by Dr Deborah Lee, Dr Fox Online Pharmacy
I love figs, don’t you? So I thought I’d research the health benefits of figs, and remind all you fig-lovers out there, just how good they are for our health.
A fig is the beautiful, purple fruit of the Ficus carica plant, a member of the mulberry family. The common fig is cultivated throughout the Mediterranean region for its fruit, but some types of figs are grown in the UK. Figs are a popular food choice in the human diet, but also provide an important food source for wildlife.
The nutritional content of figs
You can eat figs fresh or dried. It’s important to note that they have a relatively high carbohydrate (sugar) content. However, dried figs contain a higher proportion of carbohydrates than fresh figs.
One serving (30g) of dried figs contains –
- 68Kcal/290KJ
- 1g protein
- 5g fat
- 9g carbohydrates
- 0g fibre
- 291mg Potassium
- 75mg Calcium
- 24mg Magnesium
One 80g serving of fresh figs provides:
- 34 Kcal 148KJ
- 0g protein
- 2g fat
- 6g carbohydrate
- 6g fibre
- 160mg Potassium
- 12mg Magnesium
- 30mg Calcium
Facts about figs
- Figs contain the highest quantity of minerals and fibre of any of the common fruits, nuts, and vegetables. These include calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron, along with vitamins A, B6, C and K.
- Packed full of polyphenols – health-giving substances found in plants – figs are classed as superfoods. Polyphenols are potent antioxidants.
- You may not know that figs are an excellent choice for anyone trying to follow a low fat diet, as they are virtually fat-free.
- In addition, fresh figs have a low glycaemic (GI) index, meaning they release energy slowly, helping you feel less hungry, and fuller for longer.
Are figs healthy?
Here are some interesting health benefits of figs –
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They are low calorie fruits
One fresh fig contains 20-40 calories, so figs are an excellent choice for anyone trying to lose weight.
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May help with blood glucose regulation
Although fresh figs have a low GI index, dried figs have a medium GI index. As a consequence, fresh figs are a better choice for those with diabetes or raised blood sugars.
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Aid digestion and reduce constipation
Figs have a high fibre content. Fibre is important for your bowel function because it bulks out the intestinal contents, exerting pressure on the bowel walls. This stimulates bowel contractions and helps propel the intestinal contents through the gut on their journey towards the rectum.
The probiotic effect of figs has also now been recognised. This means that partially digested figs in the intestines and the bowel, provide a food source for the bacteria of the gut microbiome to feed on.
Furthemore, eating figs has been shown to ease bowel symptoms for people sufferering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C).
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Contain important minerals for bone growth
Figs contain relatively large amounts of calcium and magnesium – a half cup of dried figs contains almost the same amount of calcium as half a cup of milk. This means they are an excellent natural source of calcium and magnesium for bone health. However, one feature fairly unique to figs, is that they also contain strontium, currently being used to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis. Strontium has been shown to reduce bone loss, promote the formation of new bone, and prevent fractures.
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Possess cancer-fighting properties
Studies using human cancer cells have shown that figs have potent anticancer properties – they help to counteract oxidative stress.
What is oxidative stress? – Every day in the human body, your cells use vast amounts of oxygen for their cellular processes. This leads to the production of harmful molecules called free radicals – negatively charged particles that damage DNA. This can lead to the production of cancer cells, and underpins the development of many of the chronic diseases we see today, such as atherosclerosis (the cause of heart attacks and strokes), type-2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s Disease. This process is called oxidative stress.
Antioxidants obtained from the diet are extremely important for human health because they counteract oxidative stress by neutralising dangerous free radicals. They also reduce the growth and development of abnormal cells, and cause apoptosis (the death of abnormal cells).
Here’s the good news – one reason figs are so good for you is because they contain such large quantities of antioxidants.
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Lower blood pressure in rats
When fig extract was given to two groups of rats – rats with normal blood pressure, and rats with high blood pressure induced by high blood sugar levels – this resulted in lower blood pressure in both groups. The authors felt this was due to the high polyphenol and potassium content of figs, and their effects on certain cardiac mechanisms. Further studies were recommended.
Fig side effects
Eating figs may be associated with side effects. See the list below –
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May interfere with anticoagulant (blood thinning) medication
Vitamin K is needed to help the body make clotting factors – these are substances which help the blood to clot. If you are taking an anticoagulant (a blood-thinning medication), foods high in vitamin K can interfere with these effects. If you are on blood thinners you should avoid certain foods including prunes, kiwi fruit – and figs.
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Contain oxalates
Figs are also high in oxalates which can crystallise in the urine leading to the formation of kidney stones. If eaten by people with kidney or gall bladder problems, figs can lead to the development of kidney or gall stones.
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Have a laxative effect – but don’t overdo it!
Too many figs can cause abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
- One portion size (80g) of fresh figs – is 2 medium-sized figs per day as a maximum.
- One portion size (30g) of dried figs is 4-5 dried figs per day as a maximum.
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Can cause food allergies and anaphylaxis
There are rare reports of acute anaphylaxis to figs, but this may be more likely in anyone who already has a latex allergy.
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Contain dead wasps
Wasps burrow a hole and crawl inside figs to lay their eggs. The wasp then dies, and the fig produces enzymes that digest the dead wasp and utilize the nutrients. The fig is only crunchy, however, because of the seeds inside it – the wasp is digested completely.
How to eat figs
Figs can be eaten raw – they are eaten whole without removing the skin, but always wash them first. They can also be baked, boiled, or grilled. Figs can be added to salad and fruit salad. One delicious combination is figs with goat’s cheese, pine nuts, and honey. Or why not add figs to smoothies?
Syrup of figs is a popular medicinal preparation that can be taken by the spoonful every day as a treatment for constipation. Try drizzling fig syrup over ice cream, cream, fruit, or waffles.
Why not add figs to jams and chutneys? For a choice of fig recipes, click here.
Final thoughts
The high vitamin and mineral content of figs make them an excellent source of nutrition. As a superfood, due to their high antioxidant content, figs have key health-giving properties, including anticancer and blood-pressure lowering effects. Figs are good for digestion. As a natural food source, they are high in fibre and remain an excellent choice to help treat and prevent constipation. The are low in fat, low in calories and full of vitamins and mienerals. And what’s more – figs are delicious!
Is it time you tried adding figs to your diet?
For more information
- Healthily – What are the health benefits of figs?
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