Cacti

Cacti are a large family of spiny, succulent plants adapted to arid environments, and the fruits from some of which are edible. The most common food cacti are the prickly pears of the genus Opuntia, whose sweet fruits and tender young pads, known as nopales, are eaten fresh, cooked or processed into juices, jams and sweets. Cacti supply water, dietary fibre, minerals and antioxidant pigments in dry regions where few other crops thrive, and their cultivation is expanding as a climate-resilient food source.