Top 5 Edible Cactuses: Add More Excitement to Your Cooking and Gardening

By Olive Marie Apr 16 2020, 11:26 AM EDT

Cuisines, including Mexican cuisine, constantly evolve. Therefore, words such as 'authentic' or 'real' are frequently loaded. Incidentally, the Mexican cuisine's history deep and long, predating by centuries, the Republic itself.

A lot of foods found in the Mexican pantry can carry the earliest ancestries.

More so, chili, tomatoes, beans peppers and tomatoes ranked among the first-cultivated foods of the world and were considered staples of ancient Mayans and Aztecs.

Additionally, peanuts, squash, and avocados were native to Mexico, as well. And, in 1521, conquest intensely impacted the Mexican cuisine everyone knows at present.

If you're into cooking and your specialty is Mexican cuisine, you might want to add some excitement to your food. Why not try adding some edible cactuses to your dishes?

What's even better is that you can plant them in your backyard for future cooking! Here are five of edible cactuses you can get at reasonable prices from Amazon.

Fresh Edible Spineless Cactus

Also known as the 'Fresh Cactus Paddles (Nopales), these are very nutritious and rich in fiber. They are versatile, too, with fiber-rich and low-fat, rich ingredients for various recipes.

These edible cactuses have high Vitamin C levels, natural antioxidants, and a lot of vitamins and minerals.

What's even better about these plants is that they have anti-inflammatory effects, and they boost the immune system. These cactuses can be used to sauté in, and add to, scrambled eggs and tacos, or side dish with onions and tomatoes.

Perennial Prickly Pear Cactus

Aside from it, being edible, this 'Prickly Pear' is a hardy and attractive cactus. It produces "an edible reddish fruit" with pads that can also be eaten when peeled. Both indeed are edible, not to mention, having various options for preparations.

For those with a green thumb, these pads can also be planted and rooted. The 'Prickly Pear' is typically quite straightforward and low to maintain, and is usually simple to grow, making them perfect for beginner gardeners.

Cactus Pad Spineless Thornless Edible

Aside from them being edible, these spineless thornless edible cactuses appear decorative and are quite simple to grow. Also, they grow continuously, not to mention bottomless.

Their pads don't have big thorns either, although they have some tiny hairy spines, also known as "glochids." For gardening purposes, experts advise the use of gloves or tweezer when handling the pads.

Super Food Spineless Opuntia Prickly Pear Cactus

Easy to grow, this Super Food Spineless Pear Cactus you can get from Amazon is edible not just by humans but for iguanas, reptiles, and tortoise. Indeed, even if the pets love this cactus, even humans can eat it. Perfect as an emergency food supply, this cactus perfectly grows by planting them in sandy soil. Wait for one month for the "pear cactus" to root.

Nopalitos Spineless Prickly Pear Cactus Pads

One can grow his own Napolitos Cactus from these pads, as well. Cooking enthusiasts are sure to find this cactus an exciting add-on to their recipe along with onion and tomatoes with each other. Considered the most flavorful of all the pads, this product from Amazon has been tested for years. Whether the plant is for old family recipes or new recipes, these quality pads help create the most delectable dishes.

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