Dried figs: benefits and harms, calories
Dried figs: benefits and harms, calories
Anonim

Adults and children love to indulge in sweet treats. But in the wake of the popularity of proper nutrition and a he althy lifestyle, most of them are increasingly abandoning the usual sweets and chocolates in favor of less harmful counterparts. An excellent alternative to sweets will be dried figs, the benefits and harms of which, we will consider in more detail.

dried figs benefits and harms
dried figs benefits and harms

What do we know about figs?

In order for figs to grow juicy and sweet, they need a hot, humid climate. That is why the Black Sea coast is famous for such fruits: Turkey and the Crimea, as well as Greece.

Figs are also called fig trees or fig trees. Its fruits are extremely tender and soft. They are very sensitive to any damage.

The most delicious figs are only plucked from the tree, because they can be stored for a very short time. A slight damage to the delicate skin of the fruit reduces its shelf life to several hours.

That is whydried figs. The benefits and harms of fruits will be discussed in detail below. In this form, the dried product is not inferior to fresh fruit at all, but it can be stored much longer. Therefore, if you didn’t manage to eat plenty of figs while relaxing on the Black Sea coast, stock up on dried figs and enjoy their taste all winter long!

dried figs benefits and harms to the body
dried figs benefits and harms to the body

Fresh or dried?

Those who are intimately unfamiliar with the fruits of the fig tree often doubt whether it is worth including dried figs in the diet. The benefits and harms of such fruits can cause controversy, but they are completely unfounded.

Dried figs retain their full vitamin and microelement composition. Moreover, absolutely no preservatives are used to obtain such dried fruits. This means that dried figs are definitely good for the body.

It is only worth considering that when dried, the concentration of constituent substances in the fruits noticeably increases, as well as the energy value. So, if there are up to 50 kcal per 100 grams of fresh figs, then the same weight of the dried fruit will “bring” up to 300 kcal! This factor should definitely be taken into account when considering the benefits and harms of dried figs: calorie content is an important aspect, especially for women.

dried figs benefits and harms calorie content
dried figs benefits and harms calorie content

A storehouse of vitamins and trace elements

Many do not even suspect how rich the composition of the fig fruit is. In terms of iron content, figs surpass even an apple, which is known to everyone as a storehouse of this element. BUTtry replacing the usual pharmacy vitamins with dried figs: the benefits and harms to the body will be incomparable. By including this product in your diet, a person will daily replenish his body with natural vitamin and other beneficial substances that are devoid of any chemical additives.

You can compare the composition of pharmaceutical vitamins indicated on the package with those microelements that are included in figs. You will be pleasantly surprised. The fruits of the fig tree contain:

  • minerals: iron, sodium, calcium, potassium, zinc, manganese and magnesium;
  • vitamins: ascorbic acid, vitamin A, B vitamins;
  • organic acids: malic, aspartic, glyceric;
  • pectin;
  • lysine;
  • fiber;
  • sugars: glucose, fructose and sucrose.
dried figs benefits and harms photo
dried figs benefits and harms photo

Due to the natural composition, all useful substances are perfectly absorbed, do not give allergic reactions and side effects. There is controversy around the benefits and harms of dried figs, but what is really beyond doubt is its rich vitamin composition. This magical fruit simply must be a regular guest in every kitchen.

What about the diet?

Often, people who are struggling with being overweight try to stop eating sweets, but cannot do it drastically. Then they resort to tricks: they replace chocolates and cakes with dried fruits and candied fruits. In this article, we will study in detail the photo, the benefits and harms of dried figs, find out if you can eat it while ondiet.

The answer is quite simple: these fruits are definitely better than any store-bought sweets. Despite the rather high calorie content, this product does not contain a large amount of fat, unlike any cakes and cookies.

dried figs harm
dried figs harm

Yes, dried figs are rich in sugars, but this only means that you should not abuse them. You can safely eat 3-4 fruits a day without harming the figure. Therefore, do not be afraid to pamper yourself during the diet with dried figs. The benefits and harms of this product cannot be compared. The fruit contains much more useful qualities than harmful ones. If you use it in moderation, it will fit perfectly into the diet menu when losing weight.

Figs as medicine

The rich composition of figs has been widely used in folk medicine for many years to treat a wide variety of diseases.

Pig fruit has a pronounced laxative effect, so it will be an effective and tasty helper for people suffering from constipation.

This product will relieve the pain and severity of symptoms in the following diseases:

  • inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract;
  • digestive disorders of various origins;
  • Urolithiasis and cystitis;
  • liver damage, intoxication;
  • vascular and heart diseases;
  • bronchitis, lingering cough, tonsillitis;
  • soft tissue injuries, poorly healing wounds.
properties of dried figs
properties of dried figs

The properties of dried figs make it possible to forget about many problems withhe alth, without resorting to complex drug therapy or combining it with a sweet treat. For treatment, it is necessary to use tinctures and decoctions from the fruits of the fig tree, the recipes of which we will consider below. But for prevention, it’s enough just to include figs in your daily diet.

Delicious prevention

Regular consumption of fresh or dried fig fruits saturates the body with useful elements in such quantity that it becomes enough to prevent various diseases.

A large amount of vitamin C makes figs an indispensable product during the period of viral and colds.

Excellent effect on the tone of blood vessels and heart muscle helps prevent the development of varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, and coronary heart disease.

Figs serve as an excellent means of maintaining hemoglobin at a high level, and hence the prevention of anemia. Its effect on the properties of blood can reduce the risk of blood clots and cholesterol plaques on the vessels.

dried fig compote benefits and harms
dried fig compote benefits and harms

No need to buy a large number of vitamin and immunomodulatory drugs: just eat dried figs every day, because it is a tasty and effective prevention of many diseases.

Healing decoctions

It is not at all difficult to make a medicinal infusion or decoction on your own. It is enough to put 40-50 grams of dried figs in a clean glass dish. On top of dried fruits, pour 200 ml of boiled water or milk, the temperature of which should be about 60–80degrees. The broth should be infused for at least 6 hours, and stored for no longer than a day. Therefore, it is most convenient to pour figs at night, and in the morning drink the resulting infusion in small sips throughout the day.

You can make compote from dried figs. The benefit or harm will be from this drink, depending on the presence of contraindications. If none of the relatives had negative reactions to the product, you can safely include it in the diet. Such a compote will be not only tasty, but also a he althy addition to family meals.

dried figs benefits and harms to the body
dried figs benefits and harms to the body

Be careful

Like any product with a rich composition, the fruits of the fig tree in rare cases can have a negative effect. The harm of dried figs is purely individual and can only occur in specific cases.

Due to the presence of oxalic acid, the fruits are contraindicated for people suffering from gout. Figs can provoke an exacerbation of the disease.

Dried figs contain a lot of sugars and therefore should not be consumed by people with diabetes.

Also, dried figs are excluded from the diet of pregnant women prone to excessive weight gain. Despite the vitamin-rich composition, it is better to refuse the use of fruits with late toxicosis and breastfeeding.

Otherwise, there were no negative consequences from eating figs. Therefore, if you do not suffer from the ailments listed above, eat it boldly, but in moderation!

dried figs benefits and harms
dried figs benefits and harms

Benefitwith taste

Now you know about the wonderful properties of heat-loving figs and, no doubt, you will want to include them in your family's diet. This is a great alternative to candy. Slowly replace all the sweets in the house with dried fruits, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the changes in the he alth of your loved ones.

Cook compotes, jam from figs, add to pastries. The taste of this fruit is absolutely unique, and the he alth benefits are invaluable.

But always remember about moderation: in reasonable quantities, figs will be an indispensable assistant and a storehouse of vitamins, but if abused, they can become a source of extra pounds! Eat right and stay he althy!

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