Benefits of dried figs

Benefits of dried figs
Health is wealth.Today, more and more people are growing conscious about their health. However, just

hitting the gym isn’t enough; you need to intake proper nutrients as well.It calls for a lot of

planning to eat right and live healthy. With loads of tips and advice from newspapers, magazines,

the Internet and physicians, it’s quite natural to feel perplexed and overwhelmed.Loaded with nutrients,

figs are purple, copper or yellow-green in color. Highly nutritious and tasty, dry fig can be used

in jams, ice-creams and baked items. Although figs are generally seasonal fruits, you get them right

through the year in dried form.Figs are commonly called as “Anjeer” in India.Though figs can be

enjoyed fresh or dried, we most commonly see them dried in salads, dips, soups, stews and baking.

Apart from this dried figs have many health benefits ,some of them are described below.

1. Figs have been used in traditional medicine for lowering cholesterol levels and treating diabetes,

constipation and skin problems like vitiligo, psoriasis and eczema.
2. Figs contain more calcium than most other fruits, according to the California Fig Advisory Board,

with 121 mg in a 1/2-cup serving. Adequate calcium intake supports bone health and growth, and

reduces your risk of developing osteoporosis.
3. Per fruit, figs offer a much better source of soluble fiber, with 4-5 grams per fruit versus dates

which have around 2-3 grams. Figs are also linked to good digestive health, help to relieve

constipation, and contribute to good heart health.

4. For all of you out there who watch your sugar intake (good for you!), you’ll be glad to know that

dried figs contain almost 7-10 grams less than dates per weight. Two to three dates is around

23 grams of sugar(depending on the size and variety), while the same amount of figs is only 13 grams

of sugar. Since figs are higher in fiber and lower in sugar, they’re better if you have sensitive

blood sugar levels.
5. Prevents hypertension: When you eat more salt, the level of sodium in your body increases. This

disturbs the sodium-potassium balance of the body and in turn results in hypertension. Anjeer

is an ideal fruit for helping to restore this balance.

6, The high levels of antioxidants in dried figs help to eliminate free radicals in your body that

can damage blood vessels and result in heart disease. And, as mentioned earlier they prevent

hypertension, a huge risk factor for development of coronary heart disease (CHD).

7. Antioxidant-rich dried figs also help in preventing cellular DNA damage due to free radicals

that can make a cell cancerous.