Nopal cactus benefits weight loss is great for people trying to lose weight. Herbal supplement manufacturers primarily sell nopal as a natural plant that can help you lose weight. The high fiber content of nopal helps to regulate your appetite and reduce the amount of fat in your body by helping your body to break down and excrete the fat. Nopal cactus also contains a good amount of calcium and manganese.
Additionally, several manufacturers claim that the amino acid content of nopal helps your body pull fluids back from your tissues into your bloodstream, therefore decreasing cellulite and fluid retention. Studies show the nopal cactus can play an important role in maintaining healthy weight levels. Researchers in Berlin, Germany recently showed that nopal cactus fiber binds to dietary fat and increases its excretion from the body, thus reducing the dietary fat that gets absorbed. Ultimately, the process helps in reducing a person’s body weight.
Nopal Cactus Benefits Weight Loss: Nutritional information
One cup of raw nopal cactus contains approximately:
14 calories
1 gram (g) of protein
less than 1 g of fat
3 g of carbohydrate
2 g of fiber
1 g of sugar
20 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin A
8 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C
141 mg of calcium
4.6 mcg of vitamin K
Diabetes
Several studies have suggested that nopal may offer protection against the development of diabetes or aid in its treatment. In a small study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, researchers found that people who ate nopal with a high-carbohydrate breakfast had lower blood sugar and insulin levels after the meal.
Digestion
Thanks to the high dietary fiber content of nopal cactus, these cacti can help move foods along your digestive tract. The compounds in nopal cactus also reduce internal inflammation, so your body will be able to digest foods more efficiently. That means less constipation, diarrhea, and bloating and an increased chance of avoiding ulcers and colon cancer.
Reduces Blood Sugar Levels
Extracts from Nopal cactus reduce blood sugar levels. Some people with type 2 diabetes use it as an aid (complementary) to regulating blood glucose levels together with medicine. If you are considering trying taking Nopal extracts or adding it to your diet and you have concerns or problems with blood sugar levels, or you have any disease connected with this issue please be careful with nopal cactus, because they can cause a sugar drop in your blood. Get a medical advice or consult your doctor about this. There have been studies done on nopal cactus genus Opuntia and they show that it can successfully reduce blood glucose levels.
Reduces Fatigue and Boosts Energy Levels
Nopal cactus are very popular in some countries and millions love them for their taste. People noticed that lightweight nopal cactus meal like salads provide good energy and refresh you when you feel tired. This allows more energy to exercise and lose weight. Same goes for pressed juice or other drinks and beverages made from nopal cactus.
Flushes Excess Fluid
Nopal cactus benefits weight loss can help flush excess fluids from tissues into your bloodstream. Obese people many times have this problem when excess fluids accumulate in tissues. This can be due to their unhealthy lifestyle or other health related issues. There are complicated mechanisms in body that regulate liquid levels in tissues. Even cellulite is a problem related to this mechanism and is not necessarily caused by fat cells as commonly believed.
Nopal cactus are high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are a healthy addition to a balanced diet and may help increase weight loss when eaten with a balanced meal.