However, some mothers found it difficult to follow their daily dietary program because of the morning sickness condition. Well, perhaps if carbohydrate is too hard to consume, why don’t try something more delicious and fresh like this figs fruit; which is not only helping you dealing with your morning sickness but also provides all nutrients required for your unborn baby. Below are health benefits of figs during Pregnancy and some reasons why consuming more figs during pregnancy is highly recommended.

Boosting Your Calcium Intake
Calcium is crucial for the development of bones and teeth for the fetal and for the mother, calcium required to maintain the strength of bones during and after pregnancy, so a mother could stay fit doing daily activities.

Fulfilling Mineral Required
Compared to any other fruits or vegetables, mineral contained in figs is relatively high. The lack of vitamins and minerals could cause a serious condition in the fetal development. The worst case is a baby might be born with birth defect.

Special Enzyme for Healthier Digestion
Besides so rich in fiber, figs are also contained a special enzyme known as proteolytic enzyme that could assist a pregnant mother dealing with digestive problem.

Healthy Diet Solution during Pregnancy
Craving might be a problem during pregnancy. If a mother could not control it, both mother and the unborn baby could be ended in obesity, a condition that might cause serious problem during the labor process. Figs are well known as one of those fruit which is high in alkaline, a natural solution to control your craving and a mother could follow the healthier diet program.

High Source of Planted-based Omega 3 and Folate Acid for Fetal Development
Omega 3 and folate acid are very important properties for the brain development of fetal. In the early stage, consuming figs has big contribution in the development of your unborn baby brain.

Secret Recipe for Healthier and Beautiful Skin during Pregnancy
It is true that during pregnancy, a mother is not only losing the beauty of their shape but some mothers should suffer some ugly skin pigmentation which is also well-known as pregnancy fleck. Figs have secret chemical called psoralens which is good for skin pigmentation treatment.

Therapeutic Solution to Reduce the Risk of Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is one of the issues that sometimes hard to deal with during pregnancy but avoid it is a must. Consuming figs which is high in nutrients could assist a mother having a healthier diet.

Delicious Way to Get Rid of Morning Sickness
Morning sickness is the worse problem during early stage of pregnancy. Sometimes it is so unavoidable and this condition could prevent a mother to provide enough nutrients for their unborn baby. Consuming figs which is contained of Vitamin B6 could help a mother reducing the worst condition of morning sickness.

Fun Way to Control Blood Pressure
High in potassium means figs is very good to help a mother controlling the blood pressure. Once blood pressure is under control, the cholesterol level is also under checked and then preeclampsia risk is also reduced.

Delicious Way to Avoid Hypertension
During pregnancy, hypertension is a serious matter. Once a mother diagnosed with hypertension, the chance to do normal labor is low.

High in Fiber
As high in fiber, figs are the best and fast solution to deal with constipation problem.

Optimizing the Absorption of Iron in Your Body
Figs is also rich of Vitamin C and the main function of vitamin C is to assist the absorption of iron since iron is very important to help mothers reducing the risk of anemia.

Natural Source for Sugar
Though too much sugar could be dangerous for a pregnant mother but the natural sugar contained in figs is healthy substances to fulfill the need of glucose in body system.

Anemia-free
Anemia is a common condition but in pregnant mother, this condition could endanger both the mother and the fetal because blood is essential for the development of fetal without which the fetal could suffer some dangerous condition, including born with birth defect condition.

Key Nutrients Source
Making sure a pregnant mother got enough nutrients is important. Enough nutrients in the body means mothers could maintain their health during and also after pregnancy.

It is true that consuming more figs during pregnancy is highly recommended but there are some points that a pregnant mother should not take them for granted because no matter how healthy and super a food or fruit is, if you consuming it too much then there must be some complications that might appear. Since pregnancy is a condition when mothers should be in their best condition, consulting with the specialist is still required.

Some complications that still might appear if consuming figs:

Those are benefits as well as side effects of consuming figs. Be a smart mother is must but a wise one is much more important.

In fact, figs are one of the oldest domestically farmed plants, thought to have originated in Western Asia and the Middle East.

While figs are enjoyed as a tasty fruit today, in the past figs, which are relatives of the mulberry, often represented such things as prosperity, fertility, and even peace, being mentioned numerous times in the Bible.

Around the 15th century, figs made their way to England and the Americas. Spanish Missionaries began planting the trees in California, creating what is known today as the California Mission Fig. (2)

Even thousands of years ago, figs were known to have both medicinal and nutritional properties. Galen, an 11th century herbalist wrote, “If the dried figs were eaten with walnuts and rue before taking a fatal poison, they would preserve against its noxious effects.” Along with nuts, figs were used in an ancient antidote called “theriac.” (3)

Medieval Arab doctors also used figs for cleansing the stomach and strengthen the body. According to Plato, these treasured fruits were even fed to Greek athletes in Olympia to improve their overall strength and performance. (4)

Today, we know that figs are one of the most alkaline fruits grown, which also makes them valuable for fighting countless diseases, especially cancer.

Fig Nutritional Facts

Figs trees are extraordinary. Under favorable conditions, one tree can provide fruit for up to 200 years! Today, you can find over 1,000 different species of figs around the world. These luscious fruits can be eaten raw or dried, which actually affects their nutritional value. Raw figs contain: (5)

74 calories
19 grams carbohydrates
7 grams protein
3 grams fat
3 grams fiber
232 milligrams potassium (7 percent DV)
1 milligram manganese (6 percent DV)
7 micrograms vitamin K (6 percent DV)
1 milligram vitamin B6 (6 percent DV)
17 milligrams magnesium (4 percent DV)
35 milligrams calcium (4 percent DV)
1 milligram thiamine (4 percent DV)
142 IU vitamin A (3 percent DV)
milligrams vitamin C (3 percent DV)
If you want to increase the nutritional value of figs, try eating 100 grams of dried figs, which contain: (6)

249 calories
9 grams carbohydrates
3 grams protein
9 gram fat
8 grams fiber
5 milligram manganese (26 percent DV)
6 micrograms vitamin K (19 percent DV)
680 milligrams potassium (19 percent DV)
68 milligrams magnesium (17 percent DV)
162 milligrams calcium (16 percent DV)
3 milligrams copper (14 percent DV)
2 milligrams iron (11 percent DV)
67 milligrams phosphorus (7 percent DV)
1 milligrams vitamin B6 (6 percent DV)
1 milligrams thiamine (6 percent DV)
1 mg riboflavin (5 percent DV)
5 milligram zinc (4 percent DV)

Figs are also a key source of cellulose, pectin and organic acids. The leaves of this bounteous tree are also widely used in culinary dishes as well as for medicinal purposes.

They contain numerous flavonoids and polyphenols, including rutin, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, catechin and epicatechin.

Oils extracted from the leaves are also known to have potent fungicidal and bacterial effects. One of the more significant properties of fig leaves is their anti-diabetic properties.(7,8)

Fig leaves are also well-known for their healing properties in cases of cancer, heart disease, bronchitis and other lung infections, genital warts, boils and a broad spectrum of fungal infections, cirrhosis of the liver, hemorrhoids, high blood pressure, ringworm, shingles, skin irritations and stomach ulcers. (9)

The tender fig fruit is also highly beneficial when it comes to healing your body. Here are just some of the amazing health benefits of this fruit.

Health Benefits of Figs

Anticancer: Studies show that every single cancer patient has one thing in common—low pH levels in their blood. What this means is that they all have an acidic body, which is a known breeding ground for all types of bacteria, germs and viruses. In fact, it is also known that disease of any kind is unable to develop, grow or spread in an alkaline body. (10) And figs are one of the most alkalizing fruits known. (11)

Figs also contain a phytochemical known as benzaldehyde as well as isorhamnetin glycoside, a flavonoid that has powerful anti-cancer effects. (12,13,14)

Weight Loss: Figs are a key source of fiber, which is important for weight loss. In fact, studies clearly show dietary fiber has a significant effect on hunger, satiety, energy intake, and body composition and can promote weight loss, especially in obese people. (15)

Figs are a good source of fiber and they also contain a key digestive enzyme, ficin, which helps metabolize proteins into amino acids. Ficin also contributes to the laxative properties of figs. (16)

High Blood Pressure: If you have high blood pressure, figs are the perfect way to help normalize this condition. Figs are full of potassium, which is a key mineral for combating hypertension. (17)
Anti–Aging: Like many fruits, figs are high in antioxidants including flavonoids, polyphenols and anthocyanins. Antioxidants are known for their powerful neutralizing effects on free radicals, which can significantly accelerate the aging process as well as lead to disease. (18)

Protect Your Vision: Studies show that you need to eat at least 3 or more servings of fruit per day in order to lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults. By doing this, you can decrease your risk by 36 percent compared to people who eat less than 1.5 servings of fruit a day. (19,20) A few figs a day can go a long way to keeping your vision intact.

Treating Illnesses: Studies show that figs are an excellent way to treat various illnesses including anemia, cancer, diabetes, leprosy, liver diseases, paralysis, skin diseases, and ulcers. Studies even show that figs are so powerful they may even be helpful in creating new drugs. (21)

Boost Your Immune System: Figs are powerful immune stimulants. (22) Eating a few figs a day can keep you healthy and strong.

Keep Your Skin Young and Beautiful: While there are numerous studies that show fig leaf extract has potent anti-wrinkle capabilities—decreasing the length and depth of facial wrinkles, (23) fig fruit extracts are also shown to help reduce hyper pigmentation, acne and even freckles. (24)

How to Choose Figs

There are benefits to both fresh and dried figs. When choosing figs, however, always avoid ones with mold or discolorations.

Often the rigors of shipping and handling can damage the fruit. Fresh figs are typically available from June through October.

Look for ripe figs as these are shown to have higher antioxidant content. You should also store ripe figs in your refrigerator. They will last up to 3 days. Make sure you wash them thoroughly before eating.

Over 2,000 years ago, an important tree had one of its branches removed on the order of Indian emperor Ashoka the Great. It was under this very tree that the Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment. Ashoka bestowed kingship on the branch, and planted it in a thick-rimmed solid gold vase.

He then took the branch over mountains and down the Ganges River to the Bay of Bengal. There, his daughter carried it aboard a ship and sailed for Sri Lanka to present it to the king. Ashoka loved the plant so much that he shed tears as he watched it leave.

This story, from the epic poem The Mahavamsa, is about a kind of fig tree scientists call Ficus religiosa. True to its name, an unbroken line of devotion towards it stretches back to thousands of years before Ashoka’s time.

But F. religiosa is not alone. It is just one of more than 750 fig species. No other plants have held such sway over human imagination. They feature in every major religion and have influenced kings and queens, scientists and soldiers. They played roles in human evolution and the dawn of civilisation. These trees have not only witnessed history; they have shaped it. If we play it right, they could even enrich our future.

Figs sustain many animals (Credit: Alessandro de Leo/Alamy)

Most flowering plants display their blooms for all to see, but the Ficus species hide them away inside their hollow figs. And while most plants bury their roots underground, the strangler figs and their kin show them off.

They can even smother and kill giant trees, growing into colossal forms

The strangler figs are awesome plants that grow from seeds dropped high on other trees by passing birds and mammals. By starting out high in the forest canopy instead of on its gloomy floor, the strangler seedlings get the light they need to grow with vigour. As they do, they send down aerial roots that become thick and woody, encasing their host trees in a living mesh. They can even smother and kill giant trees, growing into colossal forms.

Two countries have placed a strangler fig on their coats of arms. In Indonesia’s case, the tree symbolises unity from diversity, its dangling roots representing the many islands that comprise the nation.

In the case of Barbados, it was inspired by the view that greeted the Portuguese explorer Pedro a Campos, when his ship reached the island in 1536. He saw many strangler figs growing along the island’s coast, a kind called Ficus citrifolia. Masses of ruddy-brown roots hung from their branches like matted strands of hair. A Campos named the island Los Barbados – “the bearded ones”.

Ashoka the Great’s daughter Sanghamitta accompanying the sacred fig tree to Sri Lanka (Credit: Photo Dharma/CC by 2.0)

More than 300 years later, the British biologist Alfred Russel Wallace was exploring islands on the other side of the word. He said the strangler figs he saw during his eight-year odyssey across the Malay Archipelago were “the most extraordinary trees in the forest”. How they overcame their struggle for existence inspired him as he developed the theory of evolution by natural selection, independently of Charles Darwin.

But the strangler figs had reached into human minds long before these European explorers took to the seas.

Take Ashoka the Great’s F. religiosa. Buddhists, Hindus and Jains have revered this species for more than two millennia. The same tree featured in battle hymns sung by the Vedic people 3,500 years ago. And, 1,500 years earlier, it appeared in the myths and art of the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Elsewhere in Asia — indeed across the tropics and subtropics — cultures have adopted fig trees as symbols of power and places of prayer. These figs feature in creation stories, folklore and fertility rites. The champion is the Indian banyan (Ficus benghalensis), a tree so big it can resemble a small forest from afar.

Buddhists, Hindus and Jains have revered F. religiosa for more than two millennia (Credit: Image Broker/Alamy)

Banyans grow so large because the roots they drop from their branches can merge into stout pillars as thick as English oak trees. These false trunks support the banyan’s huge branches, enabling them to grow longer and send down even more roots.

One banyan in Uttar Pradesh is said to be immortal. Another in Gujarat is said to have grown from a twig used as a toothbrush. A third is believed to have sprung up where a woman threw herself onto her husband’s burning funeral pyre and died. That tree, in Andhra Pradesh, can shelter 20,000 people.

The first Europeans to enjoy a banyan’s shade were Alexander the Great and his soldiers, who arrived in India in 326 BCE. Their tales of this tree soon reached the Greek philosopher Theophrastus, the founder of modern botany. He had been studying the edible fig, Ficus carica.

Each Ficus species has its own wasp pollinator

Theophrastus had noticed tiny insects entering or emerging from figs. Their story would turn out to be one of the most astounding in all of biology. More than 2,000 years would pass before scientists realised that each Ficus species has its own wasp pollinator, while some even have two. Likewise, each fig-wasp species can only lay its eggs in the flowers of its partner figs.

This relationship began more than 80 million years ago and has shaped the world ever since. Ficus species must produce figs year-round to ensure their pollinator wasps survive. This is great news for fruit-eating animals that would otherwise struggle to find food for much of the year. Indeed, figs sustain more species of wildlife than any other kinds of fruit.

The banyan tree can get very big (Credit: August Muench/CC by 2.0)

More than 1,200 species eat figs, including one-tenth of all the world’s birds, nearly all known fruit-bats and dozens of species of primates, dispersing their seeds as they do so. Ecologists therefore call figs “keystone resources”. Like the keystone of a bridge, if figs disappeared everything else could come crashing down.

Figs do not only nourish animals. The year-round presence of ripe figs would have helped sustain our early human ancestors.

High-energy figs may have helped our ancestors to develop bigger brains. There is also a theory that suggests our hands evolved as tools for assessing which figs are soft, and therefore sweet and rich in energy. While the first humans benefitted from fig biology, their descendants mastered it. Ficus species are among the first plants people domesticated, several thousand years ago.

Farmers even trained monkeys to climb trees and harvest them

The ancient Egyptians seized upon a species called Ficus sycomorus, whose pollinator wasp was either locally extinct or had never arrived. By rights, this species should not have yielded a single ripe fig. But through a stroke of luck or genius, farmers worked out that they could trick the tree into ripening its figs by gashing them with a blade. Before long, the figs were a mainstay of Egyptian agriculture. Farmers even trained monkeys to climb trees and harvest them.

Egypt’s fig trees fed both bellies and beliefs. The Pharaohs took dried figs to their graves in order to sustain their souls on their journey into the afterlife. They believed the mother goddess Hathor would emerge from a mythic fig tree to welcome them into heaven.

F. religiosa is one of more than 750 fig species (Credit: Dave Stamboulis /Alamy)

To the north and east, the Egyptian fig’s sweeter cousin, F.carica, became an important food to several other ancient civilisations. The Sumerian King Urukagina wrote about them nearly 5,000 years ago. King Nebuchadnezzar II had them planted in the hanging gardens of Babylon. King Solomon of Israel praised them in song. The ancient Greeks and Romans said figs were heaven-sent.

Their allure can perhaps be explained by another crucial point. Aside from being sweet and tasty, they are also packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals.

These nutritional benefits have long been known. “Figs are restorative,” wrote 1st-century Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder, “and the best food that can be taken by those who are brought low by long sickness.”

A living bridge formed from the roots of two Ficus elastica fig trees (Credit: AditiVerma/CC by 2.0)

A famous example of the healing power of figs appears in the Bible. Hezekiah, King of Judah, was “sick even to death” with a plague of boils but recovered after his servants applied a paste of crushed figs to his skin.

These chimps may have been self-medicating

The healing power of fig species is not limited to their fruit. Medicines developed over millennia by people throughout the tropics make use of their bark, leaves, roots and latex.

The use of fig trees as living medicine cabinets may even pre-date the origin of our species. Our closest living relatives, chimpanzees, also appear to turn to these trees for their curative powers, suggesting our common ancestor with them did too.

Researchers working in Uganda occasionally observed chimps eating unusual foods, such as the bark and leaves of wild fig trees. These chimps may have been self-medicating, the researchers concluded. And for good reason, tests show that compounds in the fig leaves and bark are effective against bacteria, parasites and tumours.

Figs are packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals (Credit: Bernard Dupont/CC by 2.0)

Fig trees have not only helped civilisations and cultures rise. They have also watched them fall, and have even helped to hide their ruins.

For instance, the great cities of the Indus Valley Civilisation boomed between 3300 and 1500 BCE, but they were lost to history until 1827, when a deserter on the run from the East India Company called Charles Masson arrived there.

The fig trees helped forests return and overwhelm the abandoned buildings

Giant strangler trees dominated the landscape. Ruins poked out of mysterious mounds. Local people told Masson they were relics of a society that collapsed after some divine intervention corrected the “lusts and crimes of the sovereign”. In fact, it was a prolonged drought that brought down the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Strangler figs also replaced drought-stricken people at the Mayan pyramids at Tikal in Guatemala, and the Khmer temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

In each case, the fig trees helped forests return and overwhelm the abandoned buildings. Their seeds germinated in cracks in the stonework. Their roots ripped masonry apart and crushed walls with their weight. Their figs attracted animals that in turn dispersed seeds of dozens of other tree species. And so, the forest reclaimed these sites.

This power has also been observed on volcanoes like Krakatoa, whose 1883 eruption purged the island of all life. Fig trees that recolonised the bare lava were instrumental in encouraging forest to form anew. Across the tropics scientists are now replicating this effect, planting fig trees to accelerate rainforest regeneration in areas where trees have been lost due to logging.

All this means fig trees can provide hope for a future with a changing climate.

The Egyptian goddess Hathor emerging from a fig tree to welcome the pharaoh’s soul into the afterlife

Fig trees could also help us adapt to extreme conditions.

In north-east India, people encourage fig roots to cross rivers, enlace and thicken to form robust bridges, saving lives in monsoon rains. In Ethiopia, fig trees are helping farmers adapt to drought by providing vital shade to crops and fodder to goats. These two approaches can also be applied elsewhere.

In all, fig trees can help us limit climate change, protect biodiversity and improve livelihoods, as long as we continue to plant and protect these trees, as humankind has done for millennia.

Many cultures around the world developed taboos against felling fig trees. Unfortunately today, these beliefs are fading from memory. We would do well to revive them.

Their long history serves as a reminder that we are the ones who are recent arrivals on an Earth in an 80-million-year-long Age of Ficus. Our future will be more secure if we put these trees in our plans.

Figs are a fruit native to the European and Middle Eastern regions that have been a part of traditional diets for thousands of years. Today they are widely available and popular around the world, making an appearance in a wide variety of international cuisines. While they are often found dried, due to their short harvesting season, figs are completely edible when fresh (and delicious too!). On top of this figs contain some impressive health benefits. This is what makes fig recipes to easy and smart to make!

IMPORTANT NOTE: I recommend using natural sweeteners like raw honey, real maple syrup or organic coconut palm sugar to get the most nutrients out of these recipes. Also eliminate conventional cow’s milk and use coconut milk, almond milk or organic grass-fed goat milk or cheese, replace table salt with sea salt, and replace canola and vegetable oil with coconut oil, olive oil or ghee. 

Nutrition Facts of Figs

One large fig contains (1):

• About 47 calories
• 2 grams of fiber
• 8 grams of sugar
• .5 grams of protein
• A good source of vitamin B6, copper, potassium, manganese and pantothenic acid
• Very low levels of fat, cholesterol, and sodium

Figs contain antioxidants, which can help to reduce inflammation throughout the body and prevent various diseases. They also contain a good source of dietary fiber, especially when you consume several at once, which can help to relieve constipation and to make you feel full after eating. Finally, figs contain easily-absorbed fructose which the body can use efficiently for energy when exercising. This makes fig recipes a great snack to have before or after a long workout.

25 Fantastic Fig Recipes

Figs are often described as having a “velvety”, unique taste. When found fresh, their “flesh” is soft, seedy, and sweet, although not overwhelming. What really makes figs so great is their ability to be versatile in many different types of recipes- everything from homemade low-sugar jams to grass-fed beef entrees. Because they last a long time in dried form without spoiling, they are a great kitchen staple to keep on hand that you can use in many ways. Fig recipes are the perfect thing to start experimenting with to spruce up your breakfast, lunch, or dinner rotation.

Keep in mind that any recipe calling for peaches, pears, prunes, or dates can be substituted successfully with figs. So don’t hesitate to switch up some of your favorite salad or meat dishes by adding in figs where you normally wouldn’t think to. If you are still unsure of what to do with figs that you’ve recently purchased, take inspiration from the array of fig recipes below.

FIG RECIPES: Breakfast

1. Baked Oatmeal with Figs and Dates

Oatmeal is a breakfast staple for many reasons: it keeps you full, contains no gluten, and is a great vehicle for any topping you like, including figs! Add extra nuts or even organic yogurt to bring some healthy protein and fat to this easy recipe.

Photo: Baked Oatmeal with Figs & Dates / Feastie

 2. Fig Coconut Quinoa Granola

This is not your average overly-sugary granola. Quinoa and oats make this breakfast gluten free and high in protein, especially with the addition of organic Greek yogurt and some nuts.

Photo: Fig Coconut Quinoa Granola / Cooking Quinoa

3. Sweet and Tart Lemon Fig Bars

Instead of relying on a prepackaged sugar laden cereal bar, try making your own. Lemon and figs make a great flavor combo that is not overly sweet, but just enough to balance each other out.  Just use sprouted grain instead of wheat flour and tapioca flour as a swap for the cornstarch to keep these a healthy sweet treat!

Photo: Sweet and Tart Lemon Fig Bars / One Ingredient Chef

4. Roasted Fig and Walnut Parfait

This might be the perfect way to get some healthy protein into your morning. Look for a plain organic Greek yogurt variety and add chopped up figs and a bit of raw honey. This is a great way to make one seriously delicious and healthy breakfast parfait that you can even take-on-the-go

Photo: Roasted Fig and Walnut Parfait / The Roasted Root

5. Vanilla Chia Pudding with Figs

All the nutrition benefits of chia seeds plus potassium rich figs, make this a powerful yet yummy breakfast! Add some sautéed plums or drizzle with Manuka honey for an added boost for your immune system!

 Photo: Vanilla Chia Pudding with Figs / ifoodreal.com

FIG RECIPES: Salads/Sides

6. Fig and Cranberry Sauce

Keep this recipe in mind come the holiday season when you want a healthier alternative to canned or jarred overly-sugary sauces. Figs bring a surprising pop to this sauce that can be used on pork, spread on top of a muffin, or added to grains with nuts for breakfast.

Photo: Fig and Cranberry Sauce / The Kitchn

7. Roasted Potatoes with Maple Fig Sauce

Warm, soothing and tangy, these crispy potatoes with the sweet creamy sauce really hit the spot. Serve as a snack or alongside your favorite protein for a delicious satisfying dinner!

Photo: Roasted Potatoes with Maple Fig Sauce / pinchofyum.com

8. Fresh Figs with Cashew Cream

For those looking to steer clear of any dairy, this is the appetizer for you. Cashew cream, made from soaked and blended cashews, makes a great substitute for goat cheese and pairs perfectly with figs for a simple appetizer. You can use raw honey or pure maple syrup in place of the agave to get the most out of this recipe.

Photo: Fresh Figs with Cashew Cream / Feastie

9. Fruit, Nut, and Seed Crackers 

What a perfect way to use up some of the dried figs and nuts you may be storing. Switch out the whole wheat and bread flour with a sprouted grain flour. And substitute coconut sugar for the brown sugar and the buttermilk, use goat kefir or grass fed buttermilk. This is an easy way to add tons of flavor and a little bit of crispiness to a lunch salad.  There are endless possibilities for what to do with these healthy homemade crackers.

Photo: Fruit, Nut and Seed Crackers / averiecooks.com

10. Stuffed Figs with Goat Cheese

These goat cheese figs would make a perfect savory app when you’re having guests over. They appear to be very impressive, yet come together quickly and require only a few basic ingredients. Look for good quality organic cheese to get the most out of this simple recipe.

Photo: Stuffed Figs with Goat Cheese / seriouseats.com

 11. Crockpot Fig Apple Butter

If you’re sick of almond butter and are avoiding peanut butter like many people are, this may be the perfect answer to your “butter” question. Making fig apple butter in a crockpot is super time saving and allows the recipe to cook itself while you’re out. Use it on top of ancient grain sprouted toast, in a salad dressing, or to drizzle on top of plain organic yogurt.

Photo: Crockpot Fig Apple Butter / paleOMG.com

12. Roasted Beet and Fig Salad

This seasonal salad would be a perfect side dish for thanksgiving, or with any home cooked meal on a fall night. The deep colors of both the beets and figs make this salad pretty in presentation, while the earthy taste of the beets balances the sweetness of the figs.

Photo: Roasted Beet and Fig Salad / The Roasted Root

13. Marinated Fig and Arugula Salad with Cheese and Walnuts

Arugula’s sharp, peppery taste makes a great base for salad dressed with a classic combo of cheese (use goat or sheep’s milk), figs, and walnuts. You can even make your own fig vinaigrette from scratch by blending figs after they’ve been soaked overnight, which softens them up so they don’t get stuck in your food processor or blender.

 Photo: Marinated Fig and Arugula Salad with Cheese and Walnuts / The Kitchen is My Playground

14. Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Fig Reduction

It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t love roasted Brussel sprouts, even those who say they won’t like them. Figs balance the unique taste of Brussel sprouts in this healthy side dish and give them a pop of sweetness in place of commonly used cranberries.

Photo: Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Fig Reduction / ahouseinthehills.com

 15. Middle Eastern Potato Salad with Figs

Not sure what to bring to the next BBQ you’re invited to? Mix it up and take along this potato salad that has a surprise, sweet ingredient, plus loads of fresh herbs for extra flavor. You can even play around with trying to same type of recipe with vitamin-packed sweet potatoes too.

Photo: Middle Eastern Potato Salad with Figs / healthynibblesandbits.com

 16. Kale Salad with Figs, Avocado, and Sesame Dressing

You know you should be eating your kale, but maybe you haven’t found a way to make a kale salad yet that you really enjoy? Figs come together with avocado and sesame dressing to create a strong-flavored salad that helps to balance the taste of kale if you aren’t the biggest fan of its slightly bitter flavor.

Photo: Kale Salad with Figs Avocado and Sesame Dressing / The Roasted Root

FIG RECIPES: Main Dishes

 17. Fig and Pork Loin Ragout

Pork served along with caramelized fruit is a classic combination- think how many times you’ve seen apples, pears, and cranberries in various pork dishes (often with bacon). This is a healthier take on the sweet and salty combination, using a leaner pork loin and plenty of bold, warm spices.

 18. Stuffed Turkey with Figs and Butternut Squash

Making this stuffed turkey entree would be one clever way to use up some Thanksgiving or holiday leftovers! It’s also a good recipe to put into your weeknight dinner rotation because it could easily be doubled in size and the leftovers saved to make great lunch sandwiches the next day.

Photo: Stuffed Turkey with Figs and Butternut Squash / Skinny Taste

 19. Fig Butter Cumin Tempeh Stir-fry

This is a great plant-based entree option that includes fig butter, either store-bought or homemade. Add all your favorite vegetables and big-impact spices like cumin or curry to bring all the tastes together

Photo: Fig Butter Cumin Tempeh Stir-fry / averiecooks.com

 20. Moroccan Braised Chicken with Mission Figs

Moroccan dishes commonly use figs and have some of the best flavor profiles when it comes to bringing out their taste. Try this recipe in a slow cooker or crock pot to really save time and still deliver an impressive dinner

Photo: Moroccan Braised Chicken with Mission Figs / Rock Recipes

 21. Grain-free Pear, Fig, and Goat Cheese Pizza

Everyone loves pizza, but not everyone like to have all that wheat, cheese, and grease. Change up your usual pizza and try something much more upscale, like this fruity pizza which balances creamy, slightly sour goat cheese with tasty figs, berries, and pears. Just substitute sprouted grain flour and goat or cow kefir for the buttermilk (unless you have raw or grass-fed buttermilk).

 Photo: Grain-free Pear, Fig, and Goat Cheese Pizza / thehealthyfoodie.com

FIG RECIPES: Desserts

 22. Chocolate Dipped Figs with Sea Salt

This easy dessert recipe is the perfect way to get a double-dose of antioxidants in each tasty bite. Use a high percentage cocoa (75% and up is great) to get the most from this recipe and try subbing in good quality honey or maple syrup for any other sugar to boost the nutrient value even more.

Photo: Chocolate Dipped Figs with Sea Salt / thekitchn.com

 23. Fig Fudge Balls

If you’ve got kids that love “munchkin” donuts, then this is the dessert for you! These little “energy balls” are filled with much healthier ingredients than the processed, overly sugary kinds you’ll find in coffee shops, so you can feel a lot better about giving them to your children (and having some yourself too). These would make a great snack to pack with school lunch or to bring along on car rides when you need some healthy snacks.

Photo: Fig Fudge Balls / PaleOMG

 24. Turkish Yogurt Cakes with Figs

An addition of Greek yogurt brings richness and a moist texture to this cake while still letting the figs shine. Use sprouted grain flour or quinoa flour and substitute coconut sugar for regular sugar to enjoy this as a healthy traditional recipe.

 Photo: Turkish Yogurt Cakes with Figs / My Life Love Food

 25. Gluten Free Chocolate Fig Cake

While cake is generally something that you want to save for special occasions, why not make the best kind of cake that you can when it’s time to celebrate? Chocolate and figs make a great combination and the figs allow you to use less sugar overall, making this a great alternative to any processed, boxed cake mix.

Photo: Gluten Free Chocolate Fig Cake / The Roasted Root

The fig-tree symbolizes religious knowledge. In Ancient Egypt it was given a significance in rites of initiation and the early Christian hermits ate figs by choice.

This symbol recurs in both Old and New Testaments. While, when Jesus curses the fig-tree (Matthew 21: 19-22; Mark 11: 12ff.), one ought, perhaps, to comment that he is cursing the knowledge which it contains or fails to contain. Jesus was also to say to Nathaniel (John 1: 48): ‘When thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.’ Nathaniel was an intellectual.

In Islamic esotericism fig and olive are associated to signify the duality of different natures.

In Eastern Asia, the fig-tree plays an extremely important part. Here it is a specific variety of fig cast in this role, the imposing ficus benghalensis, or banyan tree. This is the everlasting fig-tree of the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, the ‘World Tree’ which links Earth to Heaven. In Buddhism it plays a similar role. The peepul at the foot of which the Buddha received Enlightenment, the Bodhi Tree, is identical with the World axis. Furthermore, in primitive iconography it symbolizes the Buddha himself and the Buddha, in various guises, becomes one with the Axis.

Throughout southeast Asia banyans are homes for countless spirits. They are a symbol of power and of life, of procreation to the Sre and of longevity to the Rongao and Sedang. They also symbolize immortality and higher knowledge and were the trees under which the Buddha preferred to sit when he taught his disciples.

Like the willow-tree, the fig symbolizes immortality rather than longevity to the Chinese, since they believe that immortality cannot be conceived except in spiritual and intellectual terms.

In Indo-Mediterranean tradition, the fig was a sacred tree often associated with fertility rites. In Dravidian thought ‘it owed its powers of fecundation to its milky sap, because the milky sap was of the same essence as rasa’, that particle of universal energy contained within the element of Water. Rasa may be likened to ‘the waters below the firmament’ of Genesis 1: 7. Milky sap is also the fluid of life, ojas, which calls the child in the womb into being. Countless rites of sympathetic magic bear witness to the symbolic importance of trees with milky sap, and hence arises the Dravidian custom recorded by Boulnois of hanging a calf s placenta, wrapped in straw, from the boughs of a banyan-tree in order that the cow should give milk and calve again in future. Throughout India the banyan is held sacred to Vishnu and Shiva. Its worship is associated with that of serpents, the association of tree and serpent being pre-eminent in calling into existence the powers of fruitfulness.

‘In modern India the fig-leaf plays the same part as the vine-leaf in Greek and Roman art as a cache-sexe. This is, perhaps, not entirely devoid of all symbolic meaning’. The Ancient Romans believed that Romulus and Remus were bom under a fig-tree and Pausanias states that worship was long paid to the deified twins in the Comitium under a fig which grew from the stump of the original tree. In India similar beliefs were held regarding Vishnu, while in Greece the fig was sacred to Dionysos.

The high holiness with which the fig and other trees with milky sap were held by both Dravidians in India and the ancient inhabitants of Crete, recurs in Black Africa. Boulnois has recorded the belief of the Kotoko in Chad that ‘to dig up a yagale fig-tree will cause sterility’, while Kotoko women ‘slit the bark of this fig-tree and take the sap to increase their own lactation.’ The fig is also held sacred among many central African Bantu tribes.

In north Africa the fruit is ‘the symbol of fertility imparted by the dead’. The word itself ‘became synonymous with the testicles, although currently the name of the season of fig harvest, krif (Autumn), is used conversationally.’ At this level of comparison, this is barely to go beyond allegory and analogy. Jean Servier achieves the level of symbolism when he adds: ‘Stuffed with countless seeds, the fruit is a fertility symbol and, as such, an offering to be deposited upon rocks, beside hot springs and the shrines of guardian spirits and the Invisibles. It is an offering which travellers in need may share, because it is the gift of the Invisible’.

• The fig tree was held sacred in all countries of Southwestern Asia, and in Egypt, Greece, and Italy.
• The fig is the most talked about fruit in the Bible and figs were mentioned in a Babylonian hymnbook about 2000 B.C.
• It is definite that a fig tree provided the first clothing as noted in the Bible, “…the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons”, but there is room for speculation that the forbidden fruit might have been a fig, not an apple.

Greece

• As a token of honor, figs were used as a training food by the early Olympic athletes, and figs were also presented as laurels to the winners as the first Olympic medals.
• In ancient Greece men wore black figs around their necks while women wore white figs during a ceremony of purification.
• Legend has it that the Greek goddess Demeter first revealed to mortals the fruit of autumn, which they called the fig.
• The ancient city of Attica was famous for its figs and they soon became a necessity for its citizens, rich or poor. Solon, the ruler of Attica (639-559 BC), actually made it illegal to export figs out of Greece, reserving them solely for his citizens.
• Figs were regarded with such esteem that laws were created forbidding the export of the best quality figs. Sycophant then derives from the Greek word meaning one who informs against another for exporting figs or for stealing the fruit of the sacred fig trees. Hence, the word came to mean a person who tries to win favor with flattery.
• Every inhabitant of Athens, including Plato, was a philosykos, literally translated a friend of the fig. Mithridates, the Greek King of Pontus, heralded figs as an antidote for all ailments, instructing his physicians to use them medicinally and ordering his citizens to consume figs daily.

The Romans

• Figs were respected in ancient Rome and considered sacred while according to myth the twin founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, rested under a fig tree.
• The Romans regarded Bacchus as the god who introduced the fig to mankind. This made the tree sacred, and all images of the god were often crowned with fig leaves. The first figs of the season were offered to Bacchus, and at festivals in his honor, devout females wore garlands of dried figs.
• Pliny, the Roman writer (52-113 AD) said, “Figs are restorative. They increase the strength of young people, preserve the elderly in better health and make them look younger with fewer wrinkles.”

Middle East and Asia

• The Persian King Xerxes, after his defeat by the Greeks at Salamis in 480 B.C., had figs from Attica served him at every meal to remind him that he did not possess the land where this fruit grew.
• It is said that the prophet Mohammed once exclaimed: “If I should wish a fruit brought to Paradise it would certainly be the fig.”
• Figs are mentioned in Homer’s Iliad, as well as the Odyssey; by Aristophanes, Herodotus and Cato; and the fig is reported to have been the favorite fruit of Cleopatra, with the asp that ended her life being brought to her in a basket of figs.

Europe and Elsewhere

• In 812 AD, Charlemagne attempted to introduce the fig to the Netherlands, but was unsuccessful because the fruit could not adapt to the cold weather.
• Captain Bligh is credited with planting the first fig tree in Tasmania in 1792.

In California

• The story of figs in California is relatively short in comparison the history of figs throughout the world. Figs were probably one of the first fruits to be dried and stored by man.
• California Dried Fig production has averaged 28 million pounds over the last five years. All dried figs harvested in the United States are grown in California’s Central Valley.

Fig Health & Nutrition

• California Figs are an excellent source of dietary fiber. Just 3 to 5 – dried or fresh – provide 5 grams of dietary fiber or 20% of the Daily Value.
  • One serving – 3 to 5 dried or fresh figs – provides 3.5 grams insoluble fiber and 1.5 grams water-soluble fiber. (Vinson, 1999, 2005)
  • When adequate dietary fiber is part of an overall healthy diet, it helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels and supports heart, digestive and colon health. (Anderson et al, 2009)
  • Diet is considered to play an important role in coronary heart disease and cancer prevention. For example, diets rich in soluble and insoluble fibers, such as figs, help maintain healthy blood cholesterol levels and may lower colon cancer risk. (Anderson et al, 2009)
• Just 3 to 5 dried (1/4 cup; 40 grams) or fresh (1/2 cup; 153 grams) California Figs count as one fruit serving.
  • North Americans of all ages fail to eat recommended amounts of fruit. Therefore, diets are low in nutrients and phytochemicals that fruits such as California Figs can provide. (2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/report).
  • Choosing figs and adequate numbers of other fruit and vegetable servings add fiber, magnesium, calcium, antioxidants and potassium to the diet. (Vinson, 1999)
  • California Figs are an easy way to add a serving of fruit to reach the daily recommendation of 4 cups (8 to 13 servings) of fruits and vegetables.
  • Choose fruits and vegetables prepared with little or no added fat, sugar or salt.
• Figs and dried plums are rich in antioxidants among dried fruits and rank higher in antioxidants than red wine and tea, well known for their polyphenolics. (Vinson, 1999, 2001)
• Figs are an ancient food and are naturally part of the healthy Mediterranean diet.
  • Recent research has validated that the Mediterranean diet – including generous amounts of fruits and vegetables – is associated with improved health and decreased risk of chronic disease. (Scientific studies on the Mediterranean diet are found at http://oldwayspt.org/programs/oldways-nutrition-exchange/mediterranean-diet-month-toolkit)
  • The diet is considered to play an important role in coronary heart disease and cancer prevention.
• California Figs are an all-natural energy source, perfect for an afternoon snack or a quick snack before a game or workout.
• Figs are fat, sodium, and cholesterol-free. Just 3 to 5 California Figs provide:
  Dried (1/4 cup; 40 grams)*
  • 110 calories
  • 5g fiber (20% of the Daily Value)
  • 244mg potassium (7% of the Daily Value)
  • 53mg calcium (6% of the Daily Value)

  Fresh (1/2 cup; 3-4 medium figs)**

  • 120 calories
  • 5g fiber (20% of the Daily Value)
  • 354mg potassium (10% of the Daily Value)
  • 53mg calcium (6% of the Daily Value)

  *Values from American Council for Food Safety and Quality, Dried Fruit Association Analysis
  **USDA Values

Food Safety Programs & Protocols

• Each processing plant is inspected by the American Council for Food Safety and Quality (DFA) to ensure compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices and food safety in buildings, grounds, equipment, sanitation, pest control, employee practices and personal hygiene, receiving, storage, warehousing and shipping practices, food security and quality management systems, HACCP and foreign material.
• All fig products are inspected and certified by the American Council for Food Safety and Quality of the Dried Fruit Association for compliance to grade and quality standards.

Sustainability

• Most of the activity in the fig orchards begins in May as the fruit appears on the tree. For dried figs, the activity culminates in November with the final picking. Fresh figs are harvested through December. However, fig production is a year-round business requiring continual soil preparation, monitored irrigation, and careful pruning of the trees.
  • Good water management during the growing season includes regular irrigation, often with systems that deliver the water directly to each tree. Mulching helps maintain tree health, vigor and longevity.
  • Trees are spaced 12 to 20 feet apart. The fig trees are trained to single trunk or multi-trunk bush systems. During the dormant season, older trees can be thinned to increase fruit size and to stimulate new growth each year.

Fossil Fuels and Dried Figs

• As with most dried fruits, dried figs have a water content of about 30%. This amounts to a substantial saving in fossil fuel consumption during transportation from the processor to the consumer across the country and around the world. Early camel drivers in the regions where figs originated must have recognized this energy savings, too.

Economic Data

• The industry presently represents over 100 producers, marketers, farm managers and processors of California Figs, farming 9,300 acres mainly in Madera, Fresno and Merced counties with some in Kern. Many of the producers are small business owners, while others are diversified and produce other agriculture commodities. There are five processors of figs.
• The industry employs about 600-700 workers. From the fig orchards to the packinghouse and front office support, highly skilled employees plant, prune and harvest. At the plant, they grade, process and pack the figs.
• Almost all employees are long-time members of the community and have worked in the industry for years, if not generations.

More About Figs

• The fig tree is the symbol of abundance, fertility, and sweetness.
• Figs made their first commercial product appearance in the 1892 introduction of Fig Newtons® Cookies. (See http://www.nabiscoworld.com/newtons/.)
• For many years the fig has been used as a coffee substitute. The fruit contains a proteolytic enzyme that is considered an aid to digestion and is used by the pharmaceutical industry.
• And, because of its high alkalinity it has been mentioned as being beneficial to persons wishing to quit smoking.
• Figs contain a natural humectant — a chemical that will extend freshness and moistness in baked products.
• A chemical found in figs, Psoralen, has been used for thousands of years to treat skin pigmentation diseases. Psoralen, which occurs naturally in figs, some other plants and fungi, is a skin sensitizer that promotes tanning in the sun.
• Figs provide more fiber than any other common fruit or vegetable. The fiber in figs is both soluble and insoluble. Both types of fiber are important for good health.
• Figs have nutrients especially important for today’s busy lifestyles. One quarter-cup serving of dried figs provides 5 grams of fiber — 20% of the recommended Daily Value. That serving also adds 6% of iron, 6% of calcium, and 7% of the Daily Value for potassium. And, they have no fat, no sodium, and no cholesterol. Recent research has shown that California Figs also have a high quantity of polyphenol antioxidants.
• Although considered a fruit, the fig is actually a flower that is inverted into itself. The seeds are drupes or the real fruit.
• California figs are the only fruit to fully ripen to complete sweetness and semi-dry right on the tree before falling to the ground to continue drying.
• After harvest, the figs are inspected and packaged. Packaging includes rings of figs tightly packed and over-wrapped, moisture-proof bags, wrapped finger packs, plastic cups or bulk. California figs are generally found in the produce or baking section of your favorite supermarket.
• Figs are harvested in the late summer and early fall, but because they are dried and conveniently packaged, they are available all year long. They are popular additions to a wide assortment of baked goods, and also a part of traditional American and Jewish holiday feasts such as Succoth, Hanukkah and Passover.

Growing up in West Asia region, ranging from the coast of the Balkans to Afghanistan. Now is also cultivated in Australia, Chile,Argentina, and the United States.
Habitus in the form of trees, large and can grow up to 10m with soft shaft gray. The leaves are quite large and curvy in, 3 or 5 lobes.

Flowers tin does not seem as protected by the base of the flower that closes so that the thought of fruit. Pollination carried out by a special kind of wasp, just like the insects that pollinate other Ficus species.
The so-called fruit is actually a flower that forms the basis of spheres. This type is typical for all members of the tribe-araan fig(Moraceae). The fruit size of three to 5 cm long, green. Some cultivars change color to purple when ripe. The sap of this tree issued to irritate the skin.
Fig fruit can be eaten fresh, dried, or made jam. Fruit is picked must be used because it can not be stored longer (easily broken). In Bengali fig fruit is processed as a vegetable.

Privileges fig fruit

All that is created and bestowed by Allah SWT has its own privileges and advantages that we as humans sometimes do not know the silver lining. Many of us do not know the features found in Fruit Tin and importance to health, perhaps because Fruit Tin is not from our country, but from the Middle East countries. Although Fruit Tin comes from Makkah, Syria, Palestine, Egypt as well, but also introduced in Italy about 2000 years ago which developed rapidly through the South of Europe, including Greece.Up in the Book Al-Qur’an there is also a special letter stating about Tin Fruit and Olives, also Mount Tursina and country safe Makkah (Al-Qur’an – Surat At-Tin verses 1-3). If contemplated, surely there is wisdom behind it, why Allah swt has said in the Qur’an. This may be because the efficacy and merits unequaled by other fruits.

According to Imam Ibn Al Jawziyyah,

Fruit Tin has many benefits, including shortness of breath can reduce disease, cleanse the liver and spleen, as well as thinning phlegm, and provide good benefits to the body, as a precautionary measure to combat toxins in our bodies.

Prophet Muhammad also once said, “Had I say, Surely the fruit that fell from Heaven then I say, this is the fruit (Fig), there is no doubt the real fruit of paradise.” (Hadith narrated by Abu Darba; Suyuti)

Along with these traditions, is also evidenced by the discoveries of science about the many features that can be taken from the grain Tin little-known fruit. Fruit Tinhas different properties with other fruits as well as delicious and has a high health value.Apart from that, also useful as a material facilitating (laxative), retaining the element of pain and slums urine (diuretic).

Prof. J. A Vinson from Scranton University of the United States has made a study and prove that, Tin Fruit contains a high efficacy when compared with other fruits. Fruit Tin contains no violations, fat and cholesterol, but contain higher potassium, fiber and iron. The results of research in fruit 100gram Tin, contains 20% than the daily requirement of fiber substances our bodies. Of these, over 28% is a type of soluble fiber. Research shows that soluble fiber can help reduce blood sugar and cholesterol in the blood by binding in the digestive tract, when the insoluble fiber, can protect and prevent colon cancer (koion). Foods rich in fiber can reduce weight, therefore Fruit Tin is also very suitable to overcome a weight problem.

Tin fruit can be consumed per person, including children and is the best food for all ages, because the fruit contains high fiber Tin and sweet taste. So very appropriate if we eat this fruit, as an alternative food us to improve our daily health in this modern world.

One more feature that is contained in Fruit Tin is believed to have materials that can fight cancer. In the Fruit Tin contains “polyphenols” high functioning as an antioxidant that is very important for our bodies, because it can function as free radical in the body that cause cancer. In addition, Tin Fruit also contains other elements that became an anti-cancer substances, namely “benzaldehyde” and “coumarins.”Benzaldehyde has been shown to act as anti-tumor material and “coumarins” is to treat skin and prostate cancer.

In addition, the presence of fiber, potassium and magnesium in the Fruit Tin can reduce wind attacks and is able to control high blood pressure. One good news for people with high blood diseases, because by eating the Fruit Tin made prevention of the disease. For diabetes, fiber contained in fruits Tin can memperlahan process of glucose absorption in the small intestine. Combined substance contained in Fruit Tin is high fiber and carbohydrate in the form of a compact, namely glucose and fructose is able to control one’s blood sugar levels.

Accordingly, Dr. Oliver Alabaster, namely Steering Disease Prevention Institute at George Washington University Medical justify stated that if someone takes Fruit Tin, actually has taken the food that ensures long-term health. So no wonder if Fruit Tin called by experts on the current food as Nutraseutikal food (functional food), because fruit Tin is not just contain substances that are efficacious, even more than that and is useful as a body guard and is able to prevent attacks, disease certain diseases.

In addition, the Institute for Fruit Tin Advisors in California (California Fig Advisory Board) has said Fruit Tin as “Nature’s most Nearly perfect fruit”, ie the fruit that almost reached the stage of perfection as a whole. WaAllahu  a’lam Bisshowaab

source : wikipedia.com, masenchipz.com

Though figs are seasonal fruits, they are available throughout the year in the dried form. They taste more yummy in its dried form and are very nutritious as they contain vitamins A, B, and minerals like phosphorus, calcium, iron and manganese. Here are some benefits of figs bet you didn’t know about:

– Pectin, a soluble fibre found in figs is beneficial for the digestive system. This soluble fibre helps in clearing out the accumulating cholesterol in the body.
– Hypertension may arise when there’s more intake if sodium and low potassium levels in the body. Figs however, are low in sodium and high in potassium and hence, helps in prevention of hypertension.
– Dried figs are said to contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids along with phenol. These are useful in preventing coronary heart diseases.
– Figs are also a source of calcium, which is good for strengthening of the bones.
– Because figs are rich in potassium, it helps in regulating blood sugar. This is beneficial for people who are diabetics. Also, people whose diet is sodium may suffer form urinary calcium loss. The high potassium content in figs, helps in prevention of this.
– Eating figs are said to be an effective cure for treating sore throat because of their high mucilage content.
– Traditionally, figs have also been used for treating sexual weakness. The remedy requires one to soak about two to three figs in milk overnight and eat the same next morning.
– Because figs contain iron, they are useful in treating anaemia.
– Mash about fresh figs and them on your face and leave for 10 to 15 minutes. This is useful for treating acne and pimples.
– It is said that eating figs can relieve fatigue and boost brain power too.
– As one grows older, one tends to suffer from macular degeneration i.e. weakness of the vision. Eating figs can hep prevent this.

Aphrodisiacs help to intensify or arouse sexual desire. Although there is no conclusive scientific evidence supporting aphrodisiac properties, many cultural traditions believe that certain foods, like fruits, can increase and stimulate your sexual appetite. Fortunately, fruits are also beneficial to your overall health and may dually improve your sex life as well as your well being.