Tuna can be found growing in different parts of Africa.
Depending on the location, prickly pears are loved or despised. Widely known as tuna in the Hispanic community, these segmented desert cactus orbs have been used as food, drink, and medicine for centuries in Central and South America, particularly Mexico, but can be found transplanted in many other arid regions such as the Mediterranean Europe. The prickly plants are protected in areas of the southwestern United States, but are detested in places like Australia, where they are considered weeds and often dead on sight.
Some species of tuna, which provide the popular fresh and canned fish, can grow to more than six feet in length and weigh hundreds of pounds.
The prickly pear belongs to the cactus genus Opuntia, also known as nopal cactus. These plants are found in large clusters of paddle-shaped spiny segments, often blooming deep purple, gradually changing to a pale green hue. The plants are native to the drier regions of the Americas, but have spread to dry regions around the world.
In places like Greece, Italy, and other arid regions of the Mediterranean, cacti became widely accepted. They can also be found clinging to life in cooler climates along the Great Lakes and in Canada. Tuna can also be found growing in North Africa and South Africa.
Tuna can be added to a salad.
In other places, such as Australia and the West Indies island of Nevis, tuna cacti have been hunted for specific infestations of moth larvae. These efforts were aimed at destroying what the authorities at these sites considered to be an invasive weed species. US states now blame the Caribbean eradication effort for the most current moth infestations. Ironically, this status of Western environmentalists threatens protected populations of tuna in the southwestern United States and Mexico.
For many in the Western Hemisphere, where it originated, tuna is a valuable medicinal resource. The plant’s wealth of antioxidants and alkaloids is hailed for its nutritional benefits, and recent research is aiming to isolate certain strains of this cactus that may work as a treatment for diabetes. While the jury is still out on whether this cure will come, indigenous populations have used it as a folk remedy for centuries to soothe the intestines and heal damaged skin. Fermented prickly pear also forms the base of a traditional Mexican alcohol called colonche, which combines hallucinogenic and sedative effects.
Some may look at a tuna fruit and think that it might be difficult to prepare or eat. However, once the gloves are put on, all worries can be over. To get to the edible parts inside, the top and bottom of the shovel are cut off and then a cut is made from edge to edge, allowing the skin to be removed. Inside is a fruit that can be sliced or diced and added to a salad, seeds and all, or blended intensely into a juice. This juice can be drunk as is or added to other juices for a cocktail.