8 Reasons for Growing Figs Trees in Your Backyard
Fig tree
Fig trees are native to the Mediterranean region and its fruits have been part of the regular diet of the people that for centuries have settled on the shores of the Mediterranean sea.
Drawings representing growing figs trees and fig harvests have been found in Egypt, specifically in the pyramid of Giza (year 4,000-5,000 BC). In the Book of Exodus, they are part of the fruits that the people of Canaan presented to Moses.
Figs were also an essential food for Greek people. Fig trees were always dedicated to Dionysus, the God of renewal and when a city was built, a fig tree was planted on the path from the Agora to the Forum to mark the place where the elderly would meet.
Figs were Plato’s favorite delicacy; in fact figs are known as the “fruit of the philosophers”. Galen recommended its consumption to the athletes participating in the Olympic Games.
Composition of figs per 100 grams of edible portion
1. Calories 66
2. Carbohydrates 16 grams
3. Fiber 2.5 g
4. Vitamin C 3.5 mg
5. Pro-vitamin A 25 mcg (micrograms)
6. Potassium 235 mg
7. Magnesium 20 mg
8. Calcium 38 mg
Reasons why it is worth to have a fig tree handy
1. Figs contain a large amount of water which helps to avoid dehydration.
2. They are rich in carbohydrates (sucrose, glucose, and fructose), a reason why they are relatively high in calories. Figs are recommended in particular for those people who need extra energy such as pregnant and lactating women, growing children, adolescents, and for people who use a lot of physical and intellectual energy.
3. They are rich in fiber, which improves bowel movement. Figs are digested very well and serve as softeners of the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. They are considered a laxative fruit because of their high fiber content. The soluble fiber retains water, increasing the volume of stools by making them more fluid while facilitating intestinal transit and speed of evacuation. This fact makes them a good tool to combat constipation.
Figs
4. They reduce cholesterol. The soluble fiber in figs attaches to the bile and excretes it along with the feces. Since part of the bile goes out along with the soluble fiber in figs, the liver needs to reach for more cholesterol from the blood to produce more bile. The result: less cholesterol in your arteries.
In addition, fiber protects against cancer of the colon, by decreasing the time of contact of carcinogenic substances with the mucosa of the large intestine.
5. They are rich in minerals such as potassium. Potassium is necessary for the transmission and generation of nerve impulses, for normal cell activity, and to balance the fluids inside and outside the cell. Because they are high in potassium and low in sodium, they are highly recommended for people suffering from high blood pressure and heart disease.
However, people suffering from kidney failure and those who require special diets with controlled potassium should not include this fruit in their diets.
6. Magnesium. This mineral is essential for normal cell activity, proper functioning of the intestine, transmission of nerve impulses, formation of bones and teeth, and to improve immunity. It is basic to maintain a normal blood pressure.
7. Calcium. Besides being needed for the formation of bones and teeth, calcium is essential for the proper functioning of body cells. Be aware, however, that the calcium in figs is harder to absorb than the one found in dairy products
Meeting under a fig tree
8. Antioxidants. Figs have antioxidant activity although not as high as other fruits. They contribute a moderate amount of pro-vitamin A with antioxidant action which our body uses to manufacture vitamin A as needed.
Vitamin A is essential for vision, healthy skin, hair, mucous membranes, bones, and for proper functioning of the immune system. Antioxidant substances such as pro-vitamin A neutralize the damaging action of free radicals which help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Fig trivia
Medical use. It is known that Hippocrates recommended this fruit for fever. Popular traditions of different cultures have used products made with figs to cure colds and to relieve sore throat for hundreds of years. Half a dozen of figs cooked in boiling milk are a good remedy to soften coughing, especially if honey is added. Until the arrival of sugar, figs were used to preserve cooked fruit and even as a substitute for bread.
Figs as cheese coagulant. Latex is a milky white liquid that comes out when figs are taken from the tree. It can irritate the skin and it is capable of clotting milk, making it for years a great plant coagulant in the manufacturing of cheeses. This tradition is still continued in Mallorca, Spain.
In our diet. Fresh figs are delicious; it is the best way to eat them since you profit from all their vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. In countries like Italy and France, they are accompanied with ham or served as a dessert.
Spain produces a traditional sweet: fig bread. It is a round and flat cake made with dried figs finely chopped with various nuts and seasonings / spices: almonds, anise, cinnamon, clove, pepper, orange peel and spirits of aroma, all this mixed with water of fennel. The result is an energetic and invigorating food.
Best time for figs
Your best time for figs is from August until the end of October. Figs are extremely sensitive and perishable and even when stored in the refrigerator, they only last about 3 days
Final Thoughts
If you have a backyard, it definitely may be worth it for you to plant a fig tree. These trees don’t require too much love and tender care. In fact, I have a couple of fig trees in an empty lot next to my condo that although nobody waters them, (too far for me to reach them with a hose), when the time comes, they are full of fruits.
To your health!
Emilia Klapp, RD, BS
www.TheDiabetesClub.com
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