Cactus plants can be intimidating because they have prickly thorns, but don’t be scared of them because they are super delicious and super healthy. There’s a reason why these plants thrive in the desert and that’s because they hold on to moisture better than anything else. This is why we are seeing more and more products that include these nutritious plants that are not only great to eat but also great for your beauty regimen.
Prickly Pear Cactus: These cactus are fairly inexpensive and can be found at your local Mexican grocery store. They are called “nopales” in Spanish and are used in various dishes among the Hispanic community. There are many products that include nopales because they have an excellent reputation because they are great for digestion and even weight loss. These beauties grow barrel-looking fruits that come in different shades of green and even pink, they are super sweet when eaten raw, and they are slowly making their way into gourmet dishes. This plant is packed with calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus, as well as antioxidants Omega 6 and Omega 9. It contains linoleic acid and zinc, two ingredients that are often found in expensive moisturizers. They also have amino acids, which naturally stimulate collagen production, which helps keep your skin firm and looking young, and as an added bonus it also helps protect you from the sun, wind and environmental pollutants.
Aloe Vera: This type of cactus has long pointy leaves, but it’s the watery gel that has all the good stuff. Aloe vera has many vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, such as vitamin A, C, and E, calcium, zinc, folic acid, and over 75 others. You can find Aloe Vera on a number of moisturizers and even sunscreen and sunburn cooling gels. Aloe gel helps new cell growth, helps with burns, and helps keep cracked skin moisturized. It contains two hormones, Auxin and Gibberellins, which provide wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties that reduce skin inflammation and even aids in digestion. This a great tool to add to your morning green juice!
Agave: This is a popular ingredient used to produce tequila and in mixed drinks because agave nectar is a natural sweetener that tastes similar to honey. We are seeing more and more beauty products containing agave, such as moisturizers, lipsticks, and shampoos because it’s a super moisturizer. Agave has the ability to break down dead cells and refreshes your skin, it acts are a gentle exfoliant, reduces acne, has anti-aging properties, reduces wrinkles, and soothes irritated skin.
As you can see there are many benefits to using these cactus plants and products that include these ingredients. Don’t let their prickly thorns scare you because what’s inside of these plants is really amazing. The easiest ways to open a prickly pear is with a knife and fork, be careful not to touch it with your bare hands because the thorns are very fine and can go inside your skin. Aloe Vera plants can be found planted or you can buy individual leaves, these are less thorny, but you can also cut through them with a knife and then scrape off the gel inside. You can find agave at most stores, you may find it in the sweeteners section or in the organic aisle. Not ready to try the real thing? Don’t worry, there are many beauty products that include these ingredients, so you don’t have to do the dirty work! Make sure you look at the label in the back to see what percentage they include to reap the most benefits.