One of the fruits that I grew to love this summer in Lebanon was the prickly pear — known as cactus fruit or subbair. These seed-studded fruits grow wild on my father-in-law’s property around his house. And I would love to eat these succulent fruits for breakfast. I was amazed at the markets near his house where the cactus fruit would be stacked high on display…and the peeling of this thorny, desert fruit was turned into an art form.
Prickly pear cactus has a long history in Mexico and Rick Bayless writes lovingly about the fruit (tunas) in his cookbook Mexican Kitchen, which features Crimson Prickly Pear Sauce.
Now it seems this ancient fruit Opuntia ficus indica (eaten for 9,000 years) may be the next big thing. One of the trendiest drinks in the Southwest is the Prickly Pear Margarita and the flavor is showing up in a range of new-age beverages, 
including energy drinks, juices, flavored teas (including Snapple) and functional beverages. Prickly pear is gaining popularity in the alternative medicine world and dietary supplements of the fruit in powder or pill are now stocked in health food stores and marketed online.
One prickly pear-flavored drink called Urban Detox claims the beverage can help with a hangover. Curiously, there does seem to be a study from Tulane that attempts to support this claim, however, the research was conducted with an extract from prickly pear, not with this drink. The company claims benefits from the anti-inflammatory properties of the fruit. An animal study from the University of Arizona found that the pectin isolated from the fruit helped bring down LDL cholesterol levels.
One company is beginning to market a line of prickly pear extracts for use in foods and beverages to “support healthy glucose levels.” Some preliminary research suggests that fiber-rich prickly pear fruit may help reduce blood sugar levels, but it’s too early to draw major conclusions.
Plus, you won’t be helping your blood sugar all that much if you indulge in the most popular forms of prickly pear — candy, jellies, syrups and sweet beverages. You’re better off with the whole fruit — which is widely available in the Southwest, but increasingly found in supermarkets and farmer’s markets throughout the country.
It’s overkill to put prickly pear too high on a health pedestal, but this is a nutritious fruit — high in vitamin C, fiber and phytonutrients known as flavonoids. So if you can find prickly pears near you, check them out. They have a devoted following, including Carolyn Niethammer who has assembled a collection of recipes in the Prickly Pear Cookbook. But if you’re new to prickly pear, you may find the pebble-like seeds in the fruit a little hard to get used to — but stick with the fruit instead of the pills or “functional” drinks. Although, the margarita sounds like it’s worth a try.
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Hi, Janet. Great work on the blog. I have a funny — sorta — story about prickly pears. I think they were prickly pears, anyway. Many years ago, I was in France with my French boyfriend (don’t tell my husband
) and we bought some prickly pears, which for me was a first. I proceeded to prepare them for his family, which included some teenage children. After eating, we all had little stickers in our mouths and throats. Needless to say, no one was happy with me, especially the teenagers (who are so forgiving! lol). I didn’t know how to clean them properly…obviously. Haven’t had them since, not because I was afraid, but just because I never see them in stores. So still don’t know how to clean them.
So funny! Yes, I should have mentioned the thorns if they’re not properly prepared. I only see prickly pears at Whole Foods, for about $3 each. They are tough to find if you don’t live in the Southwest.
Thanks for reading my blog!
Come by my house and pick all the prickly pear you can snatch away from the birds. And don’t forget the cactus pads–a little slimy but full of nutrients. I have never used the ones in my garden because I don’t have the patience to clean them. I like seeing the birds enjoy themselves gorging on the fruit.
I had Prickly Pears while hiking with a group of people in Riley Park in Orange County California this summer. I loved the flavor and it amazed me how they grew. I now search for them and I find them all over the area I live. I want to put together a sheet about them including the nutritional benefits and share this with all of my friends. I am 11 years old and my name is Adam
I have found the prickly pears plants thriving on the shores of New York’s Suffolk County beaches where their is limited disturbance by park users. They grow to full size there unlike our stock in Marine Park in Brooklyn challenged by motorized bikes and even paintball operations at one point. The nutritional information information that i found was for 1 cups of prickly pear, which seems to be about 2 pears. I am going to include them in gift baskets with other non-hybridized seeded fruit and as Halloween treats since they are so odd looking yet pretty.
I have found prickly pears in Harlem at the C-town at 3 for a dollar .This store also has a unique selection of medicinal teas at reasonable prices. They are competing with the Fairway , nearby, so their prices on the prickly pears and prickly pear products, that I know as “nopalitos”, should remain reasonable.
This was great advise, ill be sure to put it to the test soon. I also have an informational blog about eating right and being on a healthy diet. For more info, please visit http://www.bionic-electronics.com/extensiveweightloss/ for the details
most older women from desert communities of the southwest, Native American and Mexican, still use desert foods and know how ro prepare them…. Ask them. They would be eager tp jhelp yopu.