If you’ve never heard of prickly pear before, you’re not alone. Even though it’s one of the most widely grown cacti on Earth, it’s still a bit of a hidden gem in the U.S. Meanwhile, around the world—from Mexico and the American Southwest to the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Middle East, and India—prickly pear has been loved for centuries.

It’s tasty, colorful, and surprisingly powerful. Let’s get into why we’re so obsessed with it (and why your future self the morning after might be, too).

A Little Cactus With a Passport ✈️

The fruit of the prickly pear is bright, refreshing, and a little bit like a strawberry met a watermelon. It’s eaten fresh, turned into jams, jellies, candy, and sauces, or used for its vibrant juice in mocktails and cocktails.

The cactus pads are also edible and commonly sautéed or grilled as a vegetable. In other words, prickly pear is not just pretty—it’s practical, versatile, and delicious.

The Science: How Prickly Pear Helps Your Body Bounce Back 🧪

In the mid-1990s, researchers started exploring prickly pear beyond the kitchen. They already knew it had strong antioxidant properties, but it turned out to do even more: it helps your body respond to stress.

When your body is under stress—think intense exercise, extreme environments, or drinking alcohol—it produces special proteins called heat shock proteins. These act like tiny first responders:

• They help repair cellular damage
• They protect your cells from further stress
• The quicker they show up, the better you feel later

Research has shown that prickly pear can help your body activate these protective proteins more quickly—giving your cells a head start when stress hits.

So… Can Prickly Pear Help With Hangovers? 🍹

In the early 2000s, researchers at Tulane University wanted to know the same thing. They already knew alcohol causes inflammation and suspected that inflammation plays a major role in how “hungover” you feel.

Since prickly pear has antioxidant properties and helps protect cells, they wondered: could it also help reduce that inflammation and, with it, hangover symptoms?

While the study couldn’t fully prove that heat shock proteins were the only mechanism at work, the results were clear: prickly pear made a difference. A later study in the early 2010s showed that prickly pear helped protect blood cells from alcohol-related stress as well.

Hangover science unfortunately doesn’t get a lot of research funding—but the studies we do have are very promising.

Why Prickly Pear Is a Star in Toast!’s Before You Drink Gummies ⭐

With all that science behind it, adding prickly pear to our Before You Drink Gummies was an easy yes. Its antioxidant support and ability to help your body respond to stress make it a perfect fit for your “before the party” ritual.

We also made the gummies portable and shareable. Toss a pouch in your bag or pocket, hand them out before the night really starts, and instantly become the friend who came prepared with party favors.

This blog is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Always drink responsibly. 🥂