What diseases can figs cure?

Figs are native to the Mediterranean and have been cultivated for over 5,000 years. They have pink flesh and a distinctive sweet taste when ripe, and are rich in nutrients. In ancient Greece, figs were considered an indispensable fruit for Olympic athletes during training and were also known as the “Fruit of Life”.

Figs are native to the Mediterranean (Source: Sohu)

Figs are a fresh fruit and a traditional Chinese medicine. They contain sugar, vitamins, amino acids, malic acid, citric acid, hydrolytic enzymes, as well as rich minerals such as selenium and dietary fiber.

In the "Compendium of Materia Medica" it is recorded that figs are sweet, neutral, non-toxic, soothe the throat, reduce swelling, pain and ulcers.

Dr. Jin Yan, Department of Prevention and Treatment of the First Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said that figs are rarely mentioned in the daily diet of Chinese people, but they are a popular fruit in the Mediterranean diet, and this fruit has even been used as medicine for 6,000 years.

Recently, scholars from the Nutrition Research Center of the Institute for Food Safety and Health at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in the United States comprehensively analyzed relevant global literature from 2000 to 2022, and summarized the various health benefits of figs. The conclusions were published in the Swiss journal Nutrients.

Weight loss support

In 2011, a study published in the journal “Nutrients” followed 13,000 people for 4 years, showing that people who regularly ate dried figs had a lower BMI and smaller waist circumference than those who did not eat them.

Additionally, research shows that eating 120 grams of fresh figs daily instead of other snacks for 5 weeks can help with weight control.

Promote digestion

Figs are rich in fiber and pectin, and are often used to improve digestive health. A randomized, controlled study of patients with irritable bowel syndrome whose main symptom was constipation found that consuming 45 grams of dried figs per day significantly improved constipation and other symptoms.

Good for blood vessels

A study published by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's Institute of Nutritional Sciences found that people who were overweight or had risk factors for cardiovascular disease after eating 3/4 cup of mixed dried fruit (about 120 grams, including dried figs) every day for 4 weeks, their HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) index results increased.

If the HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) index is stable, it will help the body remove excess fat and plaque accumulated in the arteries, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Blood sugar control

Since ancient times, figs have been used to treat diabetes. In recent years, many studies have confirmed the role of active ingredients extracted from this fruit in reducing blood sugar levels.

A 2016 study found that after type 2 diabetics drank fig leaf decoction, their blood sugar levels decreased within 2 hours of eating. In another study, patients' blood sugar levels decreased by 13.5% after eating figs for 2 months.

Thu Hien (Source: Sohu & Edh)

Source