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(Prickly Pear) Prickly pear and Indian fig are common names for cactus fruit (Opuntia
stricta), which grows on the Nopal cactus, a southern Florida native. Studded
with barbs, the prickly pear fruits are oval and 3 to 4 inches long, with skin
colors ranging from reddish to greenish-yellow to orange-tan. The reddish-purple
flesh contains hard, edible seeds which, unfortunately, take away some of the
fun of eating this sweet fruit which is a good source for vitamin C. Available
in the produce department from August to December, purchase prickly pears that
give slightly to pressure and allow them to ripen until soft on your countertop.
When ripe they may be refrigerated for up to a week. When ready to eat,
carefully avoid the barbs while slicing off both ends. Then score down the
length of the skin and peel it away. The fruit may be cut into pieces for
eating. (Photo-right, to enlarge click on photo
or link) See nutritional chart below.
NDB No: 09287
Nutrient | Units | Value per 100 grams of edible portion |
Number of Data Points |
Std. Error |
1.00 X 1 cup ------- 149g |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Proximates | |||||
Water |
g
|
87.55
|
4
|
2.791
|
130.45
|
Energy |
kcal
|
41
|
0
|
0
|
61
|
Energy |
kj
|
172
|
0
|
0
|
256
|
Protein |
g
|
0.73
|
3
|
0.103
|
1.09
|
Total lipid (fat) |
g
|
0.51
|
2
|
0
|
0.76
|
Ash |
g
|
1.64
|
3
|
0.586
|
2.44
|
Carbohydrate, by difference |
g
|
9.57
|
0
|
0
|
14.26
|
Fiber, total dietary |
g
|
3.6
|
0
|
0
|
5.4
|
Minerals | |||||
Calcium, Ca |
mg
|
56
|
1
|
0
|
83
|
Iron, Fe |
mg
|
0.30
|
0
|
0
|
0.45
|
Magnesium, Mg |
mg
|
85
|
2
|
0
|
127
|
Phosphorus, P |
mg
|
24
|
1
|
0
|
36
|
Potassium, K |
mg
|
220
|
2
|
0
|
328
|
Sodium, Na |
mg
|
5
|
2
|
0
|
7
|
Zinc, Zn |
mg
|
0.12
|
0
|
0
|
0.18
|
Copper, Cu |
mg
|
0.080
|
0
|
0
|
0.119
|
Selenium, Se |
mcg
|
0.6
|
0
|
0
|
0.9
|
Vitamins | |||||
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid |
mg
|
14.0
|
1
|
0
|
20.9
|
Thiamin |
mg
|
0.014
|
1
|
0
|
0.021
|
Riboflavin |
mg
|
0.060
|
1
|
0
|
0.089
|
Niacin |
mg
|
0.460
|
1
|
0
|
0.685
|
Vitamin B-6 |
mg
|
0.060
|
0
|
0
|
0.089
|
Folate, total |
mcg
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
9
|
Folic acid |
mcg
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Folate, food |
mcg
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
9
|
Folate, DFE |
mcg_DFE
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
9
|
Vitamin B-12 |
mcg
|
0.00
|
0
|
0
|
0.00
|
Vitamin A, IU (1) |
IU
|
43
|
4
|
43.333
|
64
|
Vitamin A, RAE |
mcg_RAE
|
2
|
4
|
2.167
|
3
|
Retinol |
mcg
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Lipids | |||||
Fatty acids, total saturated |
g
|
0.067
|
0
|
0
|
0.100
|
4:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
6:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
8:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
10:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
12:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
14:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
16:0 |
g
|
0.052
|
0
|
0
|
0.077
|
18:0 |
g
|
0.010
|
0
|
0
|
0.015
|
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated |
g
|
0.075
|
0
|
0
|
0.112
|
16:1 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.002
|
0
|
0
|
0.003
|
18:1 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.072
|
0
|
0
|
0.107
|
20:1 |
g
|
0.001
|
0
|
0
|
0.001
|
22:1 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated |
g
|
0.213
|
0
|
0
|
0.317
|
18:2 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.186
|
0
|
0
|
0.277
|
18:3 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.023
|
0
|
0
|
0.034
|
18:4 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
20:4 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
20:5 n-3 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
22:5 n-3 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
22:6 n-3 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
Cholesterol |
mg
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Other | |||||
Alcohol, ethyl |
g
|
0.0
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
Carotene, beta |
mcg
|
25
|
4
|
24.5
|
37
|
Carotene, alpha |
mcg
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
Cryptoxanthin, beta |
mcg
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
4
|
Footnotes:
1 Green variety
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17 (2004)
Return to: Ingredients Description and Photos
The
above recipe is in keeping with God's creation intent (Genesis 1:29-31):
'Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every
tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the
earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-- everything that
has the breath of life in it-- I give every green plant for food." And it was so. God saw all
that he had made, and it was very good.' (NIV) Let no animal suffer or die that we may live!