Chemistry and Functionality of Opuntia spp. Nopal Cladodes

Opuntia cacti are ideal crops for arid regions since they can generate biomass under water-stress conditions. Opuntia spp. are important as food and feed resources, with the young cladodes being harvested as a vegetable crop (nopalitos). Consumers are nowadays more health conscious and as a result, the food industry produce new food types based on nopalitos. Cladodes have a high nutritional value due to its contents of minerals, proteins, dietary fibre and phytochemicals. The chemical composition depends on the type of specie, environmental conditions, maturity stage, harvest season and post-harvest treatment. The soluble dietary fibre may help reduce body weight and calcium contents improves bone density. The beneficial properties are related to the mineral, phenolics, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids and amino acids. The medicinal properties of cladodes include prevention of chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, obesity and metabolic syndrome as they have anti-atherogenic, anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperinsulinemic properties. Wound healing properties of cladode extracts was also reported. This chapter deals with the chemistry, composition and functionality of both mature cladodes and nopalitos from different Opuntia spp.