10/14/2025
After 3-4 weeks of drinking this juice with my momma it's got me hooked! This is my favorite go to drink now after a run or workout before my first meal. It's like a light meal that holds me over before my whole foods. It curbs the appetite.
Her recipe is more diabetic friendly. It consists of only the nopal, pineapple, cucumber & lime. Less sugar is best for diabetics. And we would add the salt right before drinking.
My recipe has all the same ingredients as our celery juice minus the ginger root and the addition of Himalayan salt. Just different ratios.
It's a must try if you like eating nopal and want to consume its benefits another way. 😁
NOPAL Benefits:
💚 Blood sugar regulation / antidiabetic effect
- The soluble fiber and mucilage may slow down absorption of sugar in the gut. Some small human trials have shown that consuming nopal with or before a high-carbohydrate meal lowered post-meal glucose and insulin spikes.
💚 Antioxidant / anti-inflammatory effects
-The flavonoids, betalains, and phenolic compounds can help quench free radicals, reduce oxidative stress, and modulate inflammatory pathways.
💚 Cholesterol / lipid profile improvement-
- Some small studies suggest reductions in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides with consumption of prickly pear / nopal extracts.
💚 Liver health / steatosis (fatty liver)
- Animal models fed cactus (4% Opuntia in diet) showed reductions in liver triglycerides and improvements in biomarkers (ALT, AST) vs. controls.
💚 Support for digestive / gut health
- The mucilaginous fiber can help with regular bowel movements, act as a prebiotic (feeding beneficial gut bacteria), and soothe irritation in the gut lining. Likely helpful, especially for mild issues.
💚Potential antiviral / nerve protection
- Some lab studies suggest antiviral activity (HSV, HIV, RSV) and neuroprotective effects in cell/animal models. Very preliminary; not reliable for therapeutic use at this point.
