The Many Health Benefits of Nopal Cactus Juice

The nopal cactus, also known as Opuntia ficus-indica or prickly pear, cactus variety readily is to found in the Sonoran Desert of Mexico and southwestern US. A staple in the diets of many natives of the area, the nopal cactus has been shown to have some amazing health benefits which are just now beginning to gain traction in the nutritional community, particularly when it comes to the health benefits of nopal cactus juice.

The Many Health Benefits of Nopal Cactus Juice

The Many Health Benefits of Nopal Cactus Juice

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The Many Health Benefits of Nopal Cactus Juice

The Many Health Benefits of Nopal Cactus Juice

A unique source of antioxidants

Nopal cactus juice, made from the fruit of the prickly pear, is a great source of a rare form of antioxidants called Betalains. Betalains are naturally found in just a handful of fruits and vegetables, such as beets, swiss chard, rainbow and the nopal cactus fruit and are responsible forgiving those items their rosy, pinkish-red pigMentation.

In humans, these rare antioxidants serves a very specific purpose within the cells — they capture and "spread" free radicals (unstable molecules) before they have a chance to destroy or damage anything. Free radical damage to the cells is what causes the aging process, which is why nopal cactus juice is said to have anti-aging properties.

Inflammation fighting capabilities

Chronic inflammation is the result of the body's inability to control its own immune response. What starts out as a normal call for help to your white blood cells because you bumped your knee or twisted your ankle, causes a cascade effect which results in your body not being able to "flick the switch off" on the call forhelp.

A number of ethanol extract studies on the nopal fruit have shown that ingestion of it can inhibit leukocyte (white blood cell) migration, which is the catalyst in the developMent of inflammatory disease. In addition, the studies showed suppression of edema, or fluid retention.

Lowering Bad Cholesterol

The Nopal fruit is a rich source of pectin, a soluble fiber, which is found to reduce LDL cholesterol levels. It does so by decreasing the absorption of sugar into the stomach and intestines. In fact, a study done by Dr. Maria L Fernandez as published in the "Journal of Nutrition" showed that consumption of prickly pear cactus lead to a 28 percent drop in total cholesterol levels in the animals tested which is prettysubstantial.

Decrease of Blood Sugar Values

There have been several studies on the effect of nopal cactus extract on blood glucose values. One, done in 1995 and published in the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology", revealed an 18 percent decrease among particiPants while another, done by a group in California showed that adding nopal to a high carbohydrate diet Mexican among patients with Type 2 diabetes actually reduced the concentration of glucose in the body immediately after the meal.

The reason for this, again, stems back to the amount of pectin within the fruit. By reducing the absorption of sugar into the stomach and intestines, the overall blood glucose values of the body are reduced.

The Many Health Benefits of Nopal Cactus Juice