I spotted some gorgeous looking figs at the store the other day and became intrigued with this gem of a fruit.
The fig crop is never very large each year so it makes the fig more of a unique and rare fruit in some regions of the world. For most areas, the fig is in season during late summer to early fall.
And, I have found out that figs can even be grown in my own backyard here in the hot weather of Georgia, U.S.
If you are lucky enough to find figs at your local market in the warm weather months, you want to select figs that feel ripe and tender, but no overly ripe. Figs are picked when they are ripe as they do not ripen much after picking. They need to be eaten within a few days of purchasing or they will quickly go bad. It is much more common to find dried figs because the fresh varieties are extremely perishable. A good way to use figs that are slightly overripe is to make a fig jam, poach them, or cook them in a mixed dish. To eat a fresh fig, simply wash, and slice. Figs pair well with cheeses, on salads, or topped with nuts. Store any uneaten figs in the refrigerator, covered, until you eat them. Figs are a good source of potassium and manganese, and an excellent source of fiber. That extra fiber can help with weight loss as well! Surprisingly, figs contain calcium and enough to be considered one of the highest plant sources of calcium. Figs are high in antioxidants, but have a laxative effect so don't go too crazy.100 grams of fresh figs would contain:
74 Calories.3g of fat1mg of sodium17mg of magnesium232mg of potassium19.2g of carbs15.9g of sugar3.3g of fiber.75g of protein142 IU vitamin A2mg vitamin C35mg Calcium.37mg ironWhen I was a kid, all I knew about figs was that they become Fig Newton cookies! I was so surprised to find out what a fresh fig tasted and looked like. They are chewy on the outside and more soft, sweet, and crunchy (because of all the seeds) on the inside.Are there any fruits that you have rediscovered as an adult?
Source: California Fresh Figs
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