This Week: Figs!

Figs may be beneficial to health in a variety of ways, including improving skin and hair health. They also tend to have high nutritional value for many. A fig is a soft fruit with a thin skin that can be either green or purple. The flesh of a fig is typically red, and the entirety of the fruit is edible. Historically, figs have been used in traditional medical practices to help treat issues related to the endocrine, reproductive, and respiratory systems and the digestive tract.

Practitioners of Indian systems of medicine have long used figs to treat conditions including gastrointestinal, respiratory, inflammatory, metabolic and cardiovascular. Some researchers believe that figs have the following properties: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, fat-lowering and cell-protective.

These properties may be responsible for the therapeutic effects of figs. The sections below discuss these potential benefits in more detail, though many are based on animal studies with limited evidence from large human randomized controlled trials. Further research on humans is necessary.
 
Studies suggest that people may use traditional plants to help treat diabetes, although this is not part of standard treatment guidelines in Western medicine practice. One 2023 study on the effectiveness of medicinal plants found that figs help decrease blood sugar by 13.5% after two months of treatment. Figs are also a good source of abscisic acid (ABA), which can improve glucose homeostasis.

A 2022 study found that a diet supplemented with fig leaves may increase sexual function, sexual behaviour, and testosterone levels in rats with high blood pressure. However, further studies on humans are necessary.

Figs may aid skin health. They are rich in carotenoids, which are soluble pigments found in fruits and vegetables, such as carrots and tomatoes. They include:

• lutein, which is also found in kale and spinach
• zeaxanthin, which is also found in leafy greens and bell peppers
• beta-carotene, which is also found in carrots and sweet potato

Carotenoids benefit skin health with UV protection and antioxidant properties.

Very few studies have looked at the connection between figs and hair health. However, figs are very high in iron, an essential mineral for helping maintain healthy hair.
Figs are high in dietary fibre, which is essential for maintaining digestive health. Overall benefits of dietary fibre include:

• improving metabolic health
• lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease
• aiding colonic health
• helping with gut motility

Detriments:
Before taking extracts or supplements for hair health, a person should speak with their doctor to ensure their safety.
Both fresh and dried figs contain a high level of vitamin K. People taking blood-thinning medications such as warfarin need to maintain consistent vitamin K levels in their diets, so they may wish to eat figs in moderation. Since figs have a high fibre content, eating too many figs (especially dried figs) can cause diarrhea.