The fruits of the prickly pear fruit, which is called “parchment” in the Arabian Peninsula, as well as other parts of the aloe vera plant, are sparking a wave of medical research and studies to verify their health benefits. This plant with delicious fruits is spread in large parts of the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East, and even in the entire Mediterranean basin. The results of a study conducted by researchers from Mexico, and published in the May issue of the Journal of Diabetes Care, indicated the effects of adding parts of the leaves of parchment trees, or prickly pear, to breakfast meals on the blood sugar level of diabetics. It is part of a series of studies issued to researchers from Mexico and other regions of the world on the fruits and leaves of parchment that can be eaten safely.
The researchers said that if they were able to prove the benefit of this vegetable addition to breakfast dishes in particular, in influencing blood sugar control, they would thus provide one of the practical solutions to facilitate blood sugar control and reduce the amount of medication that patients must take on a daily basis, which leads to Improving patients’ health on the one hand, and reducing the financial cost of treating them, on the other hand. They mentioned that it is the custom of people in Mexico to benefit from the leaves of parchment trees, or prickly pear, by adding them to the ingredients of the traditional breakfast. Therefore, these parts are commonly eaten and it is not financially expensive for people to obtain them. On the other hand, researchers from the Autonoma de Baja California University in the city of Tajiana in the Mexican state of Baja California said that it is traditional for Mexicans to eat the leaves of what is called “nopal,” a type of cactus tree, and they are used in preparing several dishes, such as tacos or adding eggs. To it, in sweets, or otherwise. These leaves are rich in vitamins and minerals, but the most important thing is that they are very rich in soluble fiber, which is useful in reducing the intestinal absorption of sugars, cholesterol, and fats. This leads to lowering the glycemic index of other food products, if they are eaten with parts of parsley leaves added to them. That is, it reduces the rise in blood sugar directly when eating dishes containing food products with a high glycemic index
