are all pereskia edible?

[huertasurbanas]

Hi, I have pereskia aculeata since some days and it is a tasty cactus leaf, its fruits are nice too. Pereskia grandifolia and bleo have edible leaves too.

I am about to get some pereskia nemorosa: do you think that all pereskia species leaves are edible?

photo of p aculeata from internet:

[KarenRei]

I find no mentions on P. nemorosa either way, although perhaps I missed something.

It's one of those cases where the answer, barring other data, is "highly probable, but I wouldn't just guess it to be a fact".  There are plenty of genera that contain both edible and toxic members. E.g. if someone had grown up enjoying Strychnos spinosa, Spinosa cocculoides, and Strychnos pungens... oh hey, look over there, Strychnos nux-vomica, let's try that one! 

But, hey, maybe someone here from the areas of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay or Uruguay where it grows will chime in with local knowledge    You're in Junín? According to the distribution info it should be growing wild just to your northeast, including Entre Ríos.  Know any plant people there? 

BTW, you're the first person I've heard call the fruits of P.aculeata "nice".    But the nutritional profile on the leaves is just crazy good. Puts spinach to shame.

[huertasurbanas]

I find no mentions on P. nemorosa either way, although perhaps I missed something.

It's one of those cases where the answer, barring other data, is "highly probable, but I wouldn't just guess it to be a fact".  There are plenty of genera that contain both edible and toxic members. E.g. if someone had grown up enjoying Strychnos spinosa, Spinosa cocculoides, and Strychnos pungens... oh hey, look over there, Strychnos nux-vomica, let's try that one! 

But, hey, maybe someone here from the areas of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay or Uruguay where it grows will chime in with local knowledge    You're in Junín? According to the distribution info it should be growing wild just to your northeast, including Entre Ríos.  Know any plant people there? 

BTW, you're the first person I've heard call the fruits of P.aculeata "nice".    But the nutritional profile on the leaves is just crazy good. Puts spinach to shame.

Hi, hehe, I didnt tasted the fruits yet, but all the people I read on the net says they are good. About the leaf: I like it a lot; A friend told me yesterday on Facebook that he became intoxicated with p. aculeata var godseffiana and wheals all over her body; but to me the common aculeata did not did anything bad to me and I loved it. There is a lot of people eating p acueleata at Brazil...

About p nemorosa: yes, the seller is from Entre Ríos and she doesnt knows if you can eat it or not; but I found a doc on the net from Paraguay: they take them in tea

http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/suplementos/salud/amapola-260565.html

so maybe not toxic at all...

[KarenRei]

A friend told me yesterday on Facebook that he became intoxicated with p. aculeata var godseffiana and wheals all over her body

Maybe *too much* of some nutrients    Seriously, check out the PDF here:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26240444_Nutritive_evaluation_of_non-conventional_leafy_vegetable_Pereskia_aculeata_Miller

Versus spinach (comparing fresh leaves), it has 32x more calcium (100g of P. aculeata = as much calcium as 3 litres of milk***); 31 times more magnesium, 2,5 times more potassium, 3 times more phosphorus, 134 times more zinc, 4,5 times more iron, and 7 times more copper.  And the dry leaves are 28% protein and 39% dietary fibre.  Of the protein, by far the most common amino acid is tryptophan, which is an essential amino acid (the body can't synthesize it, and it's needed to make serotonin (the happiness neurotransmitter) and melatonin (the sleep hormone)).  Beta carotine levels are similar to spinach but vitamin C is 3,5 times more, and there's also lots of A and folic acid. 

It's like a vitamin pill.  Lots of things get called 'superfoods' that don't really warrant the label, but if anything does, it's P. aculeata. 


*** Since plant calcium isn't as bioavailable as dairy calcium, what your body actually absorbs is probably more equivalent to something more like 1/2l of milk.  But even still!

[greenman62]

actually, plant calcium is about twice as absorbable as from milk.
(especially if you stay away from high oxalates and phytates) or just blanch/steam/cook them.

also, milk is high in saturated fat, and ... lots of stuff i dont want.

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/plant-vs-cow-calcium-2/

A friend told me yesterday on Facebook that he became intoxicated with p. aculeata var godseffiana and wheals all over her body

Maybe *too much* of some nutrients    Seriously, check out the PDF here:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26240444_Nutritive_evaluation_of_non-conventional_leafy_vegetable_Pereskia_aculeata_Miller

Versus spinach (comparing fresh leaves), it has 32x more calcium (100g of P. aculeata = as much calcium as 3 litres of milk***); 31 times more magnesium, 2,5 times more potassium, 3 times more phosphorus, 134 times more zinc, 4,5 times more iron, and 7 times more copper.  And the dry leaves are 28% protein and 39% dietary fibre.  Of the protein, by far the most common amino acid is tryptophan, which is an essential amino acid (the body can't synthesize it, and it's needed to make serotonin (the happiness neurotransmitter) and melatonin (the sleep hormone)).  Beta carotine levels are similar to spinach but vitamin C is 3,5 times more, and there's also lots of A and folic acid. 

It's like a vitamin pill.  Lots of things get called 'superfoods' that don't really warrant the label, but if anything does, it's P. aculeata. 


*** Since plant calcium isn't as bioavailable as dairy calcium, what your body actually absorbs is probably more equivalent to something more like 1/2l of milk.  But even still!