A fig is a bulbous, soft and sweet fruit that comes from different kinds of Ficus trees. Figs are native to East Asia and the Mediterranean, but they can grow in dry or mildly humid climates, hence why places like Extremadura cultivate the best figs of all of Spain.
Dried figs contain hundreds of tiny edible seeds that are greatly appreciated by their texture and the nutrients they add to the fruit. They are consumed all around the world either fresh or dried and can be enjoyed as a tasty and healthy snack or be added to salty or sweet recipes
Five properties that dried figs offer
1) Reducing high cholesterol levels: A study carried out by investigators from the University of Rutgers discovered that dried figs are a great source of phenol and organic fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6, which have been proven to lower “bad” cholesterol LDL and the risk of heart disease
2) It contains more dietetic fiber than any other fruit: Figs provide 20% of your daily dose of fiber, which is more than any other fresh or dried fruit. Figs are particularly rich in soluble fiber like pecticine, which has been proven to be efficient in lowering cholesterol. A study published by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found out that consuming soluble fiber often, especially pecticine, can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
3) Include dried figs in your 5 a day: Two dried figs count as a fruit serving in your 5 a day, the program that encourages people to have at least 5 pieces of fruit and vegetables everyday. The 5 a day program.
4) Powerful antioxidants: Dried figs are rich in antioxidants, which protect our cells caused by free radicals. A study published recently in Journal of the American College of Nutrition found out that the antioxidant properties in figs canceled out negative oxidizing stress in blood flow caused by corn syrup and the fructose found in sodas.
5) More benefits for your health: Dried figs are rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium which can help control blood pressure, encourage bone development and control sugar levels in your blood. Figs are also a good source of probiotics, which stimulate useful bacteria that live in our intestines and help our digestive system.
How to eat them?
Dried figs can be enjoyed as a delicious snack, since it provides many health benefits as stated before. The natural sweetness and unique texture also makes them into a great addition to sweet or savory meals. For an exceptional delicacy, try adding dried figs to goat’s cheese and caramelized onions. In this blog, you will find many recipes.
They can also be baked into breads, bread rolls and cookies, or minced in rice plates with meat.
We may often ask ourselves, what does it mean to eat healthily? Healthy eating consists of eating a variety of foods that provide us with the nutrients we need to stay healthy, feel good and have energy. These nutrients include protein, carbohydrates, fats, water, vitamins and minerals.
Nutrition is important for everybody. Combined with physical activity and a healthy weight, good nutrition is an excellent way to help our bodies stay strong and healthy.
To keep a balanced and healthy diet, we should eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. It is best to choose the foods that have the most nutrients from each food group each day, that is, those that are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients.
Following the line of healthy eating, today we want to share a delicious recipe from Eva Arguiñano: dried fig sticks. They are very easy to make by ourselves.
For a dozen bars we will need:
100g of dried figs El Pajarero,
100g of prunes,
125g of walnuts (peeled),
50g of oat flakes,
50g of dark chocolate
Chop the El Pajarero dried figs and prunes and place them in a food processor. Add the oat flakes and walnuts and grind them for about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, grate the chocolate on top and mix well. Transfer the mixture to the worktop and knead until the ingredients are perfectly integrated. Place the dough between 2 baking papers and stretch it with a rolling pin until you get a rectangle of about 3 centimeters thick. Leave the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes and then cut it into bars. Your bars are now ready to serve.
Here is another version of the dried fig sticks recipe we published earlier.
Enjoy!