5+ Health Benefits of Figs | Risks, Diet — Ex. Study

Figs fulfill sweet cravings and offer several health benefits of figs, which is one reason you’ll find fig-based recipes on many healthy eating websites. In fact, including figs in your diet may be beneficial even if you’re not trying to satisfy your sweet taste. The following list includes some of the health advantages of eating figs.

Figs come in a variety of forms. Of course, you may buy them fresh, but their harvest season is brief. Fresh figs may be found in the United States as early as May and throughout the fall. However, they move less than other products since they are fragile, very perishable fruit.

That’s the reason you see them transformed into different shapes. It’s simple to get dried figs, and they usually have no added sugar. Fig paste is also widely used, particularly in cookies and bars. Frozen figs can be found as well as purchased as jams and jellies (or made yourself).

Figs are tasty and highly nutritious, regardless of the shape they are found in.

Everything You Should Know About Figs

Figs are a tasty fruit with a sweet flavor that originated in the Middle East ages ago. They were indeed among the first plants that people cultivated. They grow well in areas with moderate winters. They are simple for amateur gardeners to raise at home. Figs are also regarded as a backyard delicacy. Though there are thousands of variants, the six most frequent ones are listed here. The six are Golden (though Golden is usually found dried, not fresh), Kadota, Sierra, Tiger, Brown Turkey, and Mission.

Figs are rich in nutrients and have several possible health advantages, especially when it comes to their leaves. They could help you control your blood sugar levels, lower your chance of heart disease, and encourage a healthy digestive system.

This study discusses figs nutritional value, advantages, and disadvantages, as well as how to include them in your diet.

Fig Nutrition

Fresh figs are an excellent complement to a balanced diet since they are high in nutrients and low in calories.

• A 40-gram little fresh fig has the following calories: 30
• Zero grams of protein
• Zero grams of fat
• 8 grams of carbohydrates
• One gram of fiber
• 3% of the Daily Value (DV) is copper.
• Magnesium: 2 percent of DV
• 2% of the DV is potassium.
• 2% of the DV is riboflavin.
• 2% of the DV is thiamine.
• B6: 3% of the Daily Value
• K: 2% of the Daily Value

A few fresh figs make a fine, low-calorie snack or supplement to a meal, although they do contain some calories from natural sugar.

However, because the sugar concentrates when the fruits are dried, dried figs are heavy in calories and sugar.

Trim levels of several other minerals are also present in figs, although copper and vitamin B6 are particularly abundant in them.

Crucial for many biological functions, such as energy generation and metabolism, blood cells, connective tissue, and neurotransmitter creation, copper is a mineral.

One essential vitamin that your body needs to produce new proteins and break down ingested protein is vitamin B6. It is also crucial for maintaining the health of the brain.

Can Figs Be Good For Our Health?

Figs have several health benefits, one of which is enhancing the condition of the skin and hair. For many, they also have a high nutritional value.

A fig is a soft fruit that has a thin, green, or purple skin. A fig’s core is usually red, and you may eat the whole fruit.

Figs have been used to treat disorders of the digestive tract and endocrine, reproductive, and respiratory systems in humans.

Health Benefits of Figs

Throughout ancient times, figs have been connected to prosperity and good health. They were sacrificed to the deity Bacchus in ancient Rome and are symbolically associated with Demeter, the Greek goddess of fertility and agriculture.

Figs are not your usual fruit technically, they are a group of inverted flowers that, given enough time, would bloom from the inside out. They are widely grown in regions that are hot, sunny, and dry for most of the year, such as the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

You’ve heard of “ figgy pudding,” which is a typical treat sweetened with figs before sugar became widely used. Nowadays, figs are becoming more and more popular as a healthy substitute for refined sugars as people start to move away from them.

Lower Hypertension

Hypertension, another name for high blood pressure, is a condition that can cause problems, including heart disease and stroke. Overeating sodium and not enough potassium can result in a potassium imbalance, which is one of the factors that causes high blood pressure.

Because they are high in potassium, figs can help balance that out. Meanwhile, the high fiber content of figs may aid in the body’s removal of extra salt.

Boost Your Digestion

Constipation and diarrhea are examples of digestive disorders. On the extremes of the range, consuming more fiber can be beneficial. Figs help with digestion in another manner besides just being substantial in fiber. They are a great source of prebiotics, which help to maintain gut health in general.

Boost Density of Bones

Figs are an excellent provider of potassium and calcium. Together, these minerals have the potential to increase bone density and stave against diseases like osteoporosis.

Notably, studies indicate that a diet high in potassium helps strengthen bones and lower bone turnover. In the meanwhile, increasing calcium intake has been demonstrated to increase bone mineral structure in children and adolescents. Calcium is a crucial structural component of bones.

May Aid Weight Loss

Although they are high in fiber and make a great mid-morning snack, figs are beneficial for weight reduction, especially for those following a weight-watching regimen. Anjeer that has been dried is a very wholesome snack. You may maintain longer intervals between your two meals by eating two or three dried figs, which will help you feel satiated for longer.

How to Add Figs in Diet

Figs are available at most supermarket shops. Ripe figs only endure seven to ten days after they are collected. Therefore, the best time to harvest is from mid-June to mid-October.

Pick ones that are soft but not mushy, with a deep color. Whole Foods Markets advises keeping your fruit in a small dish in the refrigerator when you get it home rather than in the container you bought it in. Like avocados, they will only keep for a few days before turning rancid.

By drying them, figs become more shelf-worthy and make portable, healthful snacks. Dried figs will be kept for 18 to 24 months if kept in appropriate storage.

To oven-dry figs, take the following actions:

1. Open the oven door and preheat the oven to 140 degrees Fahrenheit or the lowest setting.
2. Thoroughly wash the figs with water. Arid.
3. Slice the figs in half lengthwise.
4. Place the cut-side-up figs on a rack that has good ventilation.
5. After placing the figs in the oven, flip them from time to time as they dry.
6. Allow figs to air dry for 8 to 24 hours or until the skins become rigid and the interiors become devoid of juice.

Figs are often preserved and jammed to extend their shelf life. To preserve the freshness of your figs, freeze them no later than 12 hours after harvesting.

Risks and Side Effects of Figs

Fruit and leaves from fig trees may cause allergic responses in those with mulberry, natural rubber latex, or weeping fig allergies. When collecting fruit straight from the tree, it’s advisable to use gloves and long sleeves.

When using figs medicinally or ingesting them in food, those with diabetes should exercise caution since figs affect blood glucose levels. It also applies to anyone taking insulin or other diabetes medications, as the fruit may change how well they work. As always, consult a physician before taking fig supplements or utilizing them medicinally.

Wrap Up

A fig is a nutrient-dense fruit that is high in fiber and calcium. People can choose to consume dried or fresh figs, but they should be aware that the latter have more sugar and calorie content.

Because they are unlikely to damage anyone, figs can be used to help cure a wide range of ailments. Still, more evidence is needed to support many of the claims made regarding figs’ purported health advantages.

Originally published at https://explorestudy.org on February 4, 2024.