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Benefits of Figs for Health - Nutrition Facts and Side Effects of Figs

Useful properties of figs

How many of you really know about Figs? Or even about Figs Benefits or side effects? Many people eat figs and do not even know about its properties for our body. Here you can get all the information about Fig fruits.


Fruits of figs contain many useful substances – fructose and glucose, fiber, pectins, organic acids. As part of the pulp of figs there are several essential vitamins – A, C, B1 and B2.

The pulp of the fruit is saturated with trace elements – potassium, sodium, iron and others. The total content of these substances allows the wide use of the beneficial properties of figs in traditional medicine.

Beneficial properties of figs for health and body

Fruits of figs are consumed fresh and dried. At the same time, all the benefits of fresh berries are preserved and even increase in dried fruits by increasing the concentration of substances as the amount of water decreases. They contribute to:

  • rapid recovery after illness;
  • improvement of digestive processes;
  • stimulation of the cardiovascular system;
  • correct liver function;
  • expectoration when coughing;
  • curing tonsillitis;
  • bowel cleansing;
  • removal of toxic substances from the body.

Health benefits of fresh figs:

  1. It is used in the treatment of fungal diseases.
  2. Whoever regularly eats figs strengthens their bones. This is especially important for older people.
  3. Fresh figs should be used with caution in the diet of pregnant and lactating women: its benefits are certain, but harm to the body is also likely. A pregnant woman can gain weight at an accelerated rate, or her blood sugar level rises. He can provoke colic in an infant by passing through mother’s milk.
  4. It also has a beneficial effect on the skin.
  5. Due to its iron content, fig juice is used in the treatment of anemia.
  6. Magnesium and potassium in the composition of the product provide muscle building material and contribute to the improvement of the heart muscle, it is useful for tachycardia.
  7. Fig has a valuable quality of blood thinning, which helps lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis and thrombosis.

Infographics Top 10 Health Benefits of Fresh and Dried Figs

Important! The use of figs in the diet is a prophylactic measure of the disease with ischemic disease, and the likelihood of hypertension and heart attack also decreases. Eating this wonderful berry reduces the risk of atherosclerosis, thrombophlebitis and even diabetes mellitus.

Calorie and chemical composition of figs

Fruits of figs, depending on the variety, are yellow, black and blue and black. They are extremely tasty and rich in nutrients. Calorie fresh figs are not too large, despite the fact that it has a very sweet taste. Fresh berries contain 49–57 kcal per 100 g.
Due to dehydration, the volume of dried berries decreases and the concentration of sugars increases. Its calorific value becomes 244–257 kcal per 100 g.

For 100 g of the product, figs contains approximately:

  • proteins – 3 g;
  • fat – 0.8 g;
  • carbohydrate – 58 g;
  • dietary fiber – 18 g;
  • organic, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids – 2.4 g;
  • water – 16 g;
  • Saccharides – 55 g;
  • starch – 3 g;
  • ash – 3 g;
  • calcium – 144 mg;
  • magnesium – 59 mg;
  • sodium – 11 mg;
  • potassium – 710 mg;
  • phosphorus – 68 mg;
  • iron – 0.3 mg.

In addition, the figs has a powerful set of vitamins: beta-carotene, vitamins A, B1, B2, E, PP.

Incredibly healthy figs

Benefits of figs for pregnant women

It is proved that this gift of nature perfectly copes with the feeling of hunger, normalizes the work of the gastrointestinal tract, charges with energy and increases the overall tone of the body. The product is advised to use for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases, constipation and breathing problems.

Figs are rich in iron, so it should be an essential element of nutrition during pregnancy. In addition, the fruit is known for its high content of potassium – an indispensable element for the work of skeletal and cardiac muscles.

Recent studies of the healing properties of the product have shown that it is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Scientists managed to isolate from its leaves the essential oil, which has antimicrobial and softening effect.

During lactation, beneficial vitamins and trace elements are ingested by a woman, and then when fed with breast milk, and into the body of a child. However, infants can be given pure figs from only five years old. At the same time be sure to make sure that the child is not allergic to this product.

fig varieties photo
Fig varieties: the most popular types of favorite and healthy fruit

Benefits of figs and the treatment of diseases

The benefits of figs due to the rich internal composition. Some doctors recommend that people who have thrombophlebitis, hypertension and venous insufficiency should bring fruits into their diets.

Figs are used in traditional medicine. It is recommended to use the fruits during the period of food poisoning, as they help to normalize the work of the stomach, liver and kidneys.

Chopped in mush fruit can be used to heal wounds.

In order to quickly recover from colds and get rid of a sore throat, it is recommended to steam the figs in milk and eat it before each main meal.

Fruits can also be used as lotions to help get rid of boils.

Dried fruits have antipyretic effects, and they also reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. They also improve performance, activate mental activity and supply the body with energy.

If you make syrup or jam from figs, it can be used as a laxative.

Even the treatment of corns can be carried out with the help of this fruit. To do this, it must be cut in half and attach for the night.

In folk medicine, you can find recipes using figs to treat bronchitis and kidney disease.

Health benefits of figs are indisputable because this ingredient is often used to treat certain diseases. Traditional medicine uses this product because it is useful for the body of both men and women, as well as for children and the elderly. In order for you to make sure that this fruit is really very useful and versatile, we suggest to get acquainted with the list of diseases in which proper use of the product will contribute to a speedy recovery. Thus, traditional medicine recommends the use of figs in such diseases as:

  • pancreatitis and cholecystitis;
  • laryngitis and fahrengit;
  • sore throat and cold;
  • pneumonia;
  • hemorrhoids;
  • prostatitis;
  • hypothyroidism;
  • psoriasis and vitiligo;
  • oncological diseases (cancer);
  • diseases of the spine and bones;
  • malfunctions of the thyroid gland;
  • stomach diseases (ulcer, gastritis, colitis, erosion);
  • intestinal disorders (diarrhea, constipation);
  • obesity.

This list reflects only a part of the diseases in which figs can benefit the body. So, doctors often recommend this product to be used by women during pregnancy and lactation.

Men will benefit from using figs as a prevention of potency problems. It is also very useful to use the product to athletes, as the trace elements contained in the fruit, allow you to recover the energy spent during training.

Due to the healing properties of figs, it is used not only for medicinal purposes, but also to strengthen the immune system, which will prevent the occurrence of colds and viral diseases. Especially useful to eat this fruit in the cold season, when the body is especially weak. In winter, you can brew tea with figs, as well as add fruit pulp to milk. Such a remedy is excellent for cough and runny nose, and will also be useful for voices if you are singing.

When losing weight, many women use figs with apple cider vinegar, combining the use of these products with diet and exercise. Also for this purpose are used leaves of the fig tree, as well as its root. On the basis of these ingredients, medicinal decoctions and infusions are prepared, which speed up metabolism and improve metabolism.

Harm of figs and contraindications

igs can cause harm only if you do not comply with contraindications. These include allergies, diabetes, idiosyncrasy, and increased acidity of the stomach. In addition, if you abuse the product, it can get swollen. It is also not recommended to eat fresh figs on an empty stomach.

The fruit may even carry a danger to the body, as they may well be poisoned. Poisoning leads to the use of poor-quality, green and missing figs. Symptoms of poisoning are as follows:

  • nausea and urge to vomit;
  • indigestion, diarrhea;
  • increased body temperature;
  • fatigue;
  • suffocation;
  • chills;
  • blanching

If you notice such symptoms of poisoning, you should immediately call an ambulance, and, waiting for her arrival, provide the affected person with peace, plenty of drinks and warm clothing.

Interesting facts about figs

In 2000 BC, the ancient Egyptians used tame monkeys to harvest figs. Tamed animals plucked ripe fruit and gave it to a man standing under a tree with a basket.

This tree is often mentioned in the Bible – there is an opinion that Adam and Eve, having tasted this forbidden fruit, were expelled from paradise.

In Buddhism, the fig tree is considered a symbol of illumination – it was under this tree that the Buddha attained to the knowledge of the essence of life.

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