I was at the farmers market and I saw fresh black figs, I got so excited I bought 2 boxes. I decided I would blog about this amazing fruit as many people have not tried them and their nutritious benefits are huge. I had some as a snack with cheese and then used the rest in a salad.
Figs are the fruit of the Ficus tree, which is part of the mulberry family. They are native to the Middle East and Mediterranean. The taste is sweet, soft and they have a chewy texture and have lots of slightly crunchy seeds. They can be addictive. My father was visiting and has never tried fresh figs and loved them.
Most people including my dad have eaten dried figs, they are available every where and are high in fiber, but when dried the natural sugar content increases and unlike fresh figs which are perishable they last much longer.
Figs are high in minerals, such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and copper. They are a good source of antioxidant vitamins A, E and K. They are high in soluble fiber. Figs also contain prebiotics which help support the pre-existing good bacteria in the gut improving digestive wellness.
A 100g serving of fresh figs provides approximately:
43 calories, 1.3g protein, 0.3g fat, 9.5g carbohydrate and 2g of fiber
A serving of dried figs provides approximately:
227 calories, 3.6g protein, 1.6g fat, 52.9g of carbohydrate and 10g of fiber
Fresh figs can be black, brown and green. They can be eaten just sliced with any cheese or added to a salad.
