The Fig has a long and storied history that has many symbols. In ancient Egypt, the pharaohs believed that when they died, their souls would encounter a fig tree in the desert and that the goddess “Hator” would come out of the leaves of the plants to greet them in heaven.
In the traditional Kikuyu religion of Kenya, offering vows on sacred fig trees is a way to communicate with God. To Buddhists, no plant is more important than the fig tree beneath which the Buddha attained enlightenment.
Symbols, History and mythology of fig
Fig has been a symbol of abundance since ancient times and have received much attention in terms of nutritional and medicinal properties. Mithridates, the Greek king of Pontus, declared figs as an antidote to all diseases and instructed his physicians to consider its uses as a medicine. “Figs are healing,” says Pliny of Rome. Figs were very precious, in the ancient Olympic Games, winning athletes were crowned with fig wreaths and given figs to eat to improve their strength and speed.
Figs are said to have originated in southern Saudi Arabia and were brought to the Mediterranean more than 2,900 BC. The Phoenicians and Greeks, independently and through various channels, were responsible for spreading fig culture throughout the ancient world. Figs are mentioned several times in ancient Greek texts, and it is specifically mentioned that figs were eaten as an appetizer.
Health benefits of figs
There are three types of figs: white, black and red. The external color of the fruit varies from light green, golden, brown to dark purple. Figs can be eaten fresh or dried. It should be noted that fig skin contains more fiber and antioxidants. Dark figs usually have more polyphenols than light figs. Fig leaves are also very useful and are widely used for medicinal purposes. Here is a list of the most important nutritional benefits of figs for health:
- Figs are a rich source of protein, soluble dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins (A, B, C, K) and pigment antioxidants that are very good for health.
- Due to the fact that figs are one of the richest in fiber, they naturally fight constipation. Soluble fiber binds to cholesterol in the gastrointestinal tract to help control blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol.
- Figs contain Chlorogenic acid, which helps lower blood sugar levels and controls blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes.
- Figs contain good amounts of B-complex vitamins such as niacin, pyridoxine, folate and pantothenic acid. These vitamins act as metabolic factors for carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
- Figs are an excellent source of minerals such as calcium, copper, potassium, manganese, iron, selenium and zinc (100 grams of dried figs contain 640 mg of potassium, 162 mg of calcium and 2.03 mg of iron).