Category: Native Plants

Curanderismo, Native Plants

Medicinal uses of Xoconostle

The habitual consumption of the skin and fruit of the xoconostle can be useful in the control of serum glucose in individuals with Type 2 diabetes. In healthy people xoconostle can help prevent hyperglycaemic states and potentially reduce the concentration of cholesterol and triglycerides which may be related to metabolic syndrome.(Pimienta-Barros etal) Xoconostle pears (Opuntia matudae) have attracted the attention of researchers around the world due to this … Continue reading Medicinal uses of Xoconostle

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Native Plants, The Kitchen

Frutos de Cactus : Xoconostle

The xoconostle (from Nahuatl xoconōchtli – ‘Xococ’ = ‘sour’ and ‘nochtli’ = tuna or prickly pear fruit) is native to central México and the arid semi-desert areas such as: Coahuila, Zacatecas, Jalisco, San Luis Potosi, Guanajuato, Queretaro, State of Mexico and Hidalgo. It is the fruit of a type of Opuntia cactus. There are more than 15 varieties of this fruit. Opuntia joconostle, O.chávena, O.lasiacantha Pfeiffer, O.matudae and O.delafuentiana are noted … Continue reading Frutos de Cactus : Xoconostle

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Native Plants, The Kitchen

Pulque Production

The processing of pulque happens in four stages. Castration Pit scraping and aguamiel extraction Seed/mother preparation Fermentation Castration It can take between 7 and 40 years before an agave is ready to harvest the aguamiel and it can take an expert to know when exactly to castrate the plant, if done too late then the plant will produce no aguamiel, if done too early then aguamiel production will be greatly … Continue reading Pulque Production

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Herbs, Native Plants

A Note on Deer Weed : The Danger of Common Names

Yerba del venado (Hierba de Venado, Yerba del ciervo) The first text I have come across that refers to papaloquelite under the moniker “deer weed” is that of Hernandez who writes of the herb MAZATLIPAPALOQUILITL or deer papaloquilitl. mazatl. Principal English Translation: deer. – Frances Karttunen: MAZĀ-TL pl: MĀMAZAH – MAZĀ-MEH deer / venado (M), ciervo quilitl. Principal English Translation: edible herbs and vegetables – … Continue reading A Note on Deer Weed : The Danger of Common Names

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Native Plants, The Kitchen

Pulque as a Cooking Ingredient

As the flavour and texture of pulque can be somewhat confronting it is often mixed with other ingredients to produce a drink known as a pulque curado. Curados can be flavoured with fruits (pineapple, mango, strawberry, watermelon), vegetables (celery, tomatillo, maize), nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts) or other flavours (oats, tamarind, coconut, cajeta). Much like the Mexican artistry in producing unusual flavour combinations for paletas the options … Continue reading Pulque as a Cooking Ingredient

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Curanderismo, Native Plants

Medicinal Uses of the Maguey

The maguey has been used in the treatment of syphilis, to accelerate the healing of wounds, as a cure for gonorrhoea, is a formidable antiseptic of the stomach and intestines and has laxative properties. According to the Antiguo Recetario Medicinal Azteca, to treat syphilis; the fluid extract of the maguey root is used, from which 10 drops are taken in the morning dissolved in a little water and 10 … Continue reading Medicinal Uses of the Maguey

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Native Plants, The Kitchen

Is Tequila Medicinal?

In 2018 it was popularly reported that the consumption of tequila was linked to (and may actually be good for) weight loss. Unfortunately this was just media generated hype. The key issue with the misrepresentation of this information involves a particular type of carbohydrate known as a fructan, more specifically agavin. A paper was presented at the 247th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in … Continue reading Is Tequila Medicinal?

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Curanderismo, Native Plants

The Medicinal Qualities of Nopal Cactus

The Opuntia species of cactus (also called Nopal cactus) has been used for food and medicinal purposes in México since before the time of the Aztecs. The fruits (knowns as tunas in México) and the “leaves” (botanically known as cladodes) are eaten on a daily basis. The cladodes in particular are a tasty and nutritious green vegetable (once the spines have been removed).  As a vegetable it … Continue reading The Medicinal Qualities of Nopal Cactus

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Native Plants, The Kitchen

Frutos de Cactus : Tunas. The fruit of the nopal.

The fruits of the cactus are also known as prickly pears (or sometimes Indian figs) and come in a range of colours from green to yellow and the whole spectrum of pinks and reds. They too both have medicinal and culinary uses. Cactus fruit contains substantial amounts of ascorbic acid, vitamin E, carotenoids, fibres, amino acids and antioxidant compounds (phenols, flavonoids, betaxanthin and betacyanin). These phytonutrients … Continue reading Frutos de Cactus : Tunas. The fruit of the nopal.

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