How Are Figs Good for Your Health?

Figs, as we know them, are a fruit with a character all their own. They're shaped like a teardrop, about the size of your thumb, and filled with hundreds of tiny seeds, and their purple or green skin is edible. The flesh is pink, with a mellow sweetness. The scientific name for the fig is Ficus carica.

Fig fruit and leaves are packed with nutrients and offer many health benefits, such as improving digestion, lowering the risk of heart disease and helping control blood sugar levels. In this article, Fatgirlguides looks at the benefits and drawbacks of figs, along with some simple tips for using figs in your cooking.

Figs are rich in nutrients but fairly low in calories, which makes them a healthy addition to your diet.

Fig Nutrition

One small fresh fig (40 grams) contains:

• Calories: 30
• Carbohydrates: 8 grams
• Fibre: 1 gram
• Copper: 3% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Vitamin B6: 3% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Magnesium: 2% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Potassium: 2% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Riboflavin: 2% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Thiamine: 2% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Vitamin K: 2% of the Daily Value (DV)

Although fresh figs are low in calories and provide plenty of vitamins and minerals, dried figs are very high in sugar and calories, so you should eat them in moderation.

Benefits of Figs

#Figs for Treating Constipation

Constipation means having fewer bowel movements than usual, or being unable to go for a long time, which makes stools hard and difficult to pass. A diet low in fibre can be one cause of constipation. Figs are often used to treat constipation because they contain a lot of fibre, which helps stimulate the digestive tract to work better. This makes stools softer and easier to pass, and helps relieve bloating. Figs also act as a prebiotic, an important source of food for the good bacteria in your gut.

#Figs for Better Heart and Blood Vessel Health

Figs help improve blood pressure and blood fat levels, which can make your blood vessels healthier and lower your risk of heart disease. One study found that fig extract could bring blood pressure back down to normal levels, and also helped lower blood cholesterol.

#Figs and Blood Sugar Control

Controlling blood sugar is how diabetes is treated, and some people may need insulin to keep their blood sugar at a suitable level. Fig leaves contain chemicals that may help people with type 1 diabetes use insulin more effectively. Based on research in this area, researchers suggest that drinking fig leaf tea may help reduce the amount of insulin needed and lower blood sugar levels in people with type 1 diabetes.

Also, the participants in that study ate a diet for people with diabetes and kept taking insulin every day. So the blood-sugar-lowering effect of fig leaves may also be partly due to other factors, and more research is needed to confirm it more clearly.

#Figs and Antioxidants

Some researchers believe that as we get older, the cells in our bodies take more and more damage from free radicals, which may lead to health problems. Many people believe that eating figs can help fight free radicals, because figs are rich in polyphenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins, all of which have antioxidant properties. These compounds destroy molecules or cells that may be harmful to the body, which is good for your health and may also help prevent cancer, Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration or arthritis.

#Figs for Treating Skin Conditions

In the past, figs were used to treat certain skin conditions, such as ringworm, psoriasis and vitiligo. Although there's no medical evidence that clearly confirms figs work for treating skin conditions, one study found that a cream containing figs had several effects on the skin, such as reducing pigmentation and redness, increasing moisture and balancing the oils beneath the skin, and it may also help fight wrinkles, freckles, acne and dark spots.

How to Eat Figs Safely

Eating fresh or dried figs in moderation is fairly safe for most people, and taking fig leaves as a medicine may be safe if you use them for no more than 1 month in a row. However, there are some things to be careful about when eating figs:

• Figs may cause allergic reactions and can interact with some medications, so you should only eat them in moderation.
• Consuming large amounts of fig latex (sap) may cause bleeding in the digestive tract.
• Figs may stimulate your bowels, so eating too many of them can cause diarrhoea.
• People who are allergic to fruits in the jackfruit family (Moraceae), such as jackfruit, may also be allergic to figs.
• Touching fig fruit or leaves may cause skin allergies and itchy rashes, especially in people with sensitive skin.
• Figs are high in vitamin K, which plays an important role in helping blood clot. So people who eat figs should plan how much vitamin K they get each day, especially those taking medicines that affect blood clotting, such as the anticoagulant warfarin.
• Eating fresh or dried figs in moderation is fairly safe for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, but there isn't enough safety information yet about taking large amounts as a medicine.
• People with diabetes should always keep an eye on and control their blood sugar, because eating figs may make blood sugar levels drop.
• Anyone who is due to have surgery should stop eating figs at least 2 weeks beforehand, because figs may make blood sugar levels drop.

A Few Tips for Eating Figs

Figs can be eaten fresh, just as they are. Fresh figs are low in calories and make a healthy snack. You can also add them to salads or desserts, or turn fresh figs into jam to enjoy with bread for breakfast. Dried figs, on the other hand, are high in sugar and calories, so eat them in moderation, but they're also more effective than fresh figs at relieving constipation. Fig leaves are very nutritious too, and can be dried and used as tea leaves.

References: www.healthline.com & www.pobpad.com