Nopales Benefits, Uses, Recipes, Nutrition, and More – Nopalitos

March 9, 2022 Odiraa

Nopales Benefits, Uses, Recipes, Nutrition, and More – Nopalitos

How do you pronounce Noplales in English and Spanish? Don’t worry if you’re unfamiliar with the concept of cooking nopales.

I’ve put up a comprehensive guide on how to prepare and cook the intimidating-looking cactus paddles. In no time, you’ll be a pro!

The prickly pear cactus, which is endemic to Mexico, is also known as the nopal cactus. Because of its strong antioxidant, vitamin, and mineral content, it is well-known for its health advantages.

The prickly pear is the fruit of the Nopal cactus, and its Latin name is Opuntia ficus or Opuntia ficus-indica. Both the leaves and the fruit of the cactus are edible.

Table of Contents

What is a Nopales Cactus? Nopales Benefits,

The pads of the prickly pear cactus are known as “nopales,” “nopalitos,” or “cactus paddles.”

They’re a prominent element in Mexican cuisine, and they’re used in everything from tacos to salads.

They have a thick, meaty texture and a mild flavor that is similar to that of asparagus and okra.

They are commonly found in restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers’ markets in the American Southwest and Mexico as dietary vegetables.

After removing the spines and thorns, they can be diced or sliced and cooked until soft. They produce a slime that is comparable to okra throughout the cooking process.

Rinse the cooked nopales a few times before using them in other dishes to eliminate this.

Nopales are also edible when eaten uncooked.

They have a green pepper flavor when diced.

And can also be sautéed and added to a variety of recipes, such as tacos and scrambled eggs, or served with tomatoes and onions as a side dish. They can also be converted into juice, jam, or tea.

Selecting the Very Best Nopales – Nopales Benefits,

Pick the greatest nopales you can if you have the opportunity.

You’ll want something that’s flexible but not overly soft. You don’t want them to be too limp and floppy.

Choose ones that are brilliant green as well. The more vibrant the color, the more vibrant they are.

Nopales Benefits, and Applications

Fresh nopal juice is said to help with blood sugar control, wound healing, and cholesterol reduction.

It’s an antiviral, for starters – Nopales Benefits,

In order to avoid catching a virus, the greatest defense is prevention.

The antiviral activities of nopal cactus have been discovered in preliminary studies against herpes simplex virus (HSV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and HIV.

It safeguards nerve cells – Nopales Benefits,

Nerve cells, like all other cells, can be injured. This can cause discomfort or sensory loss. The nopal cactus can help to prevent this.

For example, according to a 2014 studyTrusted Source, it has neuroprotective qualities. This can help protect nerve cells from becoming damaged or losing their function.

It has a lot of antioxidants – Nopales Benefits,

Antioxidants can help protect our cells from free radical damage. The antioxidant-rich nopal cactus can help to lower oxidative stress,

Everyone, regardless of age or pre-existing illnesses, can benefit from antioxidants.

It has the ability to control blood sugar levels – Nopales Benefits,

For diabetics, controlling blood sugar can be a major challenge. The nopal cactus could be a resourceful supplement.

According to certain studies, the nopal cactus can help to regulate blood sugar levels.

Eating nopal cactus with other diabetic treatments can help manage blood sugar levels.

It can be used to treat an enlarged prostate – Nopales Benefits,

An enlarged prostate can be a bother for men since it causes them to have to urinate far more often.

Nopal cactus has been proven in preliminary research to help treat enlarged prostates and may even be beneficial in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Plus, it could be able to do it with fewer negative effects than standard prescription drugs.

It may help lower cholesterol levels – Nopales Benefits,

A preliminary investigation discovered signs indicating the nopal cactus could help lower cholesterol levels.

While total cholesterol levels decreased, LDL cholesterol (or “bad” cholesterol) decreased dramatically.

Traditional cholesterol drugs have many adverse effects, but nopal cactus may be able to control cholesterol with far less.

It can help you avoid getting a hangover – Nopales Benefits,

The nopal cactus may potentially be of assistance with hangover symptoms.

There’s a catch: it works best if you take the cactus extract before you start drinking, preventing rather than curing the problem.

When consumed before drinking, nopal cactus extract greatly lowers the seriousness of hangovers, according to a 2004 study.

Doses and forms

The health benefits of the Nopal cactus can be gained in a variety of ways.

The method that is obvious and the one that provides the most health benefits is to eat the cactus straight.

Supplements come in a variety of forms, including capsules, powders, extracts, and even liquids.

To identify the safe and effective doses of each type of cactus, more research is needed. The majority of supplements advocate taking at least one dose of 500-650 milligrams every day.

Risks that could occur

When taken as a food rather than a supplement, nopal cactus is considered to be the safest; it has the fewest adverse effects.

Supplements are thought to be potentially safe, but the additional proof is needed. It’s crucial to note that the US Food and Drug Administration does not regulate supplements for safety, purity, quality, or packaging.

Choose your product carefully and from a reputable source.

Potential side effects of nopal cactus supplements include:

Headache
Nausea
Bloating
Diarrhea
An Increase in stool

Because there isn’t enough trustworthy information about whether or not nopal cactus supplements are safe for pregnant or attempting to get pregnant women, they should avoid them.

If you have diabetes, you should avoid taking nopal cactus or its supplements because it can cause blood sugar problems.

Before you start taking it, consult your doctor, and make sure you test your blood sugar periodically.

Recipes

2 cactus paddles
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1-quart water

Nopales Cooking Instructions

Step 1: Carefully remove the cactus paddles’ spines and brown lumps.

First and first, if you’ve never worked with cactus paddles before, proceed with caution because each pad has small spines and thorns that can easily prick your fingers.

At first, I recommend wearing gloves. You can try handling them without gloves once you’ve gotten the hang of it.

On a chopping board, lay the cactus paddles flat. By moving a sharp knife back and forth along the paddles, carefully scrape and chop off the spines and brown bumps.

The majority of the spines and brown bumps will come off with scraping, but you’ll probably need to slice off a few hard locations.

Step 2: Nopales should be cut, diced, or sliced in step two.

After that, rinse the cactus paddles thoroughly to ensure they’re completely clean. Then dice or slice them into 1/2-inch pieces or 1/2-inch strips (like you would fajitas).

Slicing is fantastic for tacos and salads, and dicing is great for quick veggie side dishes.

Step 3: Cook until it becomes tender in boiling water.

Fill a medium pot halfway with water and add the freshly sliced nopales to it. Bring it to a boil over high heat with a pinch of salt.

Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.

Drain all of the water from the pot and give them another rinse under warm water to get rid of any left-over sticky liquid.

That concludes our discussion. You may eat them plain or sauté them with garlic, onions, and any other spices you choose in a little olive oil.

Nopales with huevo, or nopales cooked with scrambled eggs, is a popular nopales meal. They make wonderful vegetarian tacos and are a delicious vegetable complement to any meal!

Nopales Benefits, Uses, Recipes, Nutrition, and More – Nopalitos