course. The spines are prickly and fine and they are difficult to remove from the skin once they have landed on their mark. The easiest way to prepare nopales for cooking is to wear two pairs of rubber protective gloves and cut the spines off with a pair of kitchen shears. Even with the protective gloves, you should be careful to avoid touching the spines. Rinse the nopales after the spines have been removed to wash away any residual spines.

First Aid for Spines

• If you get spines in your hand which are too small to remove with tweezers, you can get them out using duct tape or plastic packing tape. Just apply the tape to the affected area as if you intend to wax the area, and rip the tape off as quickly as you can stand. The adhesive should help remove the irritating smaller spines from your skin. Depending on the strength of your tape's adhesive, you may need to repeat the process until all spines are removed.