There is a popular saying in Spain that says “From figs to figs” when we want to say that there is something that we do very little. This comes because the fig tree bears two fruits, one the fig that is harvested in June and the fig that is harvested at the end of August, therefore, 10 months pass between the harvest of one fruit and the other. Both fruits are very nutritious, but today we are going to focus on the fig.
Figs from the fig tree are tasty, refreshing, easy to eat at any time and combine wonderfully with all kinds of dishes from sweet to savory, bread, rice and meat. The kilo of figs is usually around 6 euros and they last several days in the fridge.
Nutritional value of figs
Figs are full of nutrients, among which we highlight several essential minerals and a good handful of vitamins, although it is not one of the most complete fruits on the market.
The nutritional composition of figs they calculate based on 100 grams, which is the standardized average amount in Europe for nutritional calculations. Getting to the nitty-gritty we have 65.4 kilocalories, 19.2 carbohydrates, 1.31 grams of vegetable protein, almost 3 grams of soluble fiber, and half a gram of fat.
Among the minerals that make up this fruit we have 1.3 mg of sodium, 35 mg of calcium, 17 mg magnesium, 14 mg of phosphorus and 248 mg of potassium . On the other hand, the vitamins are: vitamin A that provides 5% of the recommended daily amount, vitamin B9 provides 2% of the recommended amount, vitamin K 6% and vitamin C 3%.
Ways to introduce it in the diet and maximum amount
The fig is one of the most versatile fruits that we have on the market, we can use it in the 3 meals if we want and in the snack too, or add it to fruit and vegetable juices. For example, fig jam with ham, walnuts and cheese , aromatic crunchy couscous with cauliflower and figs, oat flakes with chopped figs, smoothie with figs and chia seeds, fruit salad, sirloin with fresh fig sauce, steamed salmon with figs, etc.
This fruit is tasty and versatile, but it would be better not to exceed its quantities because it has a lot of fiber among other contraindications that we will tell at the end of this article.
To give us an idea, it is only allowed to consume about 5 dried figs, but if we prefer them natural and fresh, the maximum daily amount is 3 figs if they are of a usual standard size. If they are very big, we can eat 3, but try not to add too much fiber to our diet that day.
Now, if we are going to cook them in toasts, desserts, sauces, jams, fillings with empanadas, juices, etc. We can leave the tree empty, because it is clear that we are not going to eat all that food by ourselves in one sitting. In addition, by mixing it with other ingredients we improve our diet and make it more varied and balanced.
Benefits of figs in the day to day
The properties of the fig in our body are counted in pairs, but we want to focus only on the most relevant and important so that we all want to add this delicious fruit to our daily diet or at least 2 times a week.
Supports digestive health
Figs have a good amount of soluble fibers, hence a maximum daily amount has been stipulated, since otherwise we can suffer dehydration due to diarrhea.
Soluble fibers facilitate intestinal transit and insoluble fibers have an effect capable of preventing colon cancer. In addition, thanks to promoting evacuation, we are able to eliminate fluids and toxins from our body, control weight, and reduce appetite thanks to its satiating effect.
Prevent osteoporosis
One of the main minerals in this fruit is calcium, in addition to potassium and sodium. But specifically, calcium has high levels, which is why it favors the strengthening of our bones, nerves and teeth.
It can translate into a better connection between the connectors of our nervous system , and it can also prevent osteoporosis, a disease that mainly affects women in adulthood where their bones lose bone density little by little, leading to serious complications of Health.
Lowers blood sugar levels
Eating figs daily, always under medical recommendation if we suffer from some type of glucose disorder, can help us lower blood sugar levels , thus reducing the use of insulin. This is thanks to the high concentration of soluble fibers in this fruit, where insoluble fibers are also beneficial, but not at this level.
Given the amount of sugars we eat today, diabetes cases are doubling around the world, from young children with obesity to adults, where the condition is mixed with high cholesterol and is a Molotov cocktail.
Control cholesterol
Figs are good allies against cholesterol and that, as in the reduction of blood sugar levels, is due to soluble fibers. Based on this, heart attacks are considerably reduced , but we should not base our diet on this ingredient, we simply have to eat it as balanced and varied as possible.
Likewise, this delicious fruit also helps control blood pressure thanks to its high potassium content, which we have already said several times is a very beneficial mineral for the body. As with sugar, today’s society consumes a lot of salt, so potassium helps balance those levels.
Contraindications
Eating fruit is one of the best decisions we can make, choosing it as a dessert or as an accompaniment to a snack or breakfast helps us improve our diet by making it more balanced and varied.
But that it is fruit does not mean that it is free of sin, and we are not referring only to the pesticides of some fruits and vegetables, but to the nutritional properties of fruits, and more specifically to figs.
There are some contraindications and adverse effects of consuming many figs in a single day, and among them we highlight the laxative action . If we have a process of constipation, we can eat several figs in a row, but as a general rule it should not be, since it can cause acute diarrhea, heartburn, severe stomach pain, irritation of the intestinal mucosa, high concentrations of calcium and magnesium, apart potassium, gastritis, gout, abdominal inflation, etc.
