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Nopal (from the Nahuatl word ''nohpalli'' for the pads of the plant) is a common name in Mexican Spanish for ''Opuntia'' cacti (commonly referred to in English as ''prickly pear''), as well as for its pads. There are approximately one hundred and fourteen known species endemic to Mexico, where the plant is a common ingredient in numerous Mexican cuisine dishes. The nopal pads can be eaten raw or cooked, used in marmalades, soups stews and salads, as well as being used for traditional medicine or as fodder for animals. Farmed nopales are most often of the species ''Opuntia ficus-indica'', although the pads of almost all ''Opuntia'' species are edible. The other part of the nopal cactus that is edible is the fruit called the ''tuna'' in Spanish, and the "prickly pear" in English. Nopales are generally sold fresh in Mexico, cleaned of spines, and sliced to the customer's desire on the spot, they can also be found canned or bottled, and less often dried, especially for export. Cut into slices or diced into cubes, nopales have a light, slightly tart flavor, like green beans, and a crisp, mucilaginous (squishy) texture. In most recipes, the mucilaginous liquid they contain is sometimes included in the cooking. They are at their most tender and juicy in the spring.〔Aliza Green, ''Field Guide to Produce'', Quirk Productions, 2004, pp. 214–215, ISBN 1-931686-07-6〕 Nopales are most commonly used in Mexican cuisine in dishes such as ''huevos con nopales'' (eggs with nopal), ''carne con nopales'' (meat with nopal), ''tacos de nopales'', in salads with tomato, onion, and queso panela (panela cheese), or simply on their own as a side vegetable. Candied nopal is called acitrón. Nopales have also grown to be an important ingredient in New Mexican cuisine〔(Thorny Mexican food staple gains fame as folk cure ) by Frank Jack Daniel, Reuters (Mon Apr 16, 2007 10:34 AM ET)〕 and in Tejano culture (Texas). ==Nutrient content== Per US cup serving, nopal fruit is an excellent source of the dietary mineral manganese (20% of the Daily Value, DV) and a good source of vitamin C (13% DV), magnesium (11% DV) and calcium (14% DV),〔(【引用サイトリンク】 author = Nutritiondata.com )〕 with nutrient content improving as the plant matures. Its calcium may not be biologically available because it is present as calcium oxalate, a non-absorbable complex in the small intestine. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Nopal」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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