Fruit
Prickly Pear
Prickly pear (Opuntia fruit/tuna) has juicy magenta, orange, or green flesh with many hard seeds and a spiny peel. Flavour is mild watermelon-berry. Glochids demand care. Burn or scrub spines, peel, and eat sliced, or blend and strain for drinks and sorbets. Mexico and the Mediterranean are strongholds. Strain seeds for smooth beverages.
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A sample of named types with their own origin and culinary profiles.
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Nutrition and pairings
Nutrition
Typical values per 100 g edible portion. Nutrient names open the reference page.
Nutrition Facts
Per 100 g edible portion
Amount per 100 g
- Total Fat 0.29 g
- Saturated Fat 0.05 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 0.09 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Sodium 5.07 mg
- Salt 0.01 g
- Total Carbohydrate 12.9 g
- Dietary Fibre 2.01 g
- Total Sugars 10.8 g
- Complex / starch 1.06 g
- Protein 0.84 g
- Water 78.5 g
- Energy 58.7 kcal
- Water 78.5 g
- Carbohydrates 12.9 g
- Sugars 10.8 g
- Monosaccharides 7.52 g
- Disaccharides 3.23 g
- Starch 1.06 g
- Amylose 0.27 g
- Amylopectin 0.8 g
- Digestible Starch 0.9 g
- Resistant Starch 0.11 g
- Fibre 2.01 g
- Soluble Fibre 0.7 g
- Insoluble Fibre 1.31 g
- Protein 0.84 g
- Plant Protein 0.8 g
- Fat 0.29 g
- Saturated Fat 0.05 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 0.09 g
- Vitamins 90.9 mg
- Vitamin A 20 µg
- Vitamin B1 — Thiamine 0.03 mg
- Vitamin B2 — Riboflavin 0.04 mg
- Vitamin B3 — Niacin 0.43 mg
- Vitamin B5 — Pantothenic Acid 0.21 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.08 mg
- Vitamin B7 — Biotin 1.1 µg
- Vitamin B9 — Folate 15.6 µg
- Vitamin C 48 mg
- Vitamin E 0.31 mg
- Vitamin K 5.1 µg
- Minerals 397 mg
- Major Minerals 391 mg
- Trace Minerals 6.2 mg
- Salt 0.01 g
- Sodium Chloride 0.01 g
Vitamins
vitamin-c: 48 · vitamin-a: 20 · vitamin-b1-thiamine: 0.03 · vitamin-b2-riboflavin: 0.04 · vitamin-b3-niacin: 0.43 · vitamin-b5-pantothenic-acid: 0.21 · vitamin-b6: 0.08 · vitamin-b7-biotin: 1.1 · vitamin-b9-folate: 15.6 · vitamin-e: 0.31 · vitamin-k: 5.1 ·
Minerals
Sodium: 5.07 · Potassium: 323 · Calcium: 63 · Iron: 0.8 · Zinc: 0.4 · Iodine: 5 ·
Fruit energy is mostly natural sugars with fibre and vitamin C varying by species.
History
Prickly Pear was used as a fruit food in regional diets long before industrial packing and global year-round supply.
Trade, migration, and selection spread distinctive Prickly Pear types and preparations into new climates and cuisines.
Modern production, storage, and transport made Prickly Pear a regular purchase far from where it is grown or raised.
Cooks now treat Prickly Pear as both staple and specialty, with more attention to provenance, variety, and form.