Exotic fruits of cacti: properties, composition and recipes. Description of plant species suitable for food

For people in Africa and South America, cactus fruits are an integral part of their daily diet. Yes, cacti have fruits. They are grown and sold by stalks, seeds and, of course, fruits in markets and in stores. In the world there are about 172 fruiting species of the Cactus family.

From the article you will learn about the types of cacti that have fruits, which of them are edible, as well as about the chemical composition, indications and contraindications for use, you will find recipes.

Types of fruiting edible plants of the desert and photos with them

Most edible cacti grow in South and Central America, tropical Africa and India, Greece and Cyprus. Consider the most famous plants among the fruiting representatives of the Cactus family. Also in the photo you can see how they look.

Prickly pear

Popularly known as the "Barbary fig."

The fruit of the plant is located on the prickly edges of flat fleshy leaves.have a pear shape.

The average fruit size is 7 cm, the skin color is from pale yellow to dark red. The pulp is white, green, red, violet or yellow, depending on the variety. Seeds 3 mm in diameter are caught in the pulp.

Fruit picking time: September-November.

The fruit is covered with a large number of thorns that must be removed before use.

About prickly pear and agave are described here, and about the prickly pear prickly pear, read this material.

Pitahaya or pitaya

The botanical name of the plant is Hilocereus. A creeping creeper creeper native to the tropics. It is curious what the fruits of pitaya are called. Common The popular name for the cactus fruit is Dragon Heart..

The fruit is bright red or pink, the flesh is white, yellow or pink with small edible black seeds. The weight of the fetus varies from 150 gr. up to a kilogram.

The cactus gives up to 6 crops per year, from May to November.

Selenicerius large-flowered

Known popularly as the "Queen of the Night". It is a yellow variety of pitaihaya, it has not only a unique, juicy and delicate taste, but also the largest flowers of all Cactus.

The main importer of the Queen of the Night is Colombia, where it is grown along with coffee on plantations located over 1,500 meters above sea level.

Proliferator Mammillaria

Fruits appear on the cactus at the same time as flowering; they have an oblong shape and are colored with all shades of red. The berry-shaped cactus fruit has a sour, juicy taste similar to barberry. The fruit has a length of 0.5 to 5 cm.

Ripsalis

Epiphytic plant that lives mainly in the rainforests of Brazil. After small bell-shaped flowers fade, berry-like fruits are formed that taste like gooseberries.

Melocactus

It is also called "Candy Cactus" or "Melon Cactus." After flowering gives ellipsoidal berries, the color of which varies from pink to purple. The fruits have a sour taste.

Schlumberger (or Christmas)

In Russia, it is widely known as the "Decembrist." It gives the fruit a bright ruby ​​color, about 2 cm in length. The ripening time of the fetus is 1 month. The fruit tastes juicy with acidity.

We offer you to watch a useful video about how Schlumbergera ties fruit:

How many times in a life does a plant bear fruit?

• The most fruitful of the fruit-bearing cacti is pitahaya, it begins to give 5-6 fruit crops for 2-3 years of life.
• Opuntia blooms a maximum of 3 times per season and does not always produce a large crop after the first flowering.
• The flowering of mammillaria continues for several months in the spring with the parallel formation of fruits for several months.
• Ripsalis blooms once in late winter and early spring.
• Melocactus reaches the age of flowering at 6-8 years of life, can bloom several times from spring to autumn.
• Schlumbergera can bloom several times a year, subject to low temperature maintenance.

Are all cactus fruits and berries edible?

All fruits that give cacti are not poisonous.. However, not all of them are eaten by humans. Berries of Decembrist and Ripsalis mostly serve as food for birds and animals.

Reference: Animals and birds, eating cactus fruits, also distribute their seeds over a large area.

Useful and healing properties

"False berries" are not only eaten, but also used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Fruits of cacti practically do not contain calories and consist of 70 - 90 percent of water. Moreover, they are rich in vitamins (C, B1, B2, B3, PP) and minerals (iron, phosphorus, calcium); include fiber and antioxidants.

Chemical composition and calorie content

Most often there are 2 types of food: prickly pear and pitahaya.

Pitahaya is 90% water, as well as:

1. Proteins - 0.52 g.
2. Fats - 0.1-0.58 g.
3. Carbohydrates - 10-13 g.
4. Fiber - 0.35-0.9 g.
5. Ash - 0.5 g.

Calorie content: 40 Kcal / 100 gr.

Prickly pear:

• Proteins - 0.73 g.
• Fats - 0.51 g.
• Carbohydrates - 5.97 g.
• Dietary fiber - 3.6 g.
• Ash - 1.64 g.
• Water - 87.55 g.

Calorie content: 41 Kcal / 100 gr.

Indications and contraindications for use

In different forms, the fruits of the plant are shown with:

• diseases of the immune system;
• obesity;
• heart disease
• diabetes mellitus;
• gastrointestinal tract disorders;
• toothache;
• cosmetic issues.

Contraindications:

• cystitis;
• acute form of hemorrhoids;
• hypotension (low blood pressure);
• allergic reactions;
• individual intolerance;
• pregnancy and lactation.

How are they?

Prickly pear - first you need to remove all the needles from the fetus (the procedure is done with protective gloves, the remains of the thorns are sanded and washed with water), then cut in half and eat the pulp with a spoon. Taste the fruit has a juicy, sweet and sour taste, reminiscent of raspberries.

Pitahaya - has a soft shell without needles, which is easily cut with a knife. The food is pulp with seeds. The taste of the fruit is often spoken of as a mixture of strawberries and kiwi with a slight nutty flavor.

The peel of both fruits is inedible.

There are no restrictions on the use of cactus fruits.

We suggest watching a useful video about how the fruits of prickly pear are:

Recipes

Pitahaya salad

• 1 PC. pitahaya.
• 1 avocado.
• 1 head of red onion.
• 100 gr. crab meat or chopsticks.
• 200 gr. homemade yogurt.
• 1 tablespoon of honey.
• 1 tbsp lime juice (lemon).
• Cilantro.

1. Halve the avocado and pitahaya, separate the pulp and cut into small cubes.
2. Dice the crab meat, finely chop the cilantro and onion.
3. For dressing, mix yogurt, honey, lime juice and spices to taste.
4. Stir all the ingredients and put in halves of avocado and pitahaya.

Pitaya smoothie

• 1 PC. pitahaya.
• 1 PC. mango.
• 1 kiwi
• 5-6 pcs. strawberries.
• A handful of blueberries.
• Sprig of mint.

All fruits are separately mashed in a blender and lay out in a long transparent glass in layers. Smoothie is decorated with blueberries and mint on top.

Prickly pear jam

• 6 fruits of prickly pears.
• 2 cups of sugar.
• 2 tbsp lemon juice.
• Half a teaspoon of cinnamon.

1. Cut the prickly pear pulp from the thorns and peel into cubes and add the rest of the ingredients (on how not to prick the cactus and what to do if it happened, read here).
2. The pan is put on low heat for 10-15 minutes (the contents are stirred occasionally).
3. The finished jam is rolled up or stored in a transparent container in the refrigerator (up to 2 months).

We suggest watching a useful video on how to prepare a variation of prickly pear jam:

Cactus berries can be served on any table, as a separate dish or as a complement to yogurts, cocktails, ice cream and sweets. The fruits of the amazing inhabitants of the deserts are not only tasty, but also very useful.

The benefits and harms of cacti, as well as recipes from plants, can be found in this material.

Watch the video: The Cheapest Healthiest Fruit in the World You Haven't Eaten (May 2024).