GOOD TO KNOW
The fig – one of the oldest cultivated plants
Originally from Asia Minor, it was one of the staple foods for the Romans. Nowadays it is also cultivated mainly in Spain, Algeria, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Brazil and the USA. It is in season from July to November and is very low in calories when fresh (but dried figs get more calories due to the drying process)
It also provides a lot of vitamins. One of them is vitamin A in particular. We need it for a healthy skin and the mucous membranes and vision of our eyes. But it also contains many B vitamins (especially B1), which among other things regulate our metabolism and are important for our nerves.
Figs also contain a lot of fiber (dried) and are therefore good for our digestion and can be used against constipation. They also provide important minerals, including potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and folic acid.
Furthermore, they provide hardly any fat, but in dried condition many carbohydrates due to their high fruit sugar content. Furthermore, they provide more calories than fresh figs. This means that the nutritional value of dried figs is particularly high – which also makes them very popular as a source of energy in sports.
Fresh figs are a pure pleasure. They taste slightly sweet and mild. As a snack, in sweet fruit salads or hearty leaf salads, figs enhance many dishes with their aromatic taste. But eggs can also be combined well with figs, for example as a sweet omelet.
Nice To Know:
A good tip for constipation: soak four to six dried figs in water or (plant) milk for a few hours – drink the liquid first.
And did you know that fresh fig juice can help against bacteria, worms and as cancer protection? In folk medicine it is recommended.
