The experience of biting into a fresh fig is mystical. It has a shy exterior, but when you take a mouthful, you will discover a riot of color and taste. You may also use figs to learn about human evolution. The fact that it was mentioned in the Bible, enjoyed by the Greek Olympians, and mentioned in ancient mythology gives it an edge over the competition. Even if figs have mystical properties, you should not be scared of them. Humans have consumed figs since the Neolithic era because they are convenient, tasty, and healthy. Everything you wanted to know about figs or Fig distributors is right here.

How Do You Eat A Fig, And What Are Figs?

You may be shocked to hear that figs are not exactly a kind of fruit at all; rather, they're inverted blossoms, with each seed actually being a little bloom. This wasp species serves as the only pollinator of fig trees. Wasps continue the pollination cycle by entering male figs, laying their eggs there, and then dying. Female figs from these vines are what we consume, and they do not contain any rotting wasps. However, many of the fig kinds used in industrial agriculture are self-pollinating, so the wasps are not even necessary.

To What Extent And When Do Figs Mature?

Figs like warm, dry temperatures like those found in the Mediterranean. The bulk of the figs in the United States come from California. Depending on the variety, figs are in season from the summer until the beginning of September. Look for figs that are firm but still have some give when you touch them. Avoid picking particularly hard figs since they will not soften after harvest.

Fresh figs are perishable due to their sensitivity. You should refrigerate them and consume them within a week after purchase. You should plan to eat them within a few days if you leave them out. On the other hand, dried, canned, and frozen figs are often stocked year-round at most supermarkets.

Variety of Figs

The black mission fig is the most common kind of fig. Their skin is a deep purple—almost black—and their meat is a bright ruby red and very tasty. The flesh of an Adriatic fig is purple, while its skin is a vibrant green. They have a stronger texture and a more robust, vegetal taste and floral sweetness than other types. Similarly green to Adriatic figs, Calimyrna figs are often considerably bigger and more brilliantly colored. A pronounced nutty quality softens their otherwise subtle taste.

In What Ways Can Figs Benefit One's Health?

In addition to their delicious flavor, figs are a nutritional powerhouse that may even improve your health.

Figs have been used traditionally as a digestive health cure due to their high fiber content. Figs are loaded with phenolic acids and flavonoids, two potent antioxidants that may help ward against the chronic disease risk and inflammation that can result from exposure to free radicals. Particularly high levels of these antioxidants may be found in dried, dark-skinned figs. In addition, the minerals magnesium, potassium, and calcium found in figs are beneficial to bone health.

Fig or Date?

Figs and dates share the category of dried fruit, but those similarities end there. Figs are often eaten raw, whereas dates are typically dried. In contrast to the many little edible seeds found in figs, dates contain one giant inedible seed. Dried figs are often harder and stickier than dates.

Dates are notably different in appearance as well, being elongated and an almost see-through brown with mildly glossy skin. But figs are round, considerably lighter in color—or practically black in certain cases—and have a more matte aspect than other fruits. Before the widespread availability of industrial sugar, both were often employed as sweeteners because of their intense taste and sweetness.

Storage of Figs

Care must be taken at all times while preserving fresh figs because of their fragility. The refrigerator is not an ideal place to keep figs because, although it might increase their shelf life by a day or two, the low temperature kills their taste.