In a current research revealed within the Journal, researchers explored the phytochemical contents and well being advantages of consuming figs.
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Background
Figs, scientifically generally known as Ficus carica, are deciduous tree or shrub that belongs to the Moraceae household. They’re native to Southwest Asia and the Center East. For hundreds of years, individuals have acknowledged the worth of those fruits for his or her constructive affect on a variety of well being points, corresponding to gastrointestinal, inflammatory, respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic problems.
Figs comprise varied helpful parts corresponding to nutritional vitamins, natural acids, minerals, amino acids, carotenoids, dietary fibers, and polyphenolic compounds. Figs are sometimes disregarded for his or her well being advantages compared to different fruits.
The well being advantages of figs within the human weight loss program will be decided by analyzing their phytochemical composition.
Vitamins present in figs
Figs comprise quite a lot of micro and macronutrients corresponding to carbohydrates, natural acids, nutritional vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Figs are wealthy in fiber and protein, whereas the fats content material in edible wild fig fruits ranges between 1.02 and a couple of.71 g/100 g DW.
Linolenic is essentially the most plentiful fatty acid present in varied fig varieties, together with linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acids. Figs are wealthy in carbohydrates and amino acids, together with leucine, valine, lysine, and arginine.
Excessive-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been utilized in a number of research to research sugars and natural acids current in several types of figs. Dried figs comprise greater ranges of sugars and natural acids than contemporary figs.
Notably, the Portuguese fig selection incorporates 4 free sugars, specifically glucose, trehalose, fructose, and sucrose, together with 5 natural acids, together with quinic, oxalic, citric, malic, and succinic acids in each its peel and pulp.
A number of natural acids have been analyzed in fig fruits and their components, together with malic, oxalic, citric, ascorbic, shikimic, quinic, and fumaric acids. The advantages of consuming these natural acids embrace decreasing irritation, regulating the immune system, selling calcium absorption, and stopping blood clots.
Figs are essentially the most mineral-rich fruit amongst generally consumed fruits. They comprise important minerals like potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and hint parts, together with iron, zinc, manganese, nickel, copper, and strontium.
Well being advantages of figs
Cardiovascular danger advantages
Most research on the connection between figs and heart problems danger are primarily based on animal analysis, and there’s a shortage of knowledge on this matter. In a research carried out for 4 weeks, individuals consumed a three-fourth cup of dried fruit combine containing figs versus a carbohydrate-rich snack.
The research discovered no important alterations in physique weight and minimal results on lipid ranges in each teams. Within the crossover research, initiating fig consumption first elevated levels of cholesterol, indicating a sequence impact.
This research additionally confirmed elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and fasting glucose ranges.
Diabetes
A decoction of fig leaves has been discovered to successfully management postprandial glycemia in (T1DM) sufferers, in response to bio- testing in people. The usage of fig leaf decoction was discovered to be simpler than oral hypoglycemic medication in decreasing two-hour postprandial glycemia in T2DM sufferers.
One other research in contrast the results of fig and metformin on people with T2DM. It confirmed that metformin lowered blood sugar concentrations by 27.6% after two months of therapy, whereas figs lowered blood sugar concentrations by 13.5%.
Analysis has proven that abscisic acid (ABA) can improve glucose homeostasis. Figs comprise a reasonable quantity of ABA. A research carried out on wholesome human adults discovered that two fig fruit extracts (FFEs) had a big affect on decreasing postprandial glycemia.
The discount was noticed at greater doses of ABA administered with the FFEs. Ficusin, derived from F. carica leaves, positively affected blood glucose ranges, lipid profile, nephrotic markers, plasma insulin, liver enzymes, liver glycogen, and β-cells in a rat research carried out in vivo.
New and creating areas of figs-related well being advantages
The event of Alzheimer’s illness (AD) is believed to be brought on by an extra of oxidants, together with reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory substances. Figs are a nutrient-dense fruit that incorporates fiber, micronutrients corresponding to copper, manganese, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and vitamin Ok, in addition to polyphenol compounds which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
A research additionally discovered that supplementing mice weight loss program with 4% figs can stop reminiscence decline and anxiety-related conduct, scale back place discrimination studying capability, and impair spatial and motor coordination.
Consuming figs or flixweed resulted in a big lower in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) signs corresponding to defecation frequency, ache, and arduous stool in comparison with the management group. When taken orally, Ficus carica L. aqueous extracts (FCAE) can enhance gastrointestinal transit and gastric emptying by decreasing their time. It will probably additionally alleviate constipation severity brought on by colitis.
Conclusion
Common consumption of figs, alone or together with different dried fruits, has been linked to elevated consumption of sure micronutrients and improved weight loss program high quality. Research on animals and people recommend that figs and their extracts have well being advantages.