Nopales are the fleshy pads of the prickly pear cactus. Nopales are eaten all day in Mexico: had them in scrambled eggs, and also as a breakfast side - delicious little stir-fry with onion and tomato, and probably lard. They appear in salads and stews, at all-inclusive resort buffets where they hold well in steam trays, and in fine dining that is serving up local and traditional foods.

Possible benefits for reducing blood glucose

In the markets, I’d see women slicing off the thorns with a knife, and selling them in a bag (thorns off, they’re called nopalitos) either whole or cut into rectangular dice. They are reputed to have benefits for diabetics - being both low in carbs and emitting a gooey slime when cooked. One theory is that the slime traps carbs and fats, making it harder for the body to access them, resulting in lower blood glucose levels and fats entering the bloodstream. A small study showed lower blood sugar after a mixed breakfast including nopalitos than without. The test breakfasts involved a lot more carbs than I would normally eat, such as tortillas, flour tortillas, and pinto beans, with the reductions varying with different meal compositions. The authors concluded that nopales have a low glycemic index, and for the diabetic subjects (47–72 years of age, mean ± Standard Deviation fasting blood glucose of 8.0 ± 2 mmol/l), adding nopales to traditional breakfasts would reduce the blood sugar of diabetics, a growing problem in Mexico.

That said, I couldn’t find any large research studies testing its effectiveness in controlling diabetes, perhaps because it’s hard to get research money for something that can’t be patented or controlled. After all, nopale cacti grow for free in the desert. Break off a pad and plant it, and it takes root, creating a new plant. However, there are many supplement promotions for various health concerns, including hangover treatments.

Goo or not

I don’t know whether they have benefits for diabetics, or not, but they are one of my staples when in Mexico. I’ve always cooked them, but have read that they can be eaten raw with the normal precautions for raw vegetables. I don’t mind the goo, but others do - rather vehemently. Slimy foods seem to evoke that kind of reaction in goo-phobes. Personally, I’m good with goo, such as natto, the fermented Japanese soybean. And okra, slime and all. Soaking nopalitos in water with disinfectant drops seems to encourage the slime to ooze out of the little cuts where the spines were removed. If water and cutting encourage slime, then broiling whole, brushed with a little fat should work well. It was delicious that way in my starter at Las Mercedes. Diana Kennedy recommends slicing the pads in strips, but leaving them attached at the base. Dip in beer and grill on a lightly greased comal or griddle (The Art of Mexican Cooking, p.174).

Other goo-reducing advice includes choosing younger, smaller pads, and boiling in successive pots of water and discarding the water and the goo with it. I found that microwaving in a tight-lidded casserole with a minimum of water works fairly well. I usually fry them, and at the equivalent stage of a stir-fried vegetable, they are gooey. Eventually, though, the slime disappears. Longer fried, they were more citrus-flavoured than when lightly cooked.

Warm Nopales Salad Recipe

Here’s a simple recipe for nopales. I usually start with a tablespoon (25ml) of chopped red onion. If carbs are not an issue, use more. Saute the onion in some melted lard or your fat of choice, with a sprinkle of hing (asafoetida powder). Add the nopales, washed and cut into longish dice. Let them sit, then turn a little. Don’t keep stirring, unless you want a pan full of slime. After a few minutes, the nopales will be cooked, but if they are too slimy for your taste, keep cooking and turning periodically. Turn out into a bowl and add some chopped fresh serrano pepper, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped avocado, and salt or fish sauce. Tomato is good too, if carbs are not an issue. Taste and add a little red wine vinegar or lime juice to taste.