Benefits of the Key Ingredient – Prickly Pear for your skin, hair and your overall health!
10 Key Benefits of Prickly Pear for Your Skin, Hair & Health:
The prickly pear cactus, also known as the Opuntia, is an amazing….well, err, cacti; native to the Americas that has long been known to have a number of health benefits. The fruit of this brilliant plant – the actual pear aka the Aztecan ‘super food’ – is widely consumed in Mexico and the south-western USA where it is eaten in a variety of ways including with omelettes or made into jams.
The good folks of North and South America have long benefitted from eating this brilliant fruit, but let’s look at some of the benefits Opuntia can bring to your overall health:
1. Reduces The Effects of a Hangover and Freshens Up Your Mind & Body
The principal ingredient of Fresh-Hedz capsules, the prickly pear contains anti-inflammatory properties that help combat that banging head the morning after. Its antioxidants and minerals help the body bounce back and clear the mind.
2. Aides Digestion
Prickly pears have very high levels of magnesium that release hormones and enzymes helping with digestion. Fibre – crucial to the body’s digestion process – is also found in the fruit, but the plants ‘pads’ contains high levels of the stuff.
3. Boosts Your Immune System and Increases The Body’s Activity
The fruit consists of high levels of vitamins C (32% RDA) and minerals that are essential to your body’s immunity. It also contains carbohydrates and proteins that are vital to leading an active life.
4. Helps Keep Your Skin Healthy and Nourished
Like most cactus, the prickly pear thrives in arid conditions and as such have hydrating and antibacterial properties that can rejuvenate and revitalize the skin. The fruit contains fatty acids: Omega-3 and Omega-6. They may sounds like a bad thing, but fatty acids are vital to having healthy looking skin. The pear’s anti-inflammatory qualities also prevent pores from clogging.
5. Promotes Healthy Bones and Teeth
As mentioned earlier, the pear is high in magnesium. It also contains significant amount of calcium, crucial to the body’s bones and teeth. Magnesium plays an important role in the body’s calcium intake, as it cannot absorb the mineral without its presence. The fruit also contains copper which aides the body the absorb iron; central to the production of red blood cells.
6. Helps With Weight Loss
Prickly pears are a low energy food. Like many fruits, it is a good way to lose weight as an alternative food source. It contains only 41 calories per 100g.
7. The Anti-inflammatory Properties Soothe Against Insect Bites, Cuts and Scrapes
The oil from this fruit when applied directly to skin can alleviate the symptoms of swelling similar to the aloe Vera plant. It’s those anti-inflammatory properties again!
8. Helps Reduce The Body’s Cholesterol Levels
Early research suggests that the Prickly Pear reduces the body’s absorption of cholesterol through the stomach and intestines.
9. Balances Your Blood Sugar Levels In The Body
The fruit has been long been known to reduce blood sugar levels in the body, again by reducing the amount digested within the stomach and intestines. This is of particular interest to those who suffer from illnesses such as type 2 diabetes.
10. Revitalises Hair
The fruit’s seeds are high in those fatty acids, so the Prickly Pear is great for hair. We have already explored its benefits to the skin, and a healthy scalp in combination with nourished hair will produce great results. Many top hair care products contain these good fats for a reason. But with the fruit, you don’t have to worry about all those other harsh chemicals.