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Ethnobotany
Food
Opuntia ficus-indica is commercially produced widely in Latin America, the Mediterranean and the Middle East as a food crop. Tunas are eaten fresh or dried to be made into jellies, jams, beverages, candies, juice, and other common fruit products. Colonche is an alcoholic drink, made from the tuna juice, that has been consumed in Mexico for hundreds of years.
The nopales or nopalitos are consumed as a vegetable. Nopalitos have been eaten by ancient Americans for thousands of years and are heavily featured in Mexican cuisine. Before the sharp spines harden, the pads are harvested and sold fresh – or preserved similarly to pickles. They are a common addition to salads, eggs, tacos, beans, potatoes, and meats among other savory dishes. Nopales may also be breaded in cornmeal, fried, or served alone.
Nopales are highly nutritious and are a rich source of dietary fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. content. They are also low in calories and cholesterol, while high in protein. The importance of tuna and nopalito production in Mexico rivals that of maize and agave.
Medicine
The stems, fruit, and flowers of Opuntia ficus-indica have been used as medicine since its domestication thousands of years ago in Mexico. Prickly Pear cacti have been the focus of research studies that support its many traditional uses. Nopal cacti have proven to have diuretic, pain-killing, and anti-parasitic traits. They have also been proven to be a tonic for the cardiovascular system. The stems are commonly used to treat ailments of the liver, kidneys, and stomach. A poultice made from the roasted and crushed stems are commonly used to treat tumors and wounds while also providing external pain relief. The flowers have astringent properties and can be applied externally to reduce bleeding. Tuna juice is used to treat respiratory conditions, especially coughs. The chopped fruits have been applied for rheumatic pain and nosebleeds. Prickly Pear is also being researched for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, memory-enhancing, anti-depressant, anti-allergenic, anti-spasmodic, and anti-microbial properties.
Tools
The thick water-retaining stems of Prickly Pear cactus can serve as a source of water in a pinch. The cacti are also used in landscapes as “live fences” to reduce erosion and to rehabilitate landscapes. Opuntia ficus-indica is being considered for its potential future in bioethanol production in arid landscapes. It has a great potential as a raw material for biogas production, thanks to the high sugar content, which is an important energy source aiding in the natural fermentation process.
In Mexico, juice from the pads is used as an ingredient in lime mortar, which is used to repair, bind, and waterproof buildings. The mucilage in the pads is naturally binding. In traditional adobe housing, the pulp from nopalitos is used to cement and water-proof building materials. Adobe buildings are made from natural materials such as sand, clay, water, and organic matter from straw and cacti. The mixture is made into bricks and dried in the sun, then used to build homes, walls, and roofs. In arid climates, such as Mexico and the American Southwest, some of the oldest existing buildings on the planet are made from adobe building materials. The Taos and Acoma pueblos in New Mexico were built from adobe in 1000 CE and are still inhabited today.
Prickly Pear is also used as a feed for livestock. Dairy farmers in its native region say that it enhances the quality of the milk. Regardless of its effect on milk, in times of drought Opuntia ficus-indica can be used as a source of water for dehydrated cattle.
Ethnobotany
Food
Opuntia ficus-indica is commercially produced widely in Latin America, the Mediterranean and the Middle East as a food crop. Tunas are eaten fresh or dried to be made into jellies, jams, beverages, candies, juice, and other common fruit products. Colonche is an alcoholic drink, made from the tuna juice, that has been consumed in Mexico for hundreds of years.
The nopales or nopalitos are consumed as a vegetable. Nopalitos have been eaten by ancient Americans for thousands of years and are heavily featured in Mexican cuisine. Before the sharp spines harden, the pads are harvested and sold fresh – or preserved similarly to pickles. They are a common addition to salads, eggs, tacos, beans, potatoes, and meats among other savory dishes. Nopales may also be breaded in cornmeal, fried, or served alone.
Nopales are highly nutritious and are a rich source of dietary fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. content. They are also low in calories and cholesterol, while high in protein. The importance of tuna and nopalito production in Mexico rivals that of maize and agave.
Medicine
The stems, fruit, and flowers of Opuntia ficus-indica have been used as medicine since its domestication thousands of years ago in Mexico. Prickly Pear cacti have been the focus of research studies that support its many traditional uses. Nopal cacti have proven to have diuretic, pain-killing, and anti-parasitic traits. They have also been proven to be a tonic for the cardiovascular system. The stems are commonly used to treat ailments of the liver, kidneys, and stomach. A poultice made from the roasted and crushed stems are commonly used to treat tumors and wounds while also providing external pain relief. The flowers have astringent properties and can be applied externally to reduce bleeding. Tuna juice is used to treat respiratory conditions, especially coughs. The chopped fruits have been applied for rheumatic pain and nosebleeds. Prickly Pear is also being researched for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, memory-enhancing, anti-depressant, anti-allergenic, anti-spasmodic, and anti-microbial properties.
Tools
The thick water-retaining stems of Prickly Pear cactus can serve as a source of water in a pinch. The cacti are also used in landscapes as “live fences” to reduce erosion and to rehabilitate landscapes. Opuntia ficus-indica is being considered for its potential future in bioethanol production in arid landscapes. It has a great potential as a raw material for biogas production, thanks to the high sugar content, which is an important energy source aiding in the natural fermentation process.
In Mexico, juice from the pads is used as an ingredient in lime mortar, which is used to repair, bind, and waterproof buildings. The mucilage in the pads is naturally binding. In traditional adobe housing, the pulp from nopalitos is used to cement and water-proof building materials. Adobe buildings are made from natural materials such as sand, clay, water, and organic matter from straw and cacti. The mixture is made into bricks and dried in the sun, then used to build homes, walls, and roofs. In arid climates, such as Mexico and the American Southwest, some of the oldest existing buildings on the planet are made from adobe building materials. The Taos and Acoma pueblos in New Mexico were built from adobe in 1000 CE and are still inhabited today.
Prickly Pear is also used as a feed for livestock. Dairy farmers in its native region say that it enhances the quality of the milk. Regardless of its effect on milk, in times of drought Opuntia ficus-indica can be used as a source of water for dehydrated cattle.