Health benefits of ‘superfood' prickly pear cactus, spiking in popularity in Japan
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As one of the few farmers who grow edible cactus in the country, Miki Deguchi is convinced that the nutrient-packed plant is well on its way to becoming a staple.
The Opuntia genus, known as prickly pear cactus, is gaining national appeal in Japan for being rich in minerals, dietary fibre and other nutrients. It has a mild, refreshing taste and can even be enjoyed uncooked.
There is some evidence to back its 'superfood' label. In 2024, Japan's Chubu University set up the Research Initiatives Centre for Cactus and Succulent Plant Research in the city of Kasugai, where the cultivation of
ornamental cactus first took off in Japan.
Researchers at the centre confirmed that mice that were fed a diet mixed with cactus pear powder had elevated levels of mucin, a protein that covers the surface of the intestine and blocks viruses, and enhanced immune function.
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'I'm convinced that [the] cactus has great potential as a functional food,' said Mamoru Tanaka, an associate professor of food and nutrition at the university who took part in the research.
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