Thank you!
Also, thank you for originally posting the ingredients.
That's very interesting as I now notice that NeOpuntia nopal cactus is listed as an ingredient. It's a Prickly Pear Cactus! We have it locally in our grocery stores as Mexican families prepare them!
Here's mention of the Prickly Pear from an article I had sitting in my health files from a while back (The full article contains a whole list of natural things. I kept it because it mentioned carob pods and calcium):
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According to long-standing traditions throughout northern Mexico, eating the young prickly pear cactus pad (once the stickers are removed) is said to help with diabetes. In the past 20 years, I have met dozens of people who claim to have had relief from adult-onset diabetes by consuming the cactus, and I've met three who actually stopped taking insulin. Doctors who have researched this have come up with some medical verification. They say that the prickly pear contains a substance that strengthens the pancreas so it is more able to produce insulin. Plus, they say the fiber content of the cactus is beneficial. Consuming the cactus fruits has also been shown to be helpful for prostate problems.
Prickly pear cactus is not restricted to the Southwest. It is common throughout the Plains, and at least one variety is common along the Atlantic coast.
Source: A better way to heal.(using easy-to-find plants for home remedies and nutritional supplements); Nyerges, Christopher
Mother Earth News 04-14-1997
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And here is a link with a history and references on Nopals (Spanish name for the cactus) with applications in herbal therapy: It Includes a study on diabetes. (This is a PDF file)
http://www.herbalsafety.utep.edu/herbs-pdfs/nopal.pdf
A bit from the link:
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The sliced or diced tender young pads or “paddles” (cladodes) of some species of the
genus Opuntia are commonly known as "nopalitos" (meaning “little nopales”), which
have been a traditional vegetable in the Mexican diet for centuries, and more recently, a
specialty vegetable in the United States. Usually, prickly pear cactus is consumed as a
fresh or cooked green vegetable (Pimienta, 1993; Russell and Felker, 1987). The cactus
pads, or stems, are sliced, diced and cooked (boiled or broiled) much like string beans,
and consumed as a salad or as part of a meal. (Nobel, 2002).
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Hmm, it looks like there are teas, capsules, and a ton of recipes for it online too. I'm very fascinated by this. hehe
Thanks again!
