Can you eat the fruit of a cactus? You'll understand after reading this

The fruit of the cactus is called cactus fruit. Generally, cactus fruit has a rather long growth period, bearing fruit only once every three to four years, and each time it does not bear many fruits. The skin of the fruit is also covered with a layer of barbed spines. Some people ask, can you eat the fruit of a cactus? Let's look at the introduction below.

Can you eat the fruit of a cactus?

The fruit of the cactus is edible, and it can also be eaten raw. Research shows that cactus fruit extract has remarkable effects such as accelerating wound healing, making the skin soft and delicate, preventing dry skin, and reducing wrinkles, because cactus fruit is rich in antioxidants, riboflavin and thiamine (vitamin B1), making it an excellent nutrient for moisturizing and caring for the skin. In addition, cactus fruit can also promote the normal proliferation and regeneration of human fibroblasts, which is very helpful for the healing of both internal and epidermal wounds.

Middle Eastern countries are mostly desert, and the summer climate is hot, but this gives the locals a rare "treat for the palate" - cactus fruit. Every July and August, cacti as tall as a person are covered with cactus fruit, waiting under the scorching sun for people to pick. The peddlers in these countries push carts or set up street stalls to sell "cactus fruit" the size of duck eggs. The fully ripe "cactus fruit" is bright red, covered all over with small spines, and looks lumpy, but it actually tastes slightly sweet, can promote salivation and quench thirst, and relieves internal heat. The local way of eating cactus fruit is to first soak it in clean water for a few hours so the small spines fall off naturally, then when eating, use a small knife to peel off the outer layer of skin, and chew and swallow the flesh together with the seeds inside. Although the texture is not as pleasant as eating a banana, it is said that eating these seeds is very good for preventing and treating stomach problems.

How to eat cactus fruit

1. Eat it directly. As long as the skin and sharp spines are removed, the fruit of the cactus can be eaten directly. If it is frozen before eating, the flesh will taste even more tender, smooth and refreshing.

2. Break open the skin and take the flesh with honey and warm boiled water; the effect is even better, and it is fresh and sweet.

3. It can be used to make sugar and brew alcohol.

4. Make juice. Scoop the cactus fruit into a blender and blend it, pour the juice through a strainer to remove the seeds, and then you can drink it directly or mix it with milk.

Precautions for eating cactus fruit

1. People with weak spleen and stomach should eat less, and those with deficiency-cold should avoid it.

2. There is an 8-angled spine at the head of the cactus fruit. Be careful before eating it; at best your throat will be cut, so try not to let children eat it alone, and in severe cases it can be life-threatening! Cactus fruit has many spines, large and small, so be careful when peeling it. You need a pair of gloves, a long pair of tongs, a small knife, a large sheet of paper, and a large bowl as tools. Put on the gloves, lay paper where you will peel the fruit, place the fruit on it, use the tongs to grip the body of the cactus fruit, cut off both ends, rinse the tip of the tongs, then use the tongs to hold both ends, use a small knife to score an opening along the fruit, then along the cut use the small knife to pry it open to both sides, and the skin will come off. Then put the peeled fruit into the large bowl. If you are worried, just rinse it with water again before eating.

3. Not all cacti are edible; some wild cacti are not edible, and this point should be noted when purchasing.

4. Do not eat too much cactus, because cactus contains toxic alkaloids, which after consumption can act on the central nervous system. If eaten too much, it may cause people to have various hallucinations.

Because cactus fruit is a cooling fruit, it should not be eaten too much! Moreover, it contains toxic alkaloids, and eating too much can easily cause poisoning. The toxic alkaloids act on the central nervous system and cause various hallucinations.