Benefits of Drinking Cactus Water in Dubai and UAE

According to health buffs, the water from trendy desert plants can help us to stay young and beautiful for longer

Posted on

23 October 2018

| Last updated on 13 November 2018

by Rebecca Roberts

All credits: PA

The cult of infused waters has been pretty big business in recent years.

First, we all smugly chugged on coconut water, and then we discovered the low-calorie benefits of tapping our drinks directly from trees instead, with the likes of maple tree sap and birch water catching on with stressed-out city workers.

But now there’s a new superdrink on the scene that health nuts are going wild for, and it’s definitely one of the weirdest yet: Cactus water.

Not just cute additions to your windowsill or Instagram feed, the low-maintenance house plants seemingly have some pretty amazing benefits for mind and body too.

Stay ahead of the curve with our guide to everything you need to know about this season’s hottest hydrator…

First off, it doesn’t taste like a plant

Maybe it’s the rubbery texture or the prickly spikes, but the idea of sipping on a cactus doesn’t sound too appealing.

Thankfully, cactus water is actually made from the fruit the plants bear, not the plant itself, and it’s for this reason is smooth. It also tastes surprisingly light and sweet.

It seems strange that cacti could be such a source of hydration, since they tend to prefer desert-like conditions, but because they’re found in arid environments, they’re capable of storing lots of water to survive.

Don’t go thinking you can throw any old potted cactus from your local garden centre in your NutriBullet though. Cactus water is made specifically from the nopal or ‘prickly pear’ cactus, a flat and wide species native to Mexico.

The plant, which bears a juicy red fruit, is a big deal in Mexican cuisine, where it’s regularly scrambled up in breakfast eggs and stirred into taco fillings. Bottled cactus water is already popular there, as well as in the Middle East and America. In the UAE, brands like CALIWATAER offer cactus water as part of their range.

OK I’m listening, so what can it do for me?

Undoubtedly, cactus water’s big selling point is taurine – an amino acid that’s also naturally made in the body. An antioxidant that helps support muscle tissue repair, it’s ideal for gym buffs to take along to their next high-intensity workout. It’s been linked to increased performance levels, can help you fend off exhaustion for longer and enhance the body’s use of oxygen.

Interestingly, the nopal cactus is also contains all 24 known betalains (the only fruit that does), which have strong antioxidant properties. They’re also thought to improve the appearance of your skin, and reduce puffiness.

As well as helping you to look better after a night out, you’ll probably feel better internally too. Cactus water drunk before consuming alcohol has been shown to reduce nausea, improve dry mouth symptoms, and half your chances of feeling thoroughly hungover.

If you’re not convinced by coconut water, this might just be the sweeter alternative you’ve been looking for. It also has half the calories of most major coconut water brands.

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A post shared by True Nopal Cactus Water (@truenopal) on Aug 7, 2018 at 9:38am PDT

If the taste isn’t for you though, people are slathering it on their skin too

If you’re reading this and thinking, ‘You’ve gone too far this time’, there are ways you can tap into the trend without having to wince your way through a cactus shot every morning.

Applied topically, our prickly pals can work wonders on the ol’ visage too. This is because they’re packed with high levels of essential fatty acids like vitamin E and flavonoids, that can nourish skin and soothe inflammation.

Try Tata Harper’s cult Purifying Mask (AED 280, cultbeauty.co.uk), which is infused with prickly pear seed oil, followed up with a layer of Becca’s First Light Skin Priming Filter (AED 133, spacenk.co.uk), which uses prickly pear flower extract to keep skin looking dewy during the winter months.

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