It might be a fruit with many names, Nopales, Nopal Cactus Fruit, Prickly Pear, Tuna, Beles (my name of choice)–but there is only one thing to call this fruit and that is holy grail. For the sake of this post, we’ll call it a prickly pear since that’s the most common name most people recognize. If you’ve never had a prickly pear in your lifetime then seriously…what is wrong with you? Go out there and get one asap! I always loved prickly pears, but lately I’ve been craving them badly, probably because late summer through early winter tends to be their season and when you’ll usually find them at some grocery stores. I’ve only ever seemed to find them in Mexican grocery stores and that’s probably because they are largely harvested in Mexico. And for that I am so grateful! It’s my favorite fruit to consume period, but after I learned about the all-encompassing health benefits that it provides, well let’s just say as long as they are in season, I got plenty of reasons to eat it now!
Once you carefully cut down the fruit down the spine (and I say careful because of the tiny needles all over the exterior of the fruit) you’ll open up to a sweet watermelon like textured fruit. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. They come in all sorts of colors ranging from yellows, greens, pinks and purple at it’s darkest which tends to be my absolute favorite.
And don’t even get me started on it’s health benefits! The benefits run the gamut! From lowering your cholestoral and blood pressure, stabilizing blood sugar. It’s high in fiber, magnesium, phytochemicals and antioxidants! It’s an immune booster and an anti-inflammatory! A great source of vitamin A and C! It’s also plays an incredible role in managing your weight because not only does the fiber keep you from feeling hungry, but it’s also made up of 88% water! It’s also believed to have amazing benefits in preventing heart disease as well as cancer. This fruit is just….everything!
There are a million ways to eat a prickly pear and a lot of dishes you can get particularly creative with. My favorite and only preference is eating it raw and eating it daily!