Dried figs

Ripe figs are a very tasty and healthy product, but, unfortunately, they have very delicate fruits and are very difficult to transport. That is why, when shipped to other countries, the fruits of the fig tree are often picked unripe, so that they ripen already on the way and do not have time to be badly damaged. Because of this, the concentration of useful vitamins and trace elements in figs is significantly reduced, but they are completely preserved if the fruit is dried. The advantages of the dry product are obvious: it has a long shelf life, it is easy to transport, and it is extremely useful.

The homeland of the fig is southwestern Asia, and the tree on which the fruit grows is called the fig tree. Fresh fruits are somewhat reminiscent of a pear, and their color varies from light yellow to deep purple, depending on the variety. ^[1]. Fresh fruits taste cloyingly sweet, but very healthy and contain a huge amount of vitamins and minerals. ^[2]. Dried figs are brought to us mainly from Turkey, Armenia and Uzbekistan. In fact, mankind has known about its benefits for many years, since the time of Ancient Greece, where figs, especially in dried form, were considered an exquisite delicacy and were regularly eaten. ^[3]. He was so valued that if they tried to export him to other countries, the smugglers were imprisoned. Even Avicenna, the most famous physician of antiquity, strongly recommended its regular use, fresh or dried, to maintain health. In addition, he believed that the fruit is a good help in the fight against malaria, tumors, fever, and even leprosy.

You should not think that all figs are the same. In fact, there are about 150 species of this plant, and therefore fruits, in the world. For example, the darker the skin of the fruit, the more antioxidants it contains. It is believed that it is thanks to antioxidants that regular consumption of figs significantly reduces the risk of developing breast cancer, especially in those women who have crossed the threshold of menopause. Among other things, it is used to create medicines, but not only its fruits, but leaves and roots too.

Useful Properties

Dried figs, as well as fresh ones, have a good effect on intestinal motility, allowing you to gently get rid of constipation. Due to some laxative effect, it also allows you to quickly cleanse the body of toxins and harmful toxins.

Figs are very useful for people who suffer from anemia. It has been proven that its regular use in any form reduces tachycardia, improves the condition of the heart muscle and vascular tone.

Due to the high concentration of B vitamins, it ensures the normal functioning of the nervous system, stimulates the restoration of nerve cells, maintains a stable mental state and good mood in general. Regular consumption of figs can significantly improve mental activity and increase stress resistance.

dried figs during pregnancy

Naturally, during pregnancy, every woman carefully monitors her diet so as not to harm the baby. Considering how many benefits there are in dried figs, it is highly recommended for pregnant women to include them in their diet. There are no restrictions here: it can be consumed both fresh and dried (depending on preferences).

Chemical composition

Substances contained in the fruits of the fig tree stimulate the healing of wounds and the restoration of connective tissue in the body. Antioxidants, which are found in large quantities in figs, help cleanse blood vessels, normalize blood cholesterol levels and improve the condition of the cardiovascular system. Potassium, magnesium and iron are very useful for the circulatory system: they stimulate the creation of blood cells and increase the level of hemoglobin.

Dried figs are high in calories (256 calories per 100 grams of finished product). They should not get carried away by those people who monitor their diet, lose weight of their own accord or for medical reasons. However, the opposite is also true: for people who are underweight and trying to gain weight, dried figs will be of exceptional benefit, as it is not only high in calories, but also a natural and healthy product that will help to gradually gain weight while maintaining optimal levels. vitamins and minerals in the body ^[6]. For the same reason, it is very often recommended for people who are recovering from surgery or illness. ^[7].

How to choose

It is quite natural that in order to preserve dried fruits during transportation, manufacturers treat them with various chemicals. That is why you need to be very careful about the choice of what you are going to eat.

Quality dried figs should be a light beige color that can range from cream to light brown. All fruits must be of the same size, not too dry to the touch and have a uniform color. If the fruits are slightly flattened, this only speaks in their favor. Do not be afraid of white bloom on dried figs, it’s just glucose, which remains on the surface after heat treatment of the fruit. It is important to remember that the taste of the fruit should not contain sour or salty notes. Don’t choose figs that are too dry or rough to the touch. This suggests that its shelf life has long expired.

Recipes for treatment

Figs can be used to fight coughs. To do this, dried fruits are boiled in milk for some time and they drink a little broth every day. This is an excellent remedy for many diseases that are accompanied by a dry or wet cough, including sore throat, pneumonia or whooping cough.

In addition to these beneficial properties, a decoction of figs in milk also helps to reduce body temperature, which is very important if the patient is tormented by a fever.

Fig milk decoction

To prepare the mentioned decoction with fig milk, you will need:

• a tablespoon of dried figs;
• liter of milk.

Dried figs need to be cut into small pieces: this way it will boil out as much as possible and give milk all its beneficial properties. Just add the figs to the milk and then boil it, reduce the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes. After cooling, the resulting drink must be well strained or squeezed to remove pieces of figs. This decoction can be drunk about half a glass three or four times a day.

for whooping cough

For the treatment of chronic cough and whooping cough, a higher concentration of figs in milk is used: for this, two tablespoons of the crushed fruit are added to about a glass of milk and the digestion procedure is repeated.

For the skin

After preparing the decoction, do not throw away the figs, which have given up part of their benefits to milk. These crushed fruits can be used to help the skin with pustular diseases: for this, it is enough to make compresses from this fig to significantly improve the condition of the dermis.

From kidney stones

Figs are used even for the complex treatment of kidney stones. To do this, you need to take 5 figs, add 500 ml of hot water, and boil the resulting mixture for several minutes. Then it should be crushed well and taken between main meals, a few teaspoons. It is believed that this contributes to the crushing of kidney stones and their natural and gentle removal from the body.

Contraindications to use

Despite all the beneficial properties of figs, even this product has harm and certain contraindications for use. For example, it should not be consumed by diabetics, as it contains a high concentration of sugar, which leads to a sharp jump in blood sugar levels. ^[8]. Due to the oxalic acid content of figs, it should be avoided by people who suffer from gout, as the acid can aggravate the current state of the disease. It should also be avoided by people with acute diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, since the fiber contained in it is digested for a long time and can lead to complications.

The beneficial properties of dried figs are significantly different from what ripe fruits can offer you, but this does not mean that you need to bypass dried foods. ^[9]. The main problem of dried figs is that the water content in it is significantly reduced, and at the same time, the concentration of sugar per 1 kg of the product is significantly increased. That is why the use of dried figs must be approached very carefully, because with the same weight it contains much more sugar, and, accordingly, kilocalories than fresh fruits. On the other hand, the amount of vitamins and minerals remains the same: these are potassium and phosphorus, B vitamins, calcium and magnesium.

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