Dried figs can be purchased throughout the year, but nothing can replace this unique fresh fruit. Pleasant sweetness, light pulp, smooth skin and crunchy seeds – all these properties combines fresh figs. This, as it turns out, flower ripens twice a year – June to July and August to November. Figs that grow on the fig tree (Ficus carica) are incredibly nutritious and healthy. Unfortunately, this soft fruit does not keep for a long time, so it is dried, used to make various jams, jellies and wines. As far as the health benefits of figs are concerned, they are quite varied.
What are the health benefits of figs?
Like any food product, figs are useful due to the presence in their composition of certain substances that have a beneficial effect on the body. Thus, figs contain (per 100 g of fresh fruit):
- 74 kcal;
- 19 g carbs;
- 0.7 g protein;
- 0.3 g fat;
- 3 g fiber;
- 232 mg potassium;
- 0.1 mg manganese;
- 1.3 mg iron;
- 60 µg copper;
- 18 mg sodium;
- 32 mg phosphorus;
- 4.7 mcg vitamin K;
- 0.1 mg vitamin B6;
- 17 mg magnesium;
- 35 mg calcium;
- 0.1 mg thiamine;
- 2 mg vitamin C;
- 0.05 mg vitamin A;
- 10 mcg folic acid;
This rich composition is responsible for the health benefits of figs, namely:
- helps fight diseases;
- beneficial to the body.
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What are the health benefits of figs?
Among the mass of useful properties of figs, one can single out its ability to prevent the development and help in the treatment of certain diseases:
- prevention of hypertension – an imbalance of sodium and potassium leads to an increase in blood pressure, and figs, due to their high content of potassium, help restore this balance;
- cancer prevention – due to the high content of antioxidants, figs help to neutralize cell DNA damage by free radicals;
- helps fight iron deficiency anemia – The high iron content (2% DV) in figs makes them a great way to boost your hemoglobin levels;
- prevents heart disease – preventing the development of hypertension, figs neutralize a large risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease, and also reduces triglycerides, which also lead to diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- in addition, some studies show that figs help in the treatment of infections of the genitourinary system, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and skin.
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What are the general health benefits of figs for humans?
In addition to preventing the development of various ailments, the benefits of figs extend to the state of the body as a whole, namely:
- the fiber in figs is excellent for the digestive system and helps to avoid constipation;
- dried figs are quite high in calories, but in small quantities it can be eaten by those who are losing weight as an alternative to confectionery;
- high content of antioxidants in figs – phenols, vitamin C and E – makes this product very useful for the whole organism, as it protects it from the negative effects of free radicals;
- figs are good for bones because they contain calcium, which is necessary for bone strength;
- The ancient Greeks wrote about the benefits of figs for the reproductive system, who also used it as an aphrodisiac; there is evidence that figs increase sexual desire, and also have a beneficial effect on fertility.
Despite all the benefits of figs, diabetics, patients with pancreatitis, gout, as well as in case of acute gastrointestinal diseases and oxalate kidney stones, should consult a doctor about the use of this product. If you have no contraindications to the use of figs, estet-portal.com recommends including this delicious product in your diet in dried and fresh form in order to improve the condition of the whole organism.
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