Figs can be eaten either fresh or dry and has a sweet taste and variety of health benefits that it provides. Though in India fresh Figs are not easily available but can be found in the form of dry fruits popularly known as Anjeer. The high amount of calcium, iron and potassium present in it along with the high amount of fiber and low fat makes it a healthy food to include in your diet which can be eaten alone or mixed in yogurt, salad and toppings on cereals and oatmeal.Read more about benefits of  yogurt.Figs are nutritious but do they help in weight loss? Lately figs are becoming popular with nutritionists that are recommending it as a part of weight loss diets.Listed below are the different health benefits that dried figs provide:.

Dried Figs Benefits

  1. They are rich in fiber: Figs are a good source of soluble fiber which helps in keeping you full for longer periods of time and relieves constipation.
  2. They are rich in vital vitamins and minerals: Figs are rich in Vitamins A, B1 and B2, manganese and potassium, magnesium, copper, iron, and phosphorus. The high level of potassium and low level of sodium gives relief to people with hypertension.
  3. Good source of calcium: High calcium levels present in figs promote bone health.
  4. Boosts Immunity: Its high mucilage content helps to heal and protect sore throats. They remove harmful oestrogen from the body: Excess oestrogen hormone in the body can lead to menopausal problems, ovarian, breast and uterine cancer, weight gain and mood swings. Figs help in the elimination if the excess hormone from our body thereby avoiding the risk of getting the above situations.
  5. They contain health boosting antioxidants: Figs contain a type of antioxidant called phenol which helps in reducing the risk of heart diseases and various types of cancer. Get to know about Antioxidant rich foods.
  6. Acts as a digestive aid: Figs also contain beta-carotene as well as benzaldehyde (anti-cancer compound), flavonoids and a digestive enzyme called ficin.

Dried Figs Calories

Now to come to the weight loss part of dried figs-

  1. They provide higher amount of calories than fresh figs and around 100 gms provide 220 calories approx. Though it is recommended to be eaten in moderations but its sweet taste and pulp makes it addictive making you eat more than actually required. 
  2. Other than the calories figs are sweet and have a medium glycemic index of 61 and a glycemic load of 16 which is high.
  3. The high glycemic load (GL) of figs makes the blood sugar levels rise as dried figs quickly release high level of sugar in the body which may not be helpful for people on weight loss and people suffering from type 2 diabetes.Read to know more foods to be avoided with Diabetes.
  4. Foods that are sweet and provide quick energy should be eaten early in the day so that the energy released by them can be burnt in the day itself. 

Things to be Kept in Mind:

Figs are also recommended to people who have iron deficiency. Always remember that every diet available online is very generic and might not be applicable to you individually, hence might or might not work on you or worse might not be compatible with your body. You need a diet plan that is customized to your lifestyle, eating habits and medical conditions. It’s important to get professional consultancy from a qualified fitness expert before you start on any diet plan.