Last month, we shared some interesting facts about figs, including the history of figs and the role they played in ancient times, as well as how some figs got their name. This month, we wanted to showcase just how healthy figs can be, and share some fun ideas for cooking with figs.
Figs and your health
We all know we’re supposed to be eating more fruits and vegetables, and figs can be a great way to check off that box. Did you know that eating one-half cup of figs has as much calcium as drinking one-half cup of milk? As a matter of fact, one and a half cups of dried figs contain 320 milligrams of calcium. Here are a few more interesting health facts about figs:
- Ounce for ounce, figs have more fiber than prunes and more potassium than bananas.
- Figs are rich in minerals including potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and copper and are a good source of antioxidant vitamins A and K.
- Figs are often recommended to nourish and tone the intestines and act as a natural laxative because of their high fiber content.
Cooking with figs
There is quite a bit you can do with figs in your everyday cooking and entertaining! Check out these fun facts and tips:
- Figs naturally help hold in moisture in baked goods, keeping them fresher.
- Fig puree can be used to replace fat in baked goods.
- Figs made their first commercial product appearance with the 1892 introduction of Fig Newtons® cookies.
If you’re lucky enough to have an abundance of fresh figs on hand, there are numerous recipes out there for using fresh figs, including using them in oatmeal, on charcuterie boards, in salads or roasting with meat. Many people love using a high-quality fig spread on their meat and cheese boards, in baked goods, desserts and more. If you’re looking for a great collection of recipes using fig spread, Dalmatia posts fun, new recipes on their blog; be sure to check it out!