What it is: Prickly pear cactus pads, also known as nopales (singular: nopal), are commonly consumed as a vegetable in Mexico and Central America. The cactus pads—the flat “paddles” that grow from the ...
Edible cacti, especially Opuntia cladodes, show consistent short-term benefits for postprandial blood glucose and modest improvements in lipid biomarkers, largely driven by soluble fiber and bioactive ...