For over 12,000 years fresh Nopal cactus has been consumed for its nutritional and healing qualities. Only recently, in the last 20 years, has modern science truly been interested in the investigation of Nopal's remarkable medicinal plant properties. The ancient Mexican cultures, living in the high mountain volcanic regions, originally adopted the Nopal prickly pear cactus as a healing food and treasured this high mountain variety, relegating Nopal cactus as the supreme healing plant and food among its kings and warriors.