Cactus For Diabetes

24 Jul

Posted by admin as diabetes

The new study, published in this month’s issue of Diabetes Care, looked at the effect of the cactus pear, known locally as nopales, on blood sugar levels when eaten with regular Mexican fodder like burritos and quesadillas.

The prickly pear cactus—a plant that has the distinction of being a vegetable, fruit, and flower all in one—is destined to be the next big herbal superstar, following in the footsteps of St. John’s wort and Echinacea, according to author Ran Knishinsky. One of the driving forces behind its popularity is that each part of this plant functions as both food and medicine. It has been a staple in the diets of the people of the southwestern portion of the United States, the Middle East, parts of Europe and Africa, and Central and South America for hundreds of years.

Nopalitos - Cactus, or Nopal, is a typical sight in the Mexican landscape. It is not strange that it should find its way into the local cuisine. The use of Nopalitos has its origins in the Roman Catholic observance of serving meatless dishes during Lent; now they are a part of everyday cooking.

The paddle, or tender pads, of the plant (called prickly pear in the U.S.) are eaten as a green vegetable in Mexico. The best young shoots are packed fresh, pickled or preserved.

Many Uses

Prickly pear cactus belongs to the genus Opuntia, a large group of cacti that contains over 300 varieties–some with spines, some without. A common type of prickly pear cactus, also known as Indian fig (Opuntia ficus-indica), grows in large thickets. Originally native to Mexico, it’s now cultivated in Mediterranean regions of Europe, the western United States, and throughout Latin America.

A systematic search of the international medical literature will be conducted to identify all published and unpublished medical studies examining the relationship between prickly pear cactus and metabolic control among persons with diabetes; many if not most of these reports can only be identified by contacting known investigators in Mexico and other Latin American countries and/or by searching MEDLINE and other international electronic databases.

If you haven’t looked intently at the Mexican flag, a prickly pear cactus with its red-orange grandiose blossoms is where the eagle at the center is proudly perched on. For centuries, indigenous groups of South America and the southern part of the United Stat depended on this plant for nourishment. Also called nopal, nopalitos, and nopales, this cactus, of genus Opuntia, is consumed by the Aztec tribe and other locals in various forms to control or even potentially cure Type 2 Diabetes as long ago as the 15th and 16th centuries.