Prickly Pear Cactus

Prickly pear cactus is used to make food, red dye, hair conditioner, and possibly medicine. The fruit of the prickly pear is carefully peeled and eaten. Flour is made from the tiny edible seeds inside the fruit. The branches are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. Prickly pear nectar and red dye are made from the fruit juice and pulp.

The fruit and branches of the prickly pear are rich in slowly absorbed soluble fiber that help stabilize blood sugar. Researchers are studying the prickly pear to determine its usefulness in lowering bad cholesterol and the amount of insulin needed by people with diabetes.