This fruit has beneficial characteristics for the body / web
Round in shape, with a flattened base and a slightly pointed tip, similar to a pear, the fig is a “false fruit” of the fig tree, since it is actually an inflorescence, that is, a group of flowers.
The fig is characterized by its thin skin and a color that goes from green, when it is just beginning to grow, to purple, when it is already ripe; as well as for its whitish or pink pulp, with a sweet flavor, which is full of tiny seeds.
Its scientific name is ficus carica, it is part of the Moraceae family and originates from the eastern countries. It is believed that its cultivation began in southern Arabia, from where it spread to the east and west.
The consumption of the fig since ancient times is such that it was called “the food of the philosophers” due to the great appreciation that thinkers such as Plato and Diogenes showed for this fruit.
During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance they began to be dried in the sun, giving rise to dried figs, a product that became a typical Christmas food. The presence in America of cultivated varieties imported from Europe from 1520 onwards has been documented.
What few people know is that this “false fruit” contains a series of nutrients that bring health benefits to those who consume it.
properties
The fig is a food with a high content of carbohydrates, such as glucose, fructose and sucrose, making it ideal for the diet of athletes and for people with intense physical activity.
Another of its important properties is fiber, especially in its fresh state, which produces a feeling of satiety and promotes intestinal transit, avoiding constipation, as well as preventing colon cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
The fig decoction is used for sore throat, inflamed gums, asthma, cough suppressant, spleen disorders, indigestion, wounds and even postema.
While in its roasted version, also known as “fig coffee”, it is used for acute pneumonia, pulmonary colds, bronchitis and rough cough.
Not only the inflorescence of the fig tree is used for the prevention and combat of diseases, the cooking of its leaves, for example, is taken as a remedy for diabetes and calcifications in the kidneys and liver, pectoral, sudorific and emollient.
Although it is not a mineral-rich food, it contains a high proportion of potassium, and contains appreciable amounts of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. While in vitamins, the fig registers small amounts of provitamin A and vitamins C, B1, B6 and niacin.
The secundary effects
Although the fig is a food widely consumed by humans, the contraindications of this “false fruit” must be taken into account to avoid its undesirable side effects.
Figs should not be consumed until they have reached the optimum point of ripeness, since the green ones can cause irritations or rashes on the skin, this due to their presence of a sap or latex, which is characterized by being a whitish and milky liquid. .
It is also important to mention that when the fig is subjected to the dehydration process, it not only loses up to 80% of its water content, but its caloric content increases almost four times.
