Figs belong to the genus Ficus (also known as the genus Ficus) of the Moraceae family, a deciduous tree or shrub, also known as hidden fruit, honey fruit, and milk berry. Figs are one of the oldest fruit tree varieties in the world, with a cultivation history of nearly 5,000 years since around 3000 BC. In the Bible, figs are called "fruits of heaven"; in the minds of the countries along the Mediterranean coast and the Uyghur people in my country, figs are "holy fruits" that can eliminate diseases.
Although figs look inconspicuous, they are sweet and crispy and rich in nutrients. According to the Chinese Food Composition Table (2009), every 100 grams of edible figs contains 65 kcal of energy, 1.5 grams of protein, 0.1 grams of fat, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of dietary fiber, multiple vitamins such as 30 micrograms of carotene, 2 milligrams of vitamin C, 1.82 milligrams of vitamin E, and rich minerals such as 67 milligrams of calcium, 18 milligrams of phosphorus, 212 milligrams of potassium, and 0.67 micrograms of selenium. 8 of the 18 amino acids it contains are essential amino acids for the human body.But I don’t know if you have ever eaten figs, an autumn fruit?
Figs look ordinary, taste sweet but not too "outstanding", but they are truly the "detoxification fruit" in autumn. Because it has an important function - laxative and intestinal cleansing.
As we all know, it is very easy to get constipated in autumn. Once the bowel movement is not smooth, metabolic waste will accumulate in our intestines, and hemorrhoids will also follow. Figs are just the right remedy!
According to Chinese medicine, there are records of using figs to assist in the treatment of enteritis and hemorrhoids in ancient times. For example, the "Compendium of Materia Medica" in the Ming Dynasty records that figs can "cure five hemorrhoids and sore throat." The "Sui Xi Ju Diet" in the Qing Dynasty records that figs can "clear heat and moisten the intestines." Modern nutrition has also confirmed that the dietary fiber content of figs per 100 grams is 3 grams, which is 1.7 times that of apples. It also helps us eliminate garbage in the intestines, promote defecation, and help prevent constipation.
Therefore, when constipation appears in autumn, eat a few figs quickly, the bowel movement will be smooth, and the hemorrhoid problem will also be solved.
The main air in autumn is dry evil. Middle-aged and elderly people are affected by dry evil, and they are prone to symptoms such as coughing, throat discomfort, and dry throat. Figs clear heat and mainly act on the lungs. They have a significant lung-moistening effect. As a fruit, they are sweet and juicy and help to produce body fluids and moisten dryness.
Eating figs in autumn is also very friendly to our lungs. Even if you have sore throats caused by acute or chronic pharyngitis, you can choose to soak figs in water.
Chronic pharyngitis: 5 fresh figs, sliced, 12 grams of Ophiopogon japonicus, 20 grams of honeysuckle (1 day's amount). Soak in boiled water for half an hour and drink it as tea. Drink it for 5 to 7 days.
Many people are prone to getting angry in the dry season. The liver and gallbladder are the exterior and interior. Excessive liver fire will affect the gallbladder's ability to transport and transform, and a series of problems such as oily scalp and face, bitter breath, etc. will occur.
Figs are a very good food for clearing liver fire, which can help us alleviate the above problems.
Fig liver-clearing tea: Take 2 golden chrysanthemums, 4 branches of Prunella vulgaris, and 2 figs and boil them in water. Note that it is not suitable for spleen and stomach deficiency, abdominal distension and diarrhea.
Eating figs helps us to excrete toxins and waste from the lungs, liver, and intestines. It can be called a "detoxifying fruit", and our bodies naturally feel relaxed.
The flowers of figs are hidden in a special structure called a cryptic inflorescence, which is highly specialized and forms a closed space. The edible part of the familiar figs is actually its swollen receptacle.
Figs not only have flowers, but also a lot of them. The flowers of figs are hidden in a special structure called a cryptic inflorescence, which is highly specialized and forms a closed space. If you break open a fig, you will see dense, small and numerous filaments, which are actually the flowers of the fig. These flowers are very small, and you can only see the details clearly with a magnifying glass. If you count carefully, there are often more than 1,000 flowers in a fig. Figs originally grew in the axils of leaves, that is, in the "armpits" of each leaf. At first, it is a "small match head" the size of a grain of rice. When it grows to a diameter of about 2 cm, it quietly blooms inside.
Figs are dioecious, and male flowers are inedible. The edible part of the familiar figs is actually its swollen receptacle, which is full of female flowers. The inside of the mature fig is the tissue developed from the female flowers. On the crowded pedicels, there are small particles, which are the seeds of the figs.
"Compendium of Materia Medica" records: "Figs... are mainly used to stimulate appetite, stop diarrhea, treat five hemorrhoids, and sore throat." Figs are sweet and cool in nature. They belong to the lung meridian, stomach meridian, and large intestine meridian. They have the effects of clearing heat and promoting fluid, strengthening the spleen and stimulating appetite, and detoxifying and reducing swelling. Especially in summer, figs are more popular among people who pay attention to health preservation.
The effect of figs in strengthening the spleen and stimulating appetite can be witnessed in many medical books. "Food Materia Medica" says that it "stimulates appetite and stops diarrhea." "Yunnan Chinese Herbal Medicine" records that it can strengthen the stomach and stop diarrhea, remove phlegm and regulate qi, and treat loss of appetite and indigestion.
Modern pharmacological research shows that the enzymes such as protease, lipase, amylase and oxidase contained in figs can promote the decomposition of protein and help digestion.
The "Southern Yunnan Materia Medica" of the Ming Dynasty records that figs "are applied to all unknown swellings, carbuncles, scabies, ringworms, yellow water sores, fish mouth and stool poison, milk knots, and pox sores. Mix sesame oil and apply it, and it will be effective." Simply put, crushing fresh figs and mixing them with sesame oil for external application can help treat swellings. In summer, the body is easily invaded by some viruses and bacteria, so eating some figs is very beneficial.
Not only that, the leaves and roots of figs can also be used as medicine. Fig leaves are mostly used for external treatment of decoction and fumigation, generally treating hemorrhoid swellings. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" in the Ming Dynasty recorded its efficacy of "removing dampness and heat, and relieving sores and poisons". The root of figs is mainly used to treat muscle and bone pain, hemorrhoids, and scrofula.
The "Quanzhou Materia Medica" records that "to treat sore throat, fresh figs are dried, ground into powder, and blown into the throat". Figs are also often used by the people to treat throat diseases. For example, fresh or dried figs are stewed with rock sugar and water to treat dry throat and hoarseness caused by lung heat.
Based on this effect of figs, some compound preparations have been developed, such as compound fig lozenges for treating acute pharyngitis wind-heat syndrome and lung and stomach heat syndrome.
Figs contain a large amount of potassium, which can maintain blood pressure balance. The pectin and soluble fiber they contain can prevent cholesterol deposition. They also contain a large amount of hydrolases and lipases, which can help lower blood lipids, thereby reducing the incidence of coronary artery disease.
Figs can be divided into dried and fresh ones. Although dried figs have more calcium and potassium content than fresh figs.
But there is not much time to eat fresh figs in the four seasons. If you miss it, you will have to wait for another year.So, you might as well take the following selection tips and buy some fresh figs to try.
Look at the appearance: the pores at the bottom of ripe figs are cracked, while the pores at the bottom of unripe figs are slightly closed.
Pinch: Ripe figs feel soft when pinched, and those that are too soft are overripe and are not recommended; unripe figs will be hard when pinched and need to be left for 2-3 days before eating.
