Summer is the season for figs. Looking at the plump figs with green skin and a hint of purple, one can't help but want to break open the flesh and take a bite. The sweet and soft taste is hard to resist, even the elderly and children with bad teeth can enjoy it.
However, due to limited transportation conditions, except for friends in Yantai, Weihai, Shandong, and Xinjiang and other fig producing areas, many people may be unfamiliar with it. But in fact, figs are not only delicious, but also very nutritious. If you see it, I strongly recommend trying it~
Nutritional Value of Figs
Figs also have a very interesting name called “sugar buns”. On the one hand, it has this name because it looks like a cute bun, and on the other hand, it has a high sugar content and tastes sweet and sticky.
1. High in sugar but low in calories
The sugar content of fresh figs can be as high as 16% to 20%, which is higher than mango, grapes, melon and other very sweet fruits, and only slightly lower than bananas. Therefore, if you want to satisfy your hunger or worry about hypoglycemia after exercise, but don’t want to eat sweets or candies directly, you can choose this kind of fruit with a high sugar content.
The good news is that, although the sugar content is not low, the calories in figs are not too high. The calories of 65 kcal/100 g are comparable to those of kiwi (61 kcal/100 g), only slightly higher than apples (53 kcal/100 g) and pears (51 kcal/100 g), and much lower than tropical fruits such as bananas (92 kcal/100 g) and durian (150 kcal/100 g). Even friends who need to control their weight can eat some with peace of mind.
2. High dietary fiber content, improves constipation
Figs also have a prominent advantage, which is that they are high in dietary fiber. The dietary fiber content of figs reaches an astonishing 3 grams per 100 grams, which is not only much higher than the “well-known” laxative artifact banana (1.2 grams per 100 grams), but also higher than the dietary fiber content of the real high-fiber water – pitaya (1.6 grams per 100 grams) and kiwi (2.6 grams per 100 grams).
Unexpectedly, figs are really a hidden master in promoting intestinal motility and improving constipation!
3. Selenium-rich foods
In addition, figs are high in calcium, potassium and selenium. Fresh figs contain 67 mg/100 g of calcium, which is relatively high among fruits. At the same time, the potassium content is 212 mg/100 g, which is comparable to bananas (256 mg/100 g), which are excellent potassium supplements.
The selenium content in figs reaches 0.67 micrograms/100 grams. Although it is not as high as that of mulberries (5.65 micrograms/100 grams), which are major selenium supplements, there are not many selenium-rich foods in our daily diet. They are usually relatively abundant in aquatic products and nuts, and there are even fewer fruits with high selenium content.
Selenium is a nutrient with a strong antioxidant system. It can improve the body's antioxidant and anti-aging capabilities, help maintain myocardial function, and also protect visual cells.
The study also found that figs contain a large amount of fig polysaccharides and flavonoids. Fig polysaccharides have certain anti-tumor and immunity-enhancing effects; while flavonoids can help with anti-oxidation and anti-inflammatory effects, improve the body's cells' ability to resist oxidation and aging, and reduce the risk of inflammatory reactions in the body.[1].
Is it better to eat figs fresh or dried?
Although figs are rich in nutrients, they are seasonal and difficult to store for a long time, so we can only eat them for a short time in a year. In order to extend the time of enjoying figs, dried figs came into being. When it comes to “dried figs”, many people's first reaction may be the bags of snacks in the canteen at the school gate when they were young.
However, they are completely different. If you pay attention to the ingredient list of this bagged “dried figs”, you will find that it is actually made of shredded radish and green papaya, plus some seasonings, flavors and other food additives. It can be said that it is not just a fake, but also “selling dog meat under the guise of sheep meat”.
Snack “dried figs”. Image from the Internet
Real dried figs not only have the complete appearance of a fig (there are also ones cut in half), but also reveal the fig stamen structure inside after being torn open. And because the sugar content is not low, the taste is even sweeter after being made into dried figs.
The flesh has a strong chewy texture, and the crunchy texture of the dried figs, which are like small sesame seeds, makes the chewing sound very interesting. Both the taste and the texture are very appealing.
Some people worry that dried figs will only taste good but lose all their nutrients. In fact, there is no need to worry. On the one hand, the content of some water-soluble nutrients in fresh figs, such as vitamin C (5.2 mg/100 g) and B vitamins, is not outstanding.
On the other hand, the advantageous nutrients in figs, such as sugar, dietary fiber, calcium, potassium and selenium, will not be lost too much due to drying.
Are there worms in figs?
This has to start with the unique structure of the fig. People often say “flowers bear fruit”, but figs seem to have fruit without flowers. What's going on? Can figs bear fruit without pollination by wind or bees, ants, mosquitoes and flies?
In fact, figs have flowers, but we can't see them from the outside. Moreover, not only figs, but other plants in the same family as figs also have this characteristic of “figs with flowers and fruits”. The flowers of figs are in its “belly”. When we bite open a fig, we will see dense, small and numerous filaments, which are actually the inflorescence of figs.
In other words, figs not only have flowers, but also a lot of them! Some people will definitely wonder: if the part we eat is the flowers of the fig, then where is the “fruit” of the fig? If you look closely, among the crowded inflorescences, there are also small particles dotted around. Those are the real fruits of the fig.
These flowers wrapped inside the fig need to rely on a small insect that is closely related to the genus Ficus in the Moraceae family, to which the fig belongs, to complete the pollination process, that is, the fig wasp.
The relationship between fig wasps and figs can be described as “mutually beneficial and mutually destructive”. Figs are dioecious plants, and because the flowers are wrapped inside, they rely on fig wasps for pollination.
Fig wasps are small in size and can drill into the interior through the gaps at the top of the fig and lay eggs in male figs that contain galls (female flowers that cannot produce fruit). After the baby fig wasps are born, they feed on the sap of the galls.
At the same time, although the fig wasp cannot lay eggs and reproduce in the female flower after entering it, it brings the pollen contaminated by the male flowers into the female flowers, completing the pollination and making the fig bear sweet “fruits”.
It can be said that fig wasps are the matchmakers between the male and female fig flowers. Fortunately, these fig wasps living in figs will not cause any harm to the human body even if they are eaten with the figs. In other words, when you eat figs, you can enjoy the delicious food with confidence and treat it as a combination of meat and vegetables.
What's more, many of the figs we eat today are artificially cultivated and can bear fruit without pollination by fig wasps, so there is no need to worry.
Can people who are losing weight or people with diabetes eat figs?
Some people have also raised the question that since dried figs have such a high sugar content, will it be easy to gain weight? Do people with diabetes not be able to eat them at all? Actually, this is not the case. As mentioned earlier, although figs have a high sugar content, most of it is fructose. In addition, they are rich in dietary fiber, and most of it is soluble dietary fiber, which can bring a strong sense of fullness.
The rich flavonoids can also reduce the activity of digestive enzymes and help improve insulin sensitivity. Therefore, not only is the impact on blood sugar far less than eating carbohydrate staples such as rice and steamed bread, but if you pay attention to controlling the intake or use it to replace part of the staple food, it can also help lose weight and help control blood lipids.
If you are really worried about the impact of eating figs or dried figs on your blood sugar, you can also try these tips:
1. Eat figs with fruits that have sufficient water content and low sugar content, such as apples, pears, peaches, and strawberries. This not only enriches the source of nutrients, but also properly controls the intake of figs.
2. Eat with original nuts. Nuts are high in protein and unsaturated fatty acids, low in sugar, and have a strong sense of fullness. Eating them with fresh figs or dried figs not only has a rich taste, but also helps regulate blood sugar fluctuations after eating.
3. Eat in limited amounts. For foods with high sugar content such as dried figs, it is advisable to eat about 20 grams a day. If blood sugar is not well controlled, you should reduce the amount appropriately or eat it in small amounts several times.
4. Choose dried figs that are original and minimally processed. Be sure to avoid those that are too highly processed, such as those with added sugar, salt, and other condiments. Try to choose dried figs that are original, additive-free, minimally processed, and simply dried and dehydrated to ensure maximum health.
Watching the figs turn from green to purple, imagining the sweet fillings inside are so much that they are about to overflow from the “dumpling skin”, it is really tempting. Why not try them while they are in season?