Prickly Pear Fruit - a DELICIOUS Smoothie Addition
Safety precautions
WARNING!! These delicious fruits taste like watermelon but are fresh off the cactus and have tiny, almost invisible hair-like thorns that prick! We recommend handling the fruit with gloves or tongs to avoid any pain.
Health Benefits from the Mayo Clinic
“Prickly pear cactus is promoted for treating diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity and hangovers. It's also touted for its antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties.
Some preliminary evidence shows that prickly pear cactus can decrease blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Some research also suggests that prickly pear cactus extract may lessen the unpleasant effects of a hangover, possibly due to its anti-inflammatory effects.
It might be too early to call prickly pear cactus a superfood, but it can be part of a healthy diet. It's high in fiber, antioxidants and carotenoids.”
How to prepare:
Boil for 3-5 minutes to remove spiny hairs
Rinse
Place in freezer bag and put in freezer
Add to smoothies. If you have a high powered blender like a vita mix, the fruit seed will grind into a high protein addition. If your blender is not as powerful, you can either strain your smoothie to prevent drinking the seeds or drink the seeds.