10 Health Benefits You Can Get From Eating Prickly Pears

Prickly pears are native to the United States, Mexico, and South America. They belong to the cacti family and come in unique colors like yellow, green, orange, pink, and red, based on their variety and ripeness.

Prickly pears are very sweet, with many people likening their flavor to one like watermelons, which makes every taste an enjoyable experience. However, the most profound features of prickly pears are the many health benefits gotten from eating them.

Here are ten we find most astonishing; prickly pears:

1. Lower Risks of Diabetes

Prickly pears (fruit cacti) help people with type 2 diabetes as they cause a significant reduction in glucose levels. Eating them regularly is therefore recommended to reduce the risks of the life-threatening disease.

2. Promote Sleep

Prickly pear contains magnesium, which promotes good sleep for people who have insomnia, long-lasting anxiety, or restlessness. Prickly pears also encourage the release of serotonin, which leads to an increase in melatonin levels.

3. Can Prevent Cancer

Prickly pears contain antioxidants like flavonoids, polyphenols, and betalains, which help neutralize free radicals that may cause healthy cells to become cancerous.

4. Boost the Immune System

Like most other fruits, prickly pears are rich sources of vitamin C, which is known to boost the immune system, stimulate the production of white blood cells, and act as an antioxidant.

5. Aid Metabolism

Vitamin C isn't the only vitamin in prickly pears; they also provide you with vitamins and essential minerals. The long list includes thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin-B6, all essential to cellular metabolism and enzyme function.

6. Keep Your Skin Looking Healthy

Prickly pears are considered anti-aging because they contain antioxidants and phytochemicals, which prevent wrinkling and age spots, the common signs of premature aging.

7. Can Aid Weight Loss

Prickly pears contain lots of fiber, heightening satisfaction after eating fibers and helping block the release of the hunger hormone, ghrelin. This means you'll eat less, and your body would still feel full.

Also, prickly pears contain a low amount of saturated fat and cholesterol. Still, they are packed with metabolic potential, so you are supplied with an incredible amount of energy for your body to function without gaining weight.

8. Aid Digestion

As mentioned above, prickly pears contain a high amount of dietary fibers, which are known to aid digestion by adding bulk to food and stimulating peristaltic movements.

9. Prevent Ulcers

According to scientific findings, prickly pears contain mucilage and fibrous material that can help prevent the development of gastric ulcers and ulcers caused by alcoholism.

10. Strengthen Your Heart

The fibers and low-cholesterol content of the prickly pear make it a good recommendation for people suffering from varying heart diseases. Also, they contain potassium, which causes relaxation of the blood vessels and consequently lowers blood pressure.

Keep in mind that: prickly pears should not be used as a substitute for medicine.