A nopales merchant at his stand in the Merced market of Mexico City

Nopals are a vegetable made from the young stem segments of prickly pear, carefully peeled to remove the spines. They are particularly common in their native Mexico. Farmed nopales are most often of the species Opuntia ficus-indica, although the pads of almost all Opuntia species are edible. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 237 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Nopal Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 237 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Nopal Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create... Mexico City (Spanish: Ciudad de México, México D.F. or simply México, pronounced IPA: ) is the capital city of the nation of Mexico. ... Vegetables in a Market Venn diagram representing the relationship between (botanical) fruits and vegetables. ... A stem is the above ground axis of a vascular plant. ... Species Many, see text Opuntia is a genus in the cactus family Cactaceae. ... Raised thorns on the stem of the wait-a-bit climber Thorns on rose stems A spine is a rigid, pointed surface protuberance or needle-like structure on an animal, shell, or plant, presumably serving as a defense against attack by predators. ... Opuntia ficus-indica (Indian Fig Opuntia) is a long-domesticated cactus crop that is important in agricultural economies throughout arid and semiarid parts of the world. ...

Nopals are generally sold fresh or canned, less often dried to prepare nopalitos. They have a light, slightly tart flavor, and a crisp, mucilaginous texture. Canning is a method of preserving food by first heating it to a temperature that destroys contaminating microorganisms, and then sealing it in air-tight jars, cans or pouches. ... Drying is a method of food preservation that works by removing water, which is required for decay and the growth of microorganisms. ... Nopalitos is a dish made with diced nopales. ... Mucilage is a thick gluey substance, often produced by plants. ...

Nopales are commonly used in Mexican cuisine in dishes such as huevos con nopales (eggs with nopal), or "tacos de nopales". Nopales are also an important ingredient in New Mexican cuisine. Mexican food is a style of food that originated in Mexico. ... A carton of free-range chicken eggs Ostrich egg Bird eggs are a common food source. ... Tacos al pastor Plate of tacos A taco is a traditional Mexican dish comprised of a rolled or folded, pliable maize tortilla filled with an edible substance, while meat (generally grilled beef, picadillo, fish, chicken or pork) is most common, there are numerous regional and personal variations on the theme... New Mexican food is a type of regional cuisine that originated in the US state of New Mexico. ...

Nopals are very rich in insoluble and especially soluble dietary fiber. They are also rich in vitamins (especially vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K, but also riboflavin and vitamin B6) and minerals (especially magnesium, potassium, and manganese, but also iron and copper). Nopales have a high calcium content, but the nutrient is not biologically available because it is present as calcium oxalate, which is neither highly soluble nor easily absorbed through the intestinal wall.^[1] Dietary fibers are the indigestible portion of plant foods that move food through the digestive system and absorb water. ... Retinol (Vitamin A) Vitamins are nutrients required for essential metabolic reactions in the body [1]. Vitamins can act both as catalysts and participants in chemical reactions. ... Retinol, the dietary form of vitamin A, is a fat-soluble, antioxidant vitamin important in vision and bone growth. ... 3D representation of vitamin C Chemical structure of vitamin C Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient and vitamin essential for life and for maintaining optimal health. ... Vitamin K denotes a group of 2-methilo-naphthoquinone derivatives. ... Riboflavin (E101), also known as vitamin B2 or vitamin G, is an easily absorbed, water-soluble micronutrient with a key role in maintaining human health. ... Pyridoxine Vitamin B-6 is a water-soluble vitamin. ... Dietary minerals are the chemical elements required by living organisms, other than the four elements Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Oxygen which are ubiquitous in organic molecules. ... General Name, Symbol, Number magnesium, Mg, 12 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, Period, Block 2, 3, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 24. ... General Name, Symbol, Number potassium, K, 19 Chemical series alkali metals Group, Period, Block 1, 4, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 39. ... General Name, Symbol, Number manganese, Mn, 25 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 7, 4, d Appearance silvery metallic Atomic mass 54. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Atomic mass 55. ... General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 4, d Appearance metallic pinkish red Atomic mass 63. ... General Name, Symbol, Number calcium, Ca, 20 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, Period, Block 2, 4, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 40. ... Calcium oxalate is a chemical compound that forms needle-shaped crystals. ...

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