Cactus Health Benefits – The benefits of cactus leaves are rarely noticed, whereas this spiny leaf has great benefits for health. Usually used for natural herbs in curing many diseases. In this article we will see many health benefits of cactus, may increase our health knowledge about.
Cactus is a plant that thrives in warm and hot climates such as Middle East, North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Mediterranean region. This spiny plant is classified into the genus opuntia.
Benefits of cactus leaves very much at all, usually made as juice, jelly, jam, alcoholic beverages and candy. While its use as medicine is covering the drug for minor injuries, burns, thanks to the high compounds present in the sap. This leaf contains vitamin A, vitamin C, and antioxidants that good to fight free radicals. In addition, cactus leaves also contain a number of nutrients such as sodium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus.
The cactus health benefits do not just get there. This leaf also serves as an anti-virus, anti-inflammatory, so it can be a panacea and effectively heal wounds. In fact, if the leaves of cactus in the extract then it is useful as a natural remedy to lower cholesterol and obesity.
Exceptionally, it’s just a glimpse of its usefulness. Here we look at the health benefits of cactus in more detail.
10 Cactus Health Benefits
1. Contains antioxidants
Only few people know that cactus leaves have a high drug value. Among the most important compounds are antioxidants. The high antioxidant in cactus is very good consumed to eliminate free radicals and keep the body stay young. In addition, the cactus also contains high caratenoid and is required by the health of the body. The high antioxidants make this leaf useful to prevent dangerous diseases such as cancer. You can try putting this leaf into your daily diet to get maximum benefit.
2. Lose weight
One of the benefits of cactus is being able to help your diet in lose weight. This is thanks to the high content of fiber in cactus leaves so that it can help remove waste properly and able to maintain a sense of satiety so you are not eager to increase the portion of food. In addition, cactus can also lower blood sugar and bad cholesterol.
Not only stop there, the cactus health benefits also can not be separated from thiamin and riboflavin useful to maximize fat burning and convert it into energy body. To get the health benefits, you can cook the cactus into jelly or consume as a salad that is wrapped in meat. You can also add it to the omelette and soup.
3. Function as anti-inflammatory
Cactus is also valuable as an inflammatory drug, based on research published in the journal in 2006, stated that the cactus is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatories are very beneficial for health. Cactus is also a source for quercetin bioflavonoids that are useful as an enzyme free radical damage. So, the cactus needs to be included in a healthy diet.
4. Mineral source
As a mineral source, cactus is also very important to consume, there are very many types of minerals in cactus that are useful to support our health. Among them are potassium, magnesium, phosphorus. This mineral is efficacious to encourage and improve body functions. Potassium and magnesium play a role to maintain muscle health and maintain its function. So, you can rely on cactus to meet the body’s mineral needs.
Also read: Sources of vitamin B-17
5. Contains essential fatty acids
The health benefits of cactus leaves are also related to the content of essential fatty acids, cactus containing linoleic acid which acts as an essential fatty acid. This essential fat is very useful for maintaining brain function, as well as cognitive. In fact, essential fatty acids are also proven to increase intelligence, so this is a tremendous benefit. See more: Worst Foods for Brain Health
6. Natural medicine for diabetes
One of the natural cures for diabetes is cactus, cactus contains pectin and fiber that can prevent the absorption of sugar and limit sugar in the stomach and intestines. A study conducted by the “foundation mayo” revealed that the cactus can reduce blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetics. Well, from the many nutrients we know that the cactus is very good as a diabetic health solution.
7. Promote eye health
Cactus contains vitamin A which is needed by the eyes. Thus, the cactus may reduce the percentage of risk of eye disease or macular degeneration. If you want to have healthy eyes, do not forget to include cactus in your healthy diet. See also: pink eye home remedies\
8. Good for heart health
As we have explain before, the cactus is beneficial to reduce body cholesterol levels, this means that he is able to maintain heart health because one of the biggest heart enemies is bad cholesterol. A study conducted in France found that cactus also affects the metabolic syndrome. Thus, decreasing cholesterol levels further reduces the risk of stroke, heart attack, and atherosclerosis.
9. Improve brain health
One of the benefits of cactus is to maintain and improve brain health. This is thanks to the presence of antioxidants, vitamins, folate, all these nutrients provide benefits to the brain, especially in protecting brain cell damage.
