Cactus Seed Oil
(opuntia ficus indica oil)
As a boy, I would always accompany my grandmother when she went out into the fields to collect fresh grass and the ears of the cactus for our pets, and the cactus fruit for our own dessert. Although the place in which I grew up is very dry, the cacti remain green throughout the year. My grandmother would cut the ears of the cactus, which we then carried on a donkey back home. On arriving home she would make a fire in a clay oven to remove the thorns. When the ears were cut into small pieces they were a treat for our animals, especially the cows and bulls, which were in great demand at the market because of this diet.
Now I am again concerned with this cactus that I collected as a child. I have discovered cactus seed oil - obtained by the separation between the core of a prickly pear and its flesh. The oil of the cactus seed is very valuable and is obtained by the cold pressing of the seeds. It is very rich in vitamin E and sterols.
Cactus seed oil can be used in cooking and also for cosmetic purposes.