Medicinal and nutritional value of figs

Everyone knows that figs are delicious fruits, but do you know the medicinal value of figs ? Let me introduce it to you.

Medicinal value of figs

Harvesting and processing: Pick unripe green figs in summer and autumn, blanch them in boiling water, pick them out immediately, and dry them in the sun or oven.

Properties: The fruit is conical or spherical, about 2cm long and 1.5-2.5cm in diameter. The surface is light yellow-brown or brown-black, with wavy longitudinal ridges, slightly flat at the top, with a round protrusion in the center, and a narrow base with a fruit stalk and residual bracts. It is hard and sweet.

Chemical composition: Contains citric acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid, malonic acid, proline, oxalic acid, malic acid, shikimic acid, quinic acid, alkaloids, glycosides, sugars, ficin, etc.

Nature and flavor: Neutral, sweet.

Functions and indications: Strengthens the spleen and stops diarrhea. Used for loss of appetite, diarrhea, and insufficient milk.

Source: The fruit of the fig Ficus carica L. of the Moraceae family. Its roots and leaves are also used as medicine. The roots can be harvested all year round; the fruit and leaves are harvested in summer and autumn and used dried or fresh.

Nature and flavor: Fruit: sweet, neutral. Roots and leaves: light, astringent, neutral.

Functions and indications: Fruit: moistens the lungs and relieves cough, clears heat and moistens the intestines. Used for cough and asthma, sore throat, constipation, and hemorrhoids. Roots and leaves: enteritis, diarrhea; external use for carbuncle.

Main effects: It is also known as Tianshengzi, and is sweet and flat in nature. It is good at clearing away heat, detoxifying and reducing swelling, and has the effects of strengthening the stomach and clearing toxins.

Dosage and administration: Fruit and leaves: 25-50 grams; roots and leaves are applied externally in appropriate amounts, decocted in water and used for fumigation and washing the affected area.

Excerpt: National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicines

Figs contain high levels of fructose, fruit acid, protein, vitamins and other ingredients, and have nourishing, intestinal moisturizing, appetizing and lactation-promoting effects.

It is cultivated in large quantities in the Tarim Basin, with the largest number of figs planted in Atushi, with an annual fruit production of more than 200 mu. The fruit is sweet and juicy, with a fragrant taste, comparable to Lingnan bananas and creamy coconut shreds. In addition to fresh fruit, it can also be made into dried fruit and jam. Figs are dioecious, with flowers hidden in the sac-like receptacle. Only the fruit can be seen from the outside, but no flowers, hence the name. The fruit is oblate, with a yellow peel, soft flesh, rich in nutrients, and sweet like honey.

In addition to being eaten, the fruit can also strengthen the stomach and intestines, reduce swelling and detoxify. The fruit of the fig is very fresh and tender, and it is not easy to preserve and transport. Local people often use it to dry fruit and sell it outside.

Fig nutritional value

1. Figs have a high edible rate, with the edible part of fresh fruits reaching 97%, and dried fruits and candied fruits reaching 100%. They are low in acid and have no hard and large seeds, so they are especially suitable for the elderly and children.

2. Figs are rich in amino acids, with fresh figs containing 1.0% and dried figs containing 5.3%. 18 types have been discovered so far. Figs not only have a high utilization value because they contain all eight essential amino acids for the human body, but also have the highest content of aspartic acid (1.9% dry weight), which is very effective in fighting leukemia, restoring physical strength, and eliminating fatigue. Therefore, a fig drink is used as a "coffee substitute" abroad.

3. Figs have a high content of dry matter, 14-20% for fresh figs and more than 70% for dried figs. Among them, the glucose content that can be directly absorbed and utilized by the human body accounts for 34.3% (dry weight), fructose accounts for 31.2% (dry weight) and sucrose accounts for only 7.82% (dry weight). Therefore, the calories are low and it is called a low-calorie food in Japan. Domestic medical research has proved that it is a weight loss health food.

4. Figs contain polysaccharides, accounting for 6.49% (dry weight), mainly arabinose and galactose, which have certain anti-aging effects.

5. Figs contain a variety of vitamins, especially carotene. The fresh fruit contains 30 mg/100 g, and the dried fruit contains 70 mg/100 g, which is higher than peaches, grapes, plums, pears, citrus and persimmons.

6. Figs contain a large amount of inorganic elements that are beneficial to the human body, but do not contain carcinogenic inorganic elements such as Co, Cd, Pb, etc. It has a good effect on enhancing the body's health and anti-cancer ability.

7. Figs contain abundant enzymes in their fruit, branches and leaves, with the most protease, followed by lipase, amylase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), etc. Eating figs as a fruit after meals is good for digestion. In recent years, a major breakthrough has been made in the development of high-quality cosmetics by extracting SOD enzymes from figs, which has doubled the value of figs.

8. Figs are rich in dietary fiber. The pectin and hemicellulose in them can absorb a variety of chemical substances after swelling with water. These can adsorb and excrete various harmful substances in the intestines, purify the intestines, promote the reproduction of beneficial bacteria in the intestines, inhibit the rise of blood sugar, maintain normal cholesterol levels, and eliminate carcinogens.

9. Figs also contain malic acid, oxalic acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid, malonic acid, pyrrolidine carboxylic acid, shikimic acid, quinic acid, glyceric acid and other acids. Flavonoids, rutin ketone sugar, aldose, resin, etc. As well as benzaldehyde, furanocoumarin lactone, psoralen, bergamot lactone and other ingredients that have a certain effect on inhibiting cancer.

Element

Fig, also known as natural fruit, Wenxian fruit, dense fruit, milk fruit, etc., is a plant of the mulberry family. Fig is both a fresh fruit and a Chinese medicinal material. "Compendium of Materia Medica" states: "Figs are sweet and mild, non-toxic, and can stimulate appetite, stop diarrhea, treat five types of hemorrhoids, and sore throat." Figs taste sweet like persimmons but without seeds, and are rich in nutrients. Every 100 grams of figs contains 81.3 grams of water, 1.5 grams of protein, 0.1 grams of fat, 3 grams of crude fiber, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 1.1 grams of ash, 30 micrograms of carotene, 0.03 milligrams of thiamine, 0.02 milligrams of riboflavin, 0.1 milligrams of niacin, 2 milligrams of ascorbic acid, 1.82 milligrams of vitamin E, 212 milligrams of potassium, 5.5 milligrams of sodium, 67 milligrams of calcium, 17 milligrams of magnesium, 0.1 milligrams of iron, 0.17 milligrams of manganese, 1.42 milligrams of zinc, 0.01 milligrams of copper, 18 milligrams of phosphorus, and 0.67 micrograms of selenium. In addition, it also contains citric acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid, malic acid, propionic acid, oxalic acid, quinic acid, lipase, protease, and a variety of essential amino acids for the human body.