BY OYEWUNMI .O. KAFAYAT
Fig is one of the fruits mentioned in the Holy Quran and it has a lot of health benefits to humans. Ficus carica is the scientific name for fig, a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, it has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the world, both for its fruit and as an ornamental plant.
Figs are a unique fruit that looks like a teardrop. They’re about the size of a thumb, filled with hundreds of tiny seeds, and have a purple or green peel that can be eaten. The fruit’s pink flesh has a moderate, sweet flavour.
Fresh and dried figs are both delicacies. Because the fruit is pollinated by a tiny wasp, the flowers bloom inside the fruit, producing the tiny seeds that give it its particular crunch, fig-trees never blossom.
Figs — and their leaves — are packed with nutrients and offer a variety of potential health benefits. They may promote healthy digestion, decrease your risk of heart disease, and help you manage your blood sugar levels.
The presence of fiber in figs helps to stimulate the elimination of free radicals and other cancer-causing substances, particularly in the colon, since fiber increases the healthy movement of the bowels.
Fig leaf tea has been popularly prescribed for various respiratory conditions like bronchitis, and it is also used as a way to prevent and lessen the symptoms of asthmatic patients.
Fresh figs are rich in nutrients while being relatively low in calories, making them a great addition to a healthy diet.
One small (40-gram) fresh fig contains:
Calories:30, Protein: 0 grams, Fat: 0 grams, Carbs: 8 grams, Fiber: 1 gram, Copper: 3% of the Daily Value (DV), Magnesium: 2% of the DV, Potassium: 2% of the DV, Riboflavin: 2% of the DV, Thiamine: 2% of the DV, Vitamin B6: 3% of the DV, Vitamin K: 2% of the DV.
Fresh figs contain some calories from natural sugar, but having a few figs is a reasonable, low-calorie snack or addition to a meal.
On the other hand, dried figs are high in sugar and rich in calories, as the sugar becomes concentrated when the fruits are dried.
Figs also contain small amounts of a wide variety of nutrients, but they’re particularly rich in copper and vitamin B6.
Copper is a vital mineral that’s involved in several bodily processes, including metabolism and energy production, as well as the formation of blood cells, connective tissues, and neurotransmitters
Vitamin B6 is a key vitamin necessary to help your body break down dietary protein and create new proteins. It also plays an important role in brain health.
The presence of fiber in figs helps to stimulate the elimination of free radicals and other cancer-causing substances, particularly in the colon, since fiber increases the healthy movement of the bowels.
Fig leaf tea has been popularly prescribed for various respiratory conditions like bronchitis, and it is also used as a way to prevent and lessen the symptoms of asthmatic patients.
As Allah Almighty Says in Quran
” By the fig and the olive and the Mount Sinai and this safe country (Makkah)! Indeed, we created human with the fairest stature”. [Surah Teen: (95:1-4)]
Figs are a great source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which all help towards regulating a healthy digestive system and can even help in lowering cholesterol. Containing phenol, Omega-3, and Omega-6, figs can also help reduce the risk of heart disease and can even help control certain aspects of diabetes, by helping reduce the amount of insulin needed by those who are diabetic and need to take regular insulin injections.
