Nopales are the flat paddles of the cactus and tunas, or prickly-pears, are the fruit. The cacti grow throughout Mexico and have long been used as an important part of Mexican cuisine. So important is the nopal to Mexican history that it is pictured on the country’s flag, where the coat of arms displays an eagle perched upon the prickly-pear cactus.

Nopales have become prized world-wide because of their amazing nutritional propertie