Most cooking enthusiasts experiment with different plants to make healthy, tasty meals. If you have a cactus growing in your backyard or indoor garden, you might wonder whether it\u2019s edible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Generally, homeowners grow cacti as ornamental plants. Their succulent green stems and stunning blooms can add more color to your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Besides brightening your home with their green stems and colorful flowers, some cacti parts are edible. But is a cactus a vegetable or a fruit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you want to be creative in your recipes, we\u2019ll help you answer this question. You\u2019ll also learn how you can eat cacti and its health benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cactus is a vegetable. You can prepare it as a single dish or add it to other foods like quesadillas, salads, fajitas, or sauces. The freshly green pads are the only part of a cactus considered a vegetable. These parts (also called nopales or cactus paddles) grow from the stem as shoots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The green pads don\u2019t feature the woody stem, making them edible when cooked or eaten raw. However, they have prickly spines that can injure your hands or tongue. The spikes can also cause allergic reactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you leave them in your flesh, they can collect bacteria and result in infections. You\u2019ll need to remove the spines when preparing your cactus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can consider cactus a vegetable or fruit depending on the part you\u2019re consuming. While some cacti contain edible pads and fruits, others might not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Prickly Pear cactus<\/a> contains edible fruits and pads. Cacti fruits (prickly pear or tuna) grow on top of the pads. The fruit can be red, yellow, purple, or green. When ripe, the cactus fruit is delicious. You can eat it raw or squeeze the colorful juice and add it to your favorite fruit juices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like the green pads (nopales), the cacti fruit has prickly spines that can injure your hands or tongue. So, ensure you remove the spines before eating the fruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below we look into other cactus parts you can eat depending on the plant species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is a cactus a vegetable<\/strong>? Cacti can be vegetables or fruits. Let\u2019s get creative and discover how to enjoy cacti as a vegetable or fruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can eat cactus vegetables raw by pairing them with your favorite flavors. However, raw cactus tastes bitter and might be a turnoff to some people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you prefer eating raw cactus, remove the prickly spines, clean and chop them into cubes. Add tomatoes, onions, sweet pepper, or tropical fruits to prepare salads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t like the bitter taste of raw cactus, you can boil, bake, fry, or grill it. Then, add the cooked cactus to salads, sauces, fajitas, or quesadillas. Alternatively, serve it as a garnish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The cacti pads or fruits can make healthy and tasty juices. You can put the green pads or the prickly pear in a blender to make a smoothie. Then add your favorite fruit juice to the smoothie to enhance its taste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have the Echinocactus or Ferocactus varieties in your garden, you can use them to obtain candy. These cacti varieties retain a lot of water in their stems. The plant juice is also naturally sweet, making them ideal for preparing candy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Start by cutting the stems and removing the thorns. Cut the stems further into smaller pieces and cook them. The drained juice will be ready to eat as candy in a few days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many types of cacti are safe to eat, but you must go for the edible parts. All cacti of the family Opuntia are safe to consume. Some include the Prickly Pear, Barbary fig, Bunny ears, Opuntia stricta, and Mexican giant cactus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other cactus species you can consume include the Elephant bush, Dragon fruit, Saguaro, Cerius Peruvianus, and Barrel cactus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What if you have cacti in your backyard and don\u2019t know whether they contain toxins? The most relevant question would be, which cacti are poisonous?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a list of cactus varieties considered poisonous:<\/p>\n\n\n\n These cacti contain toxic compounds, particularly psychedelic alkaloids, in their stems, leaves, flowers, and pads. When ingested, the toxin hardly goes through the digestive system, leading to vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, hallucination, and paralysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cactus can be a healthy part of our recipes when harvested and prepared correctly. Edible cacti have both nutritional and health benefits<\/a>. Cactus is rich in iron, Vitamins B and C, calcium, fiber, and potassium. It\u2019s also a good source of water because the plant contains 95% water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s discuss the benefits you\u2019ll get by incorporating cactus fruit or vegetable into your dishes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n They have antiviral properties<\/strong>: Cacti of the Opuntia family \u2013 such as the Prickly Pear \u2013 contain antiviral properties. When eaten, they can help fight viruses like HSV (herpes simplex virus) and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhich Other Parts of a Cactus Are Edible?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How to Consume a Cactus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Eat Your Cactus Raw<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Cook Your Cactus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Make Cacti Juice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Make Cacti Candy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Which Types of Cacti Are Safe to Eat?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Benefits of Consuming Cactus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n