The prickly pear cactus-known as nopal in Mexico-exhibits multiple medicinal effects. As professor of nutrition Winston F. Craig, Ph.D., writes to the HighBeam Encyclopedia, the prickly pear can help with diabetes, lower blood sugar levels and offer other health benefits.
The ability for the prickly pear cactus (nopal) to lower blood sugar has been well documented by many studies. In traditional medicine, nopal is used for treating type-2 Diabetes.
Mexican researchers found that people with non-insulin-dependent diabetes given broiled nopal stems experienced a large drop in blood sugar levels.
It has been shown that daily consumption of 250mg of this plant will lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, according to a recent study. HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels were not affected.
In India, the cactus has been used to treat whooping cough and asthma.
Prickly pear fruit and other elements of the cactus are edible as a jelly or jam, as a fruit or as a cooked dish.
The cactus is naturally found in Arizona, Mexico and other parts of the American Southwest; it is commercially grown in California and also has been exported to Europe and India.
In the Sonoran Desert, growing a new prickly pear is easy: the cactus grows in a linked "pad" setup, and each pad can be cut off, replanted and in most cases will take root, making a new cactus.
