Move over coconut water, you've had your moment in the spotlight, but there is a new water in town and it's name is nopal water or as the gringos like to call it, cactus water. So what the heck is cactus water and why is it set to give coconut water some serious competition for health-minded folks who want a little oomph with their agua? Nopal water is basically water infused with prickly pear extract. Nopales in general are great for you because they are high in fiber and full of antioxidants. There are benefits to drinking cactus juice, so it stands to reason that drinking water infused with cactus juice must be good for you too, qué no?
Read more ¿Qué más?: 5 Ways coconut water can help you lose weight
So what why sip on nopal water? Because …
1. Nopal water has half the calories and about half the sugar when compared to coconut water. Nice!
2. It has beta-carotene, vitamin B, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, calcium and other minerals and vitamins.
3. It contains naturally occurring electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous. These are the kinds of things that "sports" drinks have to add, but the nopal just comes with them.
4. There is some evidence to suggest that cactus juice can help with the nastiness of a hangover. You should hydrate after drinking too much alcohol so why not hydrate with some nopal water, which may help soothe some of the unpleasant side effects that come with a cruda?
5. It's easy to drink your nopales. If you aren't eating nopales regularly, then this is a great alternative to get some of the benefits that cactus provides.
Nopal water isn't widely available, yet, but I'll bet you it's only a matter of time before you see it taking up shelf space right next to coconut water, so keep an eye out for it if you're into that sort of thing.
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