Seasonal Fruit: The Sweet and Delicious Prickly Pear

Photo by Seweryn Olkowic, Greece

Also known as cactus fruit, cactus fig, Indian fig, and “tuna”, this fruit is usually quite sweet, and comes in various vibrant colors, from magenta to yellow. It grows in many countries around the Mediterranean Sea, as well as in Mexico and in the United States. And this widespread yet little known fruit is particularly abundant in late summer and early Fall, hence…Now.

The pads of the cactus tree, used to feed cattle in parts of the US, and to feed humans for breakfast alongside eggs, are now being studied for their medicinal purpose and nutritional value, with hypothesis ranging from helping cure Type 2 Diabetes, to alleviating the painful symptoms of a hangover.

As for the fruit, nutritional information will depend on the variety (and there are about (350). Most are rich in antioxidants and flavonoids, and have shown to reduce digestive and urinary inflammation, as well as lower lipid levels and oxidative stress in healthy humans.

Most will also contain significant levels of magnesium, an important mineral for heart, brain, and bones (through facilitating calcium absorption), as well as Vitamin C (8 oz corresponds to close to 1/3 of our daily needs), dietary fiber, and calcium.

Prickly Pear fruits can be found in health stores, markets, and in Mexican stores. Before you eat it, make sure it’s peeled well, or that the outer skin is “sanded.” Because this is a cactus fruit, sometimes the outer skin still has very small thorns, which can sting your tongue, lips, throat…and cause gastric and digestive pain if ingested.

Once the fruit is peeled, you can eat the tender flesh with a spoon and nothing else (it’s sweet and flavorful enough), or try one of the recipes below.

Prickly Pear Semi-Freddo

Ingredients for 3-4

6 prickly pears

3 tablespoons cacao nibs

Gluten Free. Sugar Free. Lactose Free. Raw. Vegan. Nut Free.

Utensils: strainer, freezer

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Freezing time: 30 minutes.

Difficulty Level: Easy.

Budget: depends on where you live

Wash and peel the prickly pears. Scoop out the seeds and push the flesh through a strainer. Stir cacao nibs in and place in the freezer in a closed container for 30 mins-1 hour. Eat chilled. If it’s gone to hard thaw a little.

Prickly Pear Salad Dressing

Ingredients for a table

  1/3 cup mashed and seeded prickly pears
  3 tablespoons grape seed oil.
 1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch ground pepper
 3 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar

 1 teaspoon minced tarragon

Gluten Free. Sugar Free. Lactose Free. Raw. Vegan. Nut Free.

Preparation time: 5-10 minutes

Difficulty Level: Easy.

Budget: depends on where you live

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. This is great on green salads such as lamb’s lettuce, red leaf or spring mix. Also works on a mix of greens with avocado, or on turkey breast.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Fig_Opuntia

Usher., George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man, Hafner Press, 1974

A magical plant: Prickly pear cactus yields foods that are good for you, Connie Midey, The Arizona Republic May. 31 2005.