Figs, or anjeer (अंजीर), both dried and fresh, contain many nutritional benefits for your health, hair, and skin. The goodness of figs was explored many centuries ago, which is why they have been used in the medicinal and cosmetic fields for many years now. Figs have a slightly sweet flavor, which makes them highly loved by people of all age groups.
Did you know that this small fruit comes loaded with a bevy of nutrients? Loaded with vitamins and minerals, let’s have a look at the multiple health benefits of anjeer or figs.
Did you know that fig trees don’t blossom on branches? The blossom of the fig tree is inside the fruit. The flowers produce tiny little fig seeds which give figs their crunchy texture.
Table of Contents
Here Are The Top Benefits Of Anjeer / Figs
1. Replete With Nutrients
Anjeer or figs is a nutritious fruit that can be eaten fresh or dried. Figs are packed with a list of nutrients that are designed to provide good health from head to toe.
Here are some of the highly effective nutrients that you will find in figs:
Fiber – An ounce of dried figs contains 3 grams of fiber. Fiber is an important substance that keeps your gut healthy and clean. It helps to reduce issues such as constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. Studies have proved that fiber also plays an important role in regulating blood sugar and cholesterol levels. The fiber content may also help in keeping the cholesterol levels in check.
Calcium – This fruit is one of the richest plant sources of calcium, making it good for your bones and teeth. Calcium, as you all know, plays a significant role in bone development. It reduces your risk of bone degeneration ailments such as osteoporosis and arthritis during old age. Adding sources of calcium like figs is very important in our diet to improve our bone health.
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Antioxidants – A diet rich in antioxidants can help reduce oxidative stress and free radical damage on the body and can help in treating and can help prevent various diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Figs, the dried ones especially, are believed to contain very high-quality antioxidants that do a great job in preventing cell damage caused due to oxidative stress and free radicals. These antioxidants also improve the tone and texture of your skin by improving its elasticity and getting rid of wrinkles. (1) If you have concerns regarding your heart health, eating a few figs daily may help.
Other nutrients – Apart from these, figs (anjeer) are considered to be one of the richest plant sources of essential vitamins & minerals such as Vitamins A, B, C &K, copper, magnesium, manganese, iron, potassium, and zinc.
2. Figs Benefits in Regulating Blood Sugar Levels
While you must talk to your doctor before taking the extract of fig leaves for improving your insulin sensitivity, animal studies had indicated that when mice were fed anjeer leaves extract, their insulin sensitivity shot up instantly. The extract of fig leaves can help lower blood glucose levels. This extract also acted on the fatty acid in the blood and regulated blood sugar levels. However, speak to your doctor before you start using this for managing your Type 2 Diabetes.
3. Helps in Improving The Texture of Your Skin
Thanks to the abundance of antioxidants in it, figs, or anjeer, play an important role in improving the overall tone and texture of your skin. Figs can also treat medical issues of the skin such as psoriasis, eczema, and vitiligo. Research is still underway to conduct conclusive studies to prove the role of figs in these medical treatments. (2)
However, there are enough researches and studies to prove that figs do nourish one’s skin. Mash the anjeer or figs into a thick paste and mix a spoon of yogurt with it to create an antioxidant-rich face mask. Apply this on your face to hydrate it well and leave it on for about 15 minutes before you wash it off with cold water.
You will notice a reduction of acne and improved blood circulation in the skin, which automatically makes your face look bright and fresh always.
4. Benefits of Figs for Hair Health
Have you noticed many fig-based shampoos, conditioners, and masks in the stores? Ever wondered why? It is because figs (anjeer) can help to moisturize your hair and add shine and volume to dull hair. Though there aren’t studies to prove this fact, many women have experienced incredible benefits after using fig for the health of their hair. Figs contain zinc, which is closely related to the growth of hair follicles. (3) Therefore, you can be assured of volume, shine, and hydration to your hair when you use figs.
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5. Helps To Treat Sexual Dysfunction In Men
Since figs are replete with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, it gives a sudden spike of energy or stamina, thereby helping prevent issues such as erectile dysfunction & lack of stamina during intercourse. To treat sexual problems, figs are best consumed when soaked in milk overnight. Soak 3 figs in milk overnight and eat them the next morning to reduce the intensity of sexual problems and fertility amongst men.
6. Helps To Manage Piles | Help Relieve Constipation
The high-fiber content in figs makes it a natural laxative, thereby helping you get rid of issues such as constipation. For the same laxative effect, figs are also used as a natural remedy to treat piles. Soak a few dried figs overnight and eat the fruits with water in the morning for smooth bowel movements. Figs help to reduce the pressure on the hemorrhoids, thereby reducing the pain and inflammation caused due to piles.
7. Delays The Onset of Alzheimer’s
Though there are no human studies to prove this fact, an animal-based study proved that figs could prevent neuro-inflammation to a considerable extent. Conducted at the Macquarie University of Motor Neuron Disease Research, this study proved that since figs were able to reduce the inflammation on the nerves and prevent them from degeneration, they could delay the onset of age-related memory-loss ailments such as Alzheimer’s.
Figs prevent the inflammatory cytokines from getting formed in one’s body as one grows old because of its control over the degeneration of the nerves. Figs can be beneficial to reduce the effects of neurodegenerative diseases.
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8. Figs benefits in Relieving Throat Pain And Bronchitis
Figs contain mucilage, which provides a soothing effect on your throat, especially when you already have throat pain, sore throat, or other infections. The juices of anjeer or figs contain a lot of nutrients and antioxidants that prevent further pressure on your throat.
A large number of plant compounds found in them also help figs manage respiratory ailments such as asthma and bronchitis. A cup of warm tea made from the leaves of fig tea is considered one of the time-tested natural home remedies to treat respiratory tract infections.
Some Important Points To Note About Anjeer Or Figs
Figs, or anjeer, are a good source of Vitamin K, which helps in your body’s blood clotting process. If you are already taking medications for blood-thinning, you should be very cautious about consuming figs. This can impact the performance of the blood-thinner medicine. Hence, always talk to your doctor if you are under these types of medication before you consume figs.
If you are allergic to latex or birch pollen, you could be prone to fig allergy as well! It is also important to understand the family history of figs. They are a part of the mulberry family. Other fruits in this family include jackfruit, sugar apple, and the Osage orange. If you are allergic to any of these 3 fruits, you could be allergic to figs as well. (4)
Though the natural laxative effect of figs can help to get rid of constipation and enable the smooth passage of stools, you should be cautious about the number of figs you consume. Eating more figs than the necessary quantity can have negative effects for the digestive system such as diarrhoea.
Figs Benefits – How To Eat Anjeer/Figs?
While anjeer or figs benefits are aplenty, you must also know how to eat them. First, you can eat anjeer in both raw and dried form. In India, anjeer is commonly eaten as a dry fruit. Here are some ways you can eat anjeer –
1. In the form of halwa or barfi: Anjeer or figs make up for great binders, so they are ideal for making Indian sweets like barfi or halwa. In fact, it makes for a good sweet dish as it offers you, sweetness, so you wouldn’t really have to add any artificial sweetener like sugar. Just pure ghee, nuts, and anjeer to make a nice sweet dish.
2. Use it in your breakfast cereals like cornflakes, muesli, or oats: Another way to use anjeer benefits is to add them to your breakfast cereals. Needless to say, breakfast is an important meal of the day, so you should add nutritional value to it. Adding figs or anjeer would only mean adding up on more fiber in your morning diet.
3. Add more anjeer to your baked goods: Are you baking a cake or bread? Go ahead and add anjeer for its health benefits. The mild sweetness will only make you want to eat them more often.
4. Use anjeer in your salads: Add a few pieces of dried figs in your salads or add roasted or caramelized fresh figs to your greens, nuts, seeds, and dressing.
5. Soak dried figs in milk or water overnight and drink it up first thing in the morning. You will have the mild sweetness in your glassful of milk, plus the added health benefits it adds.
6. You could make jam using figs. They are easy and quick to make. Why wait?
Nutrition Facts Of Anjeer Or Figs
| Name (As per 50 grams- 1 medium fig) | Amount (Unit) |
| Water | 39.6 grams |
| Energy | 37 kcal |
| Protein | 0.375 grams |
| Total Dietary Fiber | 1.45 grams |
| Calcium | 17.5mg |
| Potassium | 116 mg |
| Sugar | 8.13 grams |
This information is as per USDA
Conclusion
Figs are like a treasure chest that is full of nutrients that can do wonders for the health of our body. Rich in many vitamins and minerals, this fruit can be eaten as a dry fruit or fresh according to availability.
Though anjeers are one of the healthiest fruits in their fresh and dried version, we would highly recommend you to get an allergy test done to check if you are allergic to latex or fruits from the mulberry family, to be safe rather than sorry. If you are not allergic to these, there’s no stopping you from including figs in your daily diet; however, do not eat more than 2 or 3 at a time.
FAQs
Disclaimer – This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information before making any dietary changes.