Prickly pear is an edible cactus fruit with several potential culinary uses. It also has an impressive nutritional profile and may help promote health and protect against certain diseases.

Prickly pear, scientifically known as Opuntia ficus-indica, is a member of the Cactaceae cactus family. It’s also called nopal, tuna, sabra, and paddle cactus.

It has long been used in Mexican cuisine, and it’s growing in popularity in the American Southwest and beyond. Many parts of the plant are edible, and prickly pear fruit is used in cocktails, juices, jams, and other dishes.

Due to its many beneficial plant compounds and nutrients, prickly pear was used in Mexican folk medicine to treat liver conditions and other issues. The potential medicinal properties of this cactus fruit continue to be explored.

This article explores prickly pear’s nutrition, possible benefits and downsides, and ways to prepare it.

The prickly pear cactus has wide, flat, green pads (or paddles) that are commonly referred to as nopales. Nopales are edible and served in Mexican egg dishes, salads, tacos, and soups.

The flesh of prickly pears is juicy, contains seeds, and has a sweet taste similar to that of watermelon. You can eat prickly pear flesh raw or cooked. It’s often turned into juice and added to cocktails or cooked down into jams.

As the name suggests, prickly pear fruit and pads have prickles on their exterior. Known as glochids, they can stick to your hands and be very painful. Glochids need to be removed before consuming prickly pear.

You can typically find prickly pear fruits (and nopales) at markets and grocery stores in Mexico and the American Southwest. They may also be imported to grocery stores in other locations, particularly Mexican food markets and grocery chains that carry unique fruits or ingredients.

The nutritional profile of prickly pears may vary slightly depending on the variety. They’re generally a good source of fiber and contain many vitamins and minerals.

One cup (149 grams) of raw prickly pear contains:

  • Calories: 61
  • Protein: 1 gram
  • Fat: 1 gram
  • Carbohydrates: 14 grams
  • Fiber: 5 grams
  • Magnesium: 30% of the Daily Value (DV)
  • Vitamin C: 23% of the DV
  • Potassium: 7% of the DV
  • Calcium: 6% of the DV

Prickly pears are a good source of dietary fiber, providing about 19% of the DV in 1 cup (149 grams). They contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, both of which are important for healthy digestion.

The magnesium, potassium, and calcium in prickly pears are key nutrients for healthy blood pressure, while vitamin C plays an important role in immune system health.

Many of the purported benefits of prickly pear stem from its fiber and antioxidant content. While few human studies have analyzed prickly pear’s ability to promote health, preliminary research suggests promising results.

Skin and hair

Eating prickly pear is often boasted as a way to get glowing skin and shiny hair. Variations of prickly pear are even added to hair conditioners and skin care products.

Some of its compounds and nutrients, like vitamin C and betalain pigments, have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Prickly pear also contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially in the seeds and peel, which play a role in skin and hair health.

The antioxidant boost from prickly pear may improve skin and hair health by protecting against damage to these areas caused by oxidative stress related to aging, inflammation, sun exposure, or other causes.

Still, no studies have specifically focused on prickly pear’s benefits for skin or hair. As such, the theory that antioxidant-rich prickly pear protects against skin and hair damage is mostly untested.

Further research is still needed to understand the benefits of prickly pear for skin and hair.

Diabetes

Another possible benefit of prickly pear is its use in blood sugar management and diabetes complications.

The soluble fiber pectin in prickly pears may have blood-sugar-lowering properties and beneficial effects on blood fat levels.

A 2022 review suggests that prickly pear consumption may decrease fasting blood sugar levels in both healthy adults and those with type 2 diabetes.

However, the findings have been mixed, and the effects of prickly pear seem to be largely dependent on the form of consumption and the part of the plant used.

More research is needed to understand how much and what form of prickly pear is most helpful for managing blood sugar levels and improving blood fat levels.

Liver health

Prickly pear has been historically used to treat liver problems, and some modern studies back this idea.

It’s thought that the antioxidant compounds in prickly pear help protect against inflammation and oxidative stress that can damage the liver.

A 2023 review found that the fruit’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties may have positive effects on liver health and help to manage changes to the liver’s structure and function.

However, more research in humans is needed to better understand prickly pear’s effects on liver health. It’s also unclear whether consuming prickly pear fruit offers benefits comparable to those of consuming other parts of the plant.

Prickly pear is safe to consume when properly prepared, but it may have some downsides.

If you eat too much prickly pear, you may experience side effects related to excessive fiber consumption. These include:

  • diarrhea
  • indigestion
  • bloating
  • nausea

Eating prickly pear fruit or cactus pads in the amounts commonly used in recipes is generally considered safe.

However, there isn’t much research on prickly pear supplements and extracts. Due to a lack of research about their side effects, it is typically recommended that pregnant and nursing people avoid this fruit.

The glochids (prickles) on the exterior of prickly pears need to be carefully removed during preparation so that they don’t get lodged in your skin or ingested.

When preparing prickly pear fruit or cactus pads, you must first remove the glochids. Wear gloves and use tongs when handling prickly pear.

Depending on where you got the prickly pear fruit or pads, the glochids may already be removed.

If the prickles are still on the cactus pads, use a blunt knife to scrape them off and then remove the “eyes” that held them. Peel the pads with a vegetable peeler to remove the skin.

You can then slice the cactus pads into strips or dice them into cubes to use in meals.

To remove the prickles from a prickly pear fruit, you can singe them off over a gas stove or fire. Use tongs to hold the fruit if you use this method. Alternatively, you can scrub the glochids off with a vegetable brush.

Next, make a few slits in the skin and peel it off. Cut the prickly pear in half and remove the seeds before slicing it into your desired shape.

Try adding prickly pear cactus pads (nopales) to soups, stir-fries, eggs, and salads. They’re especially delicious when grilled or served with scrambled eggs.

Prickly pear fruit, on the other hand, is usually used in juices, cocktails, jams, and more. It also makes a delicious snack cut up and served on its own or with other fruits.

Prickly pear fruit grows on top of the flat paddles of the Opuntia ficus-indica cactus plant.

It’s rich in fiber and contains many antioxidant compounds. As a result, it’s thought to help with skin health, blood sugar management, liver health, and more. However, more research in humans is needed.

You can enjoy prickly pear fruit and pads in a variety of recipes, especially Mexican cuisine.