What Do Figs Taste Like?
Starting the piece with interesting information, figs are considered a superfood. Yes, figs are unique in flavor and highly beneficial for our health. They are rich in fiber, potassium, and manganese.
However, no matter how healthy the figs are, the taste is also important especially if it’s about making your children fruit lovers. So, what do figs taste like? Are they sweet or sour?
In short, figs taste sweet, but the sweetness is balanced with a bit of tanginess. You will get a little acidic flavor, which little neutralizes its sweetness.
Let’s get to the details regarding Figs health benefits, nutrition values, whether you can eat them with skin or not, and so on.
What Are Figs?
Figs are the edible fruits of the Ficus(Ficus carica) tree. They are usually grown in warmer climates and are native to the Mediterranean and western Asia. The most commonly cultivated fig is the Black Mission fig.
Fig is actually not a fruit; it’s an inflorescence. They also don’t develop from a single flower. When you cut a fig, what you see is a cluster of numerous flowers and seeds. This is why figs are known as false fruit.
The shell of figs could be either dark black or green, while the fleshy inner is bright red. When you eat figs, you will find a bunch of seeds inside them. You will be amazed to know that those seeds are actually a collection of flowers. Figs are eaten as fruits because they are sweet and have thin skin.
The mission fig (one of the different types of figs) has velvety skin with a deep purple color. It has a raindrop-like shape, and the fleshy inside is dark pink. There are numerous varieties of figs. And you will get a distinctive flavor from every type.
However, when cut in half, all of the variations resemble guava.
What Do Figs Taste Like?
Figs taste similar in flavor to berries covered with honey. You may relate the taste to certain cookies. The fig’s flesh is pulpy, moist, and jelly-like. As you eat it, you can feel the tiny seeds’ crunch.
There are a variety of figs, and every one of them is distinct in taste. You should taste all of them to know which one you really like. However, the primary taste of all figs is that they are sweet and moist.
Black Mission fig is the sweetest of all variants. The taste of Mission fig can be described as a mix of melon, strawberry, and banana flavors with a smooth jammy, creamy texture.
And this is also the most widely cultivated and consumed fig variant in the world.
You can pick Brown Turkey if you don’t enjoy the sweet taste. Brown Turkey is mildly sweet. It’s also used in salads.
Brown Turkey is an excellent alternative for people who don’t want sweetness. Because it’s mildly sweet. However, they are excellent in salads, which is a plus point.
Green figs like the Tiger, Kadota, and Calimyrna have berry-like, nutty, and sweet tastes.
Figs Nutritional Value
Each fruit has unique health advantages. And the figs also. Food must be not only delicious but also nutritious. Talking about the nutritional value of figs, I must utter the word again, the fig is a superfood. It is rich in fiber and minerals, and vitamins.
| Nutrition Names | Amount ( per 100g) |
| Calories | 74 kcal |
| Sugar | 16.26 g |
| Dietary fiber | 2.9 g |
| Protein | 0.75 g |
| Lipids | 0.3 g |
| Calcium | 35 mg |
| Iron | 0.37 mg |
| Magnesium | 17 mg |
| Potassium | 232 mg |
| Phosphorus | 14 mg |
| Folate | 6 mcg |
| Choline | 4.7 mg |
| Vitamin C | 2 mg |
| Vitamin A | 7 mcg |
| Beta-carotene | 85 mcg |
| Lutein and zeaxanthin | 9 mcg |
| Vitamin K | 4.7 mcg |
What Are The Benefits Of Eating Figs?
Figs have a lot of health benefits, including improving digestion, blood pressure, bone health, etc. Let’s deeply discuss how eating figs can help your health.
Figs Control High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can cause problems like heart disease and stroke. You may develop hypertension or high blood pressure if you take too much sodium and don’t take enough potassium.
Figs can help you to correct your potassium imbalance. Because it’s riched with potassium.
It has dietary fiber that can help you to clear out the excess sodium from your body. Even if you don’t have high blood pressure, you should sometimes take figs, so your blood pressure stays in control.
They Improve Your Digestion
From constipation to diarrhea, many problems can cause if your digestive system doesn’t work well enough.
In most cases, fiber can help to reduce the issues. Figs also help with digestion in another way, aside from their high fiber content. They are a great source of prebiotics, which enhance your gut health in general.
Figs Help Increase Bone Density
Figs are an excellent source of calcium and potassium. These two nutrients can strengthen your bone density and reduce the chance of diseases like osteoporosis.
Calcium is a vital component of bone structure. Increasing calcium intake in children and adolescents has been found to improve bone mineral structure.
If you take a diet high in potassium, in particular. That will enhance your bone health and reduce bone density erosion.
Figs Are Rich in Antioxidants Properties
Ripe Figs are high in polyphenols, plant compounds that protect our bodies from various diseases. These compounds have antioxidant properties that help prevent cell and tissue damage.
Oxygen from interacting with other molecules and causing cell and tissue damage. By doing so, they play an important role in controlling oxidation, which is the leading cause of cell damage.
Figs Aid In Weight Control
Figs is naturally high in dietary fiber. It’s also loaded with many vitamins and minerals. If you consider having figs regularly in your diet, it can keep you full for a longer period of time and aid you in the overall weight management process. Foods high in fiber give off feelings of fullness and can help curb cravings and hunger.
Figs Improve Fertility
Since the time of the ancient Greeks, when figs were valued as a sign of fertility, figs have been recognized as a fruit of love.
Due to its high iron level, it has a great impact on fertility. For females, iron is crucial for the entire ovulation process. And for males, low iron levels may impact the quality and motility of sperm.
Iron is so important for fertility that even in current times, it is frequently ingested with milk to support reproductive health.
What Are The Side Effects Of Figs?
There are a few side effects of eating figs as well.
Figs are sometimes used as a natural cure for constipation because of their laxative (bloating, farting, tummy cramps) effects. However, the same reason could also result in diarrhea or other digestive problems, so make sure you eat the fruit in moderation. .
Vitamin K regulates calcium binding and aids in blood coagulation (in bones and other parts of the body). Due to figs’ high vitamin K content, they could unintentionally interfere with blood thinner drugs such as rivaroxaban, dabigatran, apixaban, edoxaban, etc.
You don’t need to worry about this if you are not taking any thinning blood medication.
An uncommon side effect is for those who could be allergic to figs. Of course, it’s best to avoid eating figs if you have this allergic reaction.
FAQs
How many figs should you eat a day?
Hearing all the benefits and flavors, you might be interested in checking it out on your own.
But It is advised to keep daily serving sizes to no more than 2-3 figs. Because it has a high amount of fiber, it may upset your stomach. So enjoy the fruit, take the nutrition but don’t overeat it.
Are figs good for belly fat?
Yes, it can help you to lose weight, and as a result, your belly fat also gets reduced.
Fig has a high concentration of dietary fiber that can keep your stomach full for longer. It has an enzyme called “Ficin”. This enzyme promotes better and quicker digestion of meals. Therefore, losing belly fat becomes easier.
Can You Eat The Skin Of A Fig?
Yes, you can eat the skin of figs. Try to eat fresh figs to get the fruit’s perfect taste. You can eat it by baking, broiling, grilling, or raw. It’s up to you. But for nutrition, it’s better to eat raw figs. You can use figs as an ornamental plant and in salads.
Conclusion
Even if not the very popular fruit in the world, figs have their own place for their distinct taste, which can’t be described in single sentences. The jelly-like texture of figs will give you a medium-sweet taste with a little acidic hint.
Known as a superfood, figs have high fiber, minerals, vitamins, and anti-oxidant properties. It doesn’t even require anything to eat, not even peeling off the skin. Because the whole fruit is edible. When taken fresh and raw, it will give a fruity and sweet juicy taste.
