What are prickly pear benefits and side effects? Are prickly pears vegan? Gluten free? Acidic or alkaline? Low fodmap? Good for you? Healthy? Sustainable? Here are prickly pear pros and cons: all the info on prickly pears that every ethical consumer wants to know…
Food is something we consume every day. If you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on prickly pear benefits and side effects.
You are going to learn all about prickly pear benefits and side effects. This will include prickly pear benefits for your health and potential risks, prickly pear water footprint and carbon footprint, sustainability, if prickly pears are vegan or impact animals in other ways, and much more.
After learning if prickly pears are good or bad for you, the environment, animals and human rights, you will be able to make the best choices you can the next time you buy food.
This post is all about prickly pear benefits and side effects that every ethical consumer should know.
Prickly Pear Benefits And Side Effects
Health
Prickly pear benefits for health may include:
- alleviated hypertension
- colon cleanse and protection
- ulcer prevention
- reduced hangovers
- soothed stomach
- stabilized blood sugar levels
- boosted immunity
- cardiovascular health
- detoxification
- cancer prevention for breast, prostate, stomach, pancreatic, ovarian, cervical, and lung cancers
- heart disease prevention and heart health
- liver health
- lowered high cholesterol
- diabetes management and prevention
- liver protection
- reduced inflammation
- lowered risk of heart disease
- reduced inflammation
- stroke prevention
- anti-aging
- nail health
- strengthened bones and teeth
- weight loss
- anti-aging
- brightened skin
- conditioned, shiny and nourished hair
- cuts, wounds and blemishes healing
- reduced dark circles
- reduced hair loss
- skin softening and smoother skin
- wrinkle prevention (prickly pear oil)
Additionally, prickly pears are…
- Gluten Free
- Not a Common Food Allergen
- For some, side effects include mild diarrhea, nausea, increased stool volume, increased stool frequency and abdominal fullness
Environment
Water footprint: low, it takes 967 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of fruits / 116 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of fruits
Carbon footprint: low, 0.9 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of fruits, a car driving equivalent of 2 miles or 3.25 kilometers
Destruction: low, prickly pear production is relatively sustainable, there is no known significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as pesticides have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc.
Prickly pears are…
- Sustainable
Animals
Kills: none, prickly pear production does not require any animals to be killed
Harms: none, prickly pear production does not require any animals to be used
Indirectly kills or harms: none, no animals are indirectly killed or harmed from prickly pear production as long as toxic chemicals have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as pesticides harm and kill wildlife and ecosystems by contaminating soil, water, air and plants that animals eat
Prickly pears are…
- Vegan
- Harmful to wildlife and ecosystems unless organic
★★★★★
- Perfect for children ages 2-8.
- Available in paperback, ebook, audio formats.
- Suitable for vegan kids and vegan families (does not include farm animals, animal food products or byproducts).
- Written + Illustrated by HEALabel's Adriane Marie.
Laborers
Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Prickly pears…
- May involve worker exploitation, laborer issues, human rights concerns
Where do most prickly pears come from? 📍
The prickly pear cactus is native to the United States, Mexico, and South America, but grows in Africa, Australia, and the Mediterranean. The world’s top prickly pear exporting country is Canada, followed by USA, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Poland, Costa Rica, Lithuania, Germany and Greece.
Are prickly pears nutritious? 🥗
Prickly pears are high in fiber, antioxidants and carotenoids.
Other names for prickly pears? 🗣️
Other names for prickly pears are cactus pears, nopal and opuntia.
Are prickly pears gluten free?
Yes, prickly pears are gluten free. Prickly pears do not contain gluten. Prickly pears are a type of fruit, therefore making it a naturally gluten free food.
While celiac disease may not be as rampant as many marketing trends lead us to believe, you may have a gluten sensitivity…
Celiac and gluten sensitivity symptoms are similar and may include: recurring abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea, constipation, tingling, numbness in hands and feet, chronic fatigue, joint pain, unexplained infertility and low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis).
There are hundreds of potential symptoms, many of which are also symptoms of other conditions.
Going gluten-free easier than ever with this: Gluten and Gluten Free Foods List
Are prickly pears a common food allergen?
No, prickly pears are not a common food allergen. Some people may experience allergic reactions to prickly pears but it is relatively rare by comparison.
A group of the eight major allergenic foods is often referred to as the Big-8 and includes milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans.
Severe food allergies can be life threatening. Following ingestion of a food allergen, a person with food allergies can experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
Persons may still be allergic to and have serious reactions to foods other than the eight foods identified by the law.
Be aware of common dietary restrictions and food allergens with this: The Big 8 Most Common Food Allergens List
Water footprint of prickly pears?
Prickly pears likely have a relatively low water footprint compared to other foods.
It takes 967 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of fruits / 116 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of fruits.
Did you know that water is a finite, non-renewable resource? Once it’s gone, it’s gone!
We must do what we can to conserve fresh water and a major way to reduce needless water consumption is to change the way we eat. That’s not to say we need to reduce our water intake….quite the opposite. It’s important for our health to drink lots of water and eat foods that hydrate. The kind of water conservation we’re talking about here is behind the scenes.
How much water does it take to produce an apple? A serving of rice? A steak dinner?
We need to be aware of something referred to as a “water footprint”. That is, the amount of fresh water utilized in the production or supply of goods we consume. As it turns out it takes significantly more water to yield foods that come from animals than foods that come from plants. Imagine how much water a cow needs to consume to generate a piece of beef. Not only how much water a single cow drinks, rather all the water that went into producing the crops that the cow ate.
Find out how much water your food consumes with this: Water Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
Carbon footprint of prickly pears?
Prickly pears likely have a relatively low carbon footprint compared to other foods.
It takes around 0.9 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of fruits, a car driving equivalent of 2 miles or 3.25 kilometers.
Food not only has a water footprint but also a carbon footprint, known as CO2e, which stands for carbon dioxide equivalent. Since carbon measurements are a bit more difficult to comprehend, it is common to equate CO2e to the distance which a car drives in miles or kilometers.
When calculating product emissions, some factors that may be included are… farm equipment, animal feed production, hothouses (greenhouses), food processing, packaging, transport, refrigeration, freezing, package waste, and more.
But that’s not all!
It’s best to keep the following in mind when grocery shopping:
- shopping locally reduces transportation emissions
- food without packaging reduces waste as well as the carbon footprint
- refrigerated and frozen foods increase carbon emissions
- seasonal foods reduce carbon emissions from hothouses (greenhouses)
- growing plant-based foods at home is the most environmentally sustainable method with zero carbon footprint
Find out how much carbon your food emits with this: Carbon Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
Are prickly pears sustainable?
Yes, prickly pear production is relatively sustainable since there is no known significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as pesticides have not been used. Be sure to buy non GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc. when using regenerative practices.
Consuming animal products and byproducts is not environmentally friendly and is one of the worst things for the Earth. Not only is meat production wasteful, it causes enormous amounts of pollution. The industry is one of the biggest causes of climate change.
Read more about ‘What Makes Food Sustainable Or Unsustainable?’
Are prickly pears vegan?
Yes, prickly pears are vegan. Prickly pears are a fruit and not an animal product or byproduct, therefore making it a vegan food.
Animals of factory farming are suffering. They live in horrific conditions that often include confinement, physical abuse and unnatural environments…so much so that they need to receive antibiotics to keep from getting ill or spreading disease. Growth hormones allow all kinds of animals to become fatter faster and live short lives.
Because we cannot see for ourselves how these animals live and what they endure does not mean it isn’t happening. The meat, poultry and dairy industries do everything they can to distance us from knowing how our food comes to be in order to keep us in the dark about what we support each time we buy animal derived products and byproducts.
Go vegan for animals!
It’s the best way to help animals and it’s not as difficult as you may think. Speak for animals with your actions, for they cannot speak at all.
Going vegan is easier than ever, at a glance with this: Vegan and Non Vegan Foods List
Do prickly pears have human rights issues?
At this time there are no major concerns with prickly pear production but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening! It’s important to stay aware of human rights concerns and worker exploitation that may come with specific brands.
Some problems include workplace health and safety, child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence and unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks.
Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
Fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.
We can improve people’s lives with foods we eat every day simply by buying products that are certified fair trade.
Be sure to read up on this list of ‘Foods You Should Always Buy Fair Trade‘
Conclusion
Prickly pear pros include:
- numerous health benefits
- sustainable
- vegan
- alkaline
- gluten free
- not a common food allergen
- low carbon footprint
- low water footprint
Prickly pear cons include:
- for some, side effects include mild diarrhea, nausea, increased stool volume, increased stool frequency and abdominal fullness
- possible laborer exploitation (as with most foods)
- pesticide ingestion and contamination if not organic (as with most produce)
This post was all about prickly pear benefits and side effects.
Sources:
Prickly pears, raw – FoodData Central – USDA
Field Guide for Managing Prickly Pear – USDA Forest Service
Cactus Pear Could be the Sustainable Food and Fuel Crop
