Prickly pear (cactus fruit) has 41 kcal and 3.6 g fiber per 100 g. The spiny skin must be carefully peeled — wear gloves. The sweet, seedy pulp is eaten raw or juiced.
How should I track Prickly pears?
Prickly pears is high in magnesium. When tracking Prickly pears, weigh the edible portion — after peeling, coring, or removing seeds. The part you throw away does not count, but it can make up 20–40% of the total weight depending on the fruit. A systematic review (Whitton et al., Adv Nutr 2022) found that fruits are among the most commonly misestimated food groups. One more thing to watch: fresh and dried versions have very different calorie density. A handful of dried fruit can have the same calories as a whole bowl of fresh — always double-check which form you are logging.