Nopal Cactus 600 mg 60 Capsules

Nopal Cactus Vcap vegetarian capsules, provided by Douglas Laboratories®, contain 600 mg of the cactus Nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica). Nopal, also called prickly

pear, is a perennial cactus that grows in semi-tropical area throughout the world. Nopal's content of gums and mucilages is thought to reduce the absorption of sugars and fats from the gastrointestinal tract.

Nopal cactus, traditionally used to control glycemia in diabetics, has been shown in scientific studies to effectively attenuate postprandial hyperglycemia. Studies comparing the glycemic and insulin indices of foods commonly eaten in

Mexico show that nopal cactus has the lowest indices of all.

Nopal's therapeutic effectiveness may depend chiefly upon its content of gums and mucilages.These hydorphilic polysaccharide molecules may bind not only water as they increase in volume, but also sugars and fats as they are caught within the

voluminous matrix of mucilage and water. Nopal consumption has also been demonstrated to reduce plasma low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol

levels. Treatment of obese patients on a low 800 Kcal,hypoglucidic diet, with mucilage such as found in Nopal Cactus, resulted in a weight loss greater

than that obtained with diet alone. The investigators of this study suggested that the

mucilage treatment reduced plasma cholesterol by limiting intestinal absorption of bile acids.Another way that nopal may effectively lower body weight is by reducing appetite. The increased volume in the stomach afforded by the swollen mucilage and water matrix of ingested nopal may more quickly produce a feeling of satiety and thus limit caloric intake.

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