Tasty and healthy: characterization and proper use of prickly pear fruit

Prickly pear - a plant from the Cactus family. Not everyone knows that the fruits of prickly pear are used in recipes of traditional medicine and even more so are eaten. It turns out that they are not only rich in vitamins and minerals, but also have amazing taste!

From the article you will learn a complete list of useful properties, the chemical composition of an exotic fruit. How caloric is it, what diseases should be taken. And, of course, you will find recipes for gourmet dishes.

Appearance

Ripening of prickly pear fruit begins in mid-July and ends in mid-August. Unripe fruits are green. Ripening, they acquire a dark red or purple color and are pear-shaped fruits. The pulp of a ripe fruit is white, juicy and soft. Inside there are small bones, as in grapes or pomegranates. The peel of the fetus is hard, covered with small spines.

Useful and healing properties

The fruits of prickly pear are part of various dishes and drinks. Most often they are used for the preparation of desserts, fruit drinks, salads, preserves, marmalade. Juicy and watery pulp of the fruit contributes to the quick quenching of thirst.

Also, the fruits are used for medicinal purposes due to the large amount of nutrients. In folk medicine, various decoctions, tinctures, and drugs are made from them.

Important! The use of drugs from the fruits of prickly pears is possible only with mild ailments. For more serious illnesses, consult a doctor.

What properties do these fruits have?

• Improve heart function.
• Helps strengthen teeth and bones.
• Strengthen the immune system.
• They help get rid of edema and lose weight.
• Normalize bowel function.
• Stop bleeding.
• They have a wound healing effect.
• They help cure colds, lower body temperature.
• It removes toxins from the body.
• Normalize the water-electrolyte balance.
• They fight cellulite.

Chemical composition and calorie content

The calorie content of prickly pear fruit is 41 kcal per 100 g, of which:

• proteins - 0.73 g;
• fats - 0.51 g;
• carbohydrates - 5.97 g;
• dietary fiber - 3.6 g;
• ash - 1.64 g;
• water - 87.55 g.

Vitamin content per 100g:

• provitamin A - 25 mcg;
• Vitamin A (RE) - 2 mcg;
• Vitamin B1 (thiamine) - 14 mcg;
• vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - 60 mcg;
• vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) - 60 mcg;
• vitamin B9 (folic acid) - 6 mcg;
• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - 14 mg;
• vitamin PP (nicotinic acid) - 0.46 mg.

Reference. Opuntia fruits also contain dyes, hormones, essential oils and macro- and microelements such as magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, potassium, copper, iron, zinc, and selenium.

Indications for use

The fruits of prickly pear help with diseases such as:

• obesity - the content in the fruits of vitamins B6, thiamine and riboflavin accelerate metabolism and contribute to the rapid burning of fat;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, ulcer) - the presence of an adhesive substance and fibrous material allows you to stop the development of gastric diseases;
• diabetes - regular consumption of prickly pear fruit reduces the likelihood of developing diabetes, as they regulate the level of glucose in the body;
• constipation - dietary fiber, which is part of the prickly pear, helps to improve digestion and stimulates intestinal motility, reducing the symptoms of constipation;
• colds - Ascorbic acid in the fruit strengthens the immune system and acts as an antioxidant.

Read about the healing properties of prickly pear and on the treatment of plant diseases here.

How to eat a cactus berry?

Before you eat the fruit, you need to remove the thorns from it and peel it. Recommendations for removing spines from the fetus:

1. Be sure to use rubber gloves.
2. Hold the fetus with forceps.
3. Rinse the fruit with cold water to remove small spines.
4. To remove larger spikes, wipe the fruit with a several times folded napkin.

Or - put the fruit in the refrigerator, and after a couple of hours the thorns will fall off by themselves.

To remove the peel from the fetus you need:

1. Cut off the ends of the fruit.
2. Make a longitudinal incision on the fruit itself.
3. Gently pull and peel off the skin.

As it is? Purified and ready-to-eat prickly pears are eaten whole. Or cut the berry in half and eat the juicy pulp with a spoon. Inside the fruit there are small bones that can also be eaten.

On the palate, the fruit of the prickly pear is sweet and slightly sour. One taste resembles the taste of strawberries, another - pears, and the third - kiwi. However, eating fruit too often is not worth it. Overuse can cause constipation, headaches, and vomiting. There is also a risk of individual intolerance.

Important! Pregnant women and children under 3 years of age should refrain from using this fetus in order to avoid possible negative consequences.

From the video you will learn how to eat the fruit of the prickly pear:

Recipes

Mexican Salad (2 servings)

Ingredients:

• yellow bell pepper - 30 g;
• red bell pepper - 30 g;
• cherry tomatoes - 30 g;
• canned corn - 20 g;
• avocado pulp - 60 g;
• red onions - ½ pcs;
• olives - 6-7 pieces;
• fruits of prickly pears - 70 g;
• olive oil, black pepper, salt, cilantro - to taste.

Cooking:

1. Cut cherry tomatoes and bell peppers in equal parts.
2. Stir with olives and sliced ​​prickly pears.
3. Add corn, avocado pulp and red onion.
4. Season the salad with olive oil, optionally with salt, pepper and finely chopped cilantro.
5. Add lime juice.

Jam

Ingredients:

• fruits of prickly pears - 6 pcs;
• lemon juice - 2 tbsp. l .;
• granulated sugar - 2 glasses;
• cinnamon - 0.5 tsp.

Cooking:

1. Dip the fruits of prickly pears in cold water and leave for 15-20 minutes.
2. Peel the fruits.
3. Slice the pulp of the fruit.
4. Mix it with cinnamon, lemon juice, sugar.
5. Put on a slow fire.
6. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

This jam is stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 months.

Sorbet (6 servings)

Ingredients:

• fruits of prickly pears - 6 pcs;
• sugar - 50 g;
• egg white - 1 pc;
• water - 50 g.

Cooking:

1. Soak the fruits of prickly pear in cold water for 20 minutes.
2. To clear fruits from thorns.
3. Slice the pulp of the fruit.
4. Grind the pulp with a submersible blender to a puree state.
5. Pour sugar into water, put on fire and stir until syrup is obtained.
6. Mix the resulting syrup with mashed pulp.
7. Beat the egg white in a blender until foam with the addition of a drop of lemon juice.
8. Gently pour the pulp puree into the protein and stir until a liquid-like consistency.
9. Pour the resulting mass into molds and freeze.

Non-alcoholic cocktail "Pink Panther"

Ingredients:

• fruits of prickly pear - 3 pcs;
• blackberry - 200 g;
• cherry - 200 g;
• lemon juice - ¼ tsp

Cooking:

1. Peel the fruits of the prickly pear.
2. Prepare berries for a cocktail - remove seeds from the cherry, and separate the ponytails from the blackberry.
3. Grind the fruits of prickly pears and berries in a blender.
4. Strain through cheesecloth.
5. Add lemon juice and ice crushed in a blender.
6. Pour the resulting cocktail into glasses.

Acquaintance with the fruits of prickly pears is best to start with their fresh consumption. You can then use these fruits as ingredients for various dishes. The main thing is to comply with all recommendations for preparing fruits for use and not abuse this fruit. Then it will bring not only pleasure, but also real benefits to the body.

Watch the video: Edible Landscaping: Prickly Pear Cactus for Breakfast (November 2024).