Last Updated on August 12, 2021 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD
Fig, popular by the name of anjeer among Indians, is a fruit consumed in fresh and dried form.
Scientifically termed as Ficus carica, anjeer or common fig is no less than a wonder fruit. Superior in taste and nutrition, anjeer is blessed by mother nature with some remarkable health-boosting properties.
Anjeer unarguably comes with multiple benefits. But they also come with a significant amount of carbohydrates and do have a sweet taste.
Can a Diabetic Eat Anjeer?
Yes, diabetic individuals can eat anjeer. The glycemic index of anjeer is 61. Although anjeer ranks high in glycemic index, it is still included in the diabetic diet with a ‘safe’ tag. This is because anjeer is rich in potassium and chlorogenic acid, which can reduce blood glucose levels.
11 Astonishing Health Benefits of Anjeer
Whether you eat them fresh or in dried form, anjeer never fails to provide a pink of health.
1. Assist in managing weight
Anjeer is high in fibers, and this trait is of great help to people who are on their way to get in shape. With figs by your side, you can lose weight with relatively lesser effort.
How will anjeer help you in the process? Fibers make a person feel satiated for longer hours. This also suppresses the cravings for eating in between meals.
Please get rid of obesity and manage your weight at its best. A well-managed body weight minimizes the chances of developing serious diseases like cancer, heart disorders, and a lot more.
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2. Bolster the Bones and Muscles
When bones are healthy, you can keep working productively for a longer time. Who would like to feel sluggish and deadly? Give your bone density a boost by including figs in your diet plan.
They are rich in calcium which is a major constituent of bones. About 1000 mg of calcium is required by the body daily, and 100 grams of figs provide 35 mg of calcium, which is a fairly good amount.
People with arthritis or any joint pain must procure the benefits this fruit brings. Improved eyesight is another benefit that can be reaped from figs.
Not just the bones, anjeer gives a boost to your muscles too. It retards muscular degeneration in adults.
3. Improves Reproductive Health
It is interesting to know that figs have a sacred history. In ancient times, figs were epitomized as a symbol of love by Greeks. This belief has a scientific connection too.
Researches helped disclose that anjeer can be used as a potential remedy for curbing hormonal imbalances, menstrual anomalies in women, reproductive issues, and breast cancer. The fruit enhances fertility and promises better reproductive capacity.
Anjeer amplifies the semen production in men due to the presence of potassium, copper, and magnesium.
4. Cures Constipation
Anjeer soaked water is a panacea to treat constipation and piles. People who often face this problem must adopt the practice of drinking anjeer water every morning.
Fibers present in them regulate bowel movements. Figs ease the digestion process and jeeps the system healthy.
5. Keeps Heart Healthy
The antioxidant content of anjeer gives a significant boost to your heart health. They wipe out toxic radicals from the body.
The efficiency of anjeer in reducing the level of triglycerides is recognized well through the researches. Triglycerides are the dominant cause of heart-related disorders.
By keeping their level in control, you can keep your heart activity optimum.
6. Effective Against Alzheimer’s Disease
Anjeer is effective in controlling one of the most common neurological disorders – Alzheimer’s disease. Nutrients like copper, potassium, zinc, and magnesium help such patients to improve their condition to an appreciable extent.
7. Controls Blood Pressure
The number of people suffering from blood pressure is nearly the same as those who have diabetes. Most of the time, a person might be battling both high blood sugar and high blood pressure.
Amidst the fog of worries, figs come as a ray of hope. How?
Potassium is a key element in regulating blood pressure. Anjeer has a dilating effect on blood vessels and slows down the movement of calcium in blood vessels. This enables the heart to pump blood smoothly.
It, together with sodium, is responsible for the proper functioning of muscles and nerves. The perks received include improved blood flow, relieves from strain and anxiety, and a good balance of electrolytes in the system.
8. Get Insomniacs Back to Sleep
Anjeer contains tryptophan which is a sleep-inducing agent. The specialist recommends figs to the people who face problems falling asleep at night.
So, next time you experience difficulty sleeping, turn on some figs and eat them up. Your sleeping pattern will get on track shortly.
9. Good for Oral Health and Hygiene
In today’s fast-paced lives, many of us often fail to implement proper dental care in our routine. Anjeer is here to help you out.
Though they taste, sweet and sweet foods are undesirable for oral hygiene. Surprisingly, figs contain phenolic compounds. These compounds create a barrier to all dental issues.
The flavonoids in figs possess antibacterial activity that stimulates protective action against your teeth and gums.
10. Fights Skin Issues
Anjeer is also a blessing for your skin. Do you wish for glowing skin free from wrinkles, acne, and pigmentation? If yes, then you must try the DIY fig face pack.
The simplest method is to make a paste of figs and apply it to your face. Wash your face with lukewarm water after 15 minutes.
Even Ayurveda vouches by anjeer to treat skin ailments like eczema. Anjeer has got properties that can successfully treat warts.
Fig extracts form a part of several skincare products. Nevertheless, figs are found to promote healthy hairs too.
11. Regulate Blood Glucose Levels
Anjeer is a good source of potassium. You can recognize this by looking at its nutritional composition chart above.
Potassium plays a key role in regulating blood sugar levels of the body by controlling the quantity of sugar absorbed after meals. Moreover, another substance called chlorogenic acid also comes as an advantage to people with diabetes. This acid causes a decrease in blood glucose, which in turn streamlines diabetes management for you.
How much Anjeer Should We Eat in a Day?
The Glycemic index of anjeer is 61, which is moderate, neither too high nor too low. This directly means it will release sugars into the bloodstream at a moderate speed.
Based on the glycemic index data, an ideal dietary recommendation is to consume up to 5 anjeer a day. However, if you witness the undesired deviations in your blood sugar levels, you must decrease the number of figs further.
It is evident that figs have a moderate amount of carbs, and eating them in excessive quantity will put you in trouble. Therefore, avoid too much intake and be watchful towards your levels from time to time.
Also, give more preference to eating fresh figs over dried ones. Dried figs will have more concentrated sugars due to less water content.
Nutritional Composition of Anjeer
Figs are jampacked with various flavonoids that include carotenes, tannins, lutein, and chlorogenic acid. Flavonoids are naturally occurring substances mainly found in plants. They reduce the oxidative stress of the body by neutralizing the effect of free radicals.
They are also enriched with soluble dietary fibers in abundant quantities. Their umpteen fiber content makes them highly nutritious and ideal for diabetes.
The presence of vitamins like vitamin A, E, and K cleanses the body by expelling toxins out of the body. Antioxidants in anjeer keep numerous diseases at bay.
Let us now have a sneak-peek into the nutritional profile of anjeer.
| Element | Quantity |
| Carbohydrate | 19 grams |
| Proteins | 0.75 grams |
| Fats | 0.3 grams |
| Dietary fibers | 3 grams |
| Folates | Six micrograms |
| Niacin | 0.4 milligram |
| Vitamin A | 142 IU |
| Vitamin C | 2 milligrams |
| Vitamin K | 4.7 micrograms |
| Sodium | 1 milligram |
| Potassium | 232 milligrams |
| Calcium | 35 milligrams |
| Copper | 0.07 milligrams |
| Iron | 0.37 milligrams |
| Magnesium | 17 milligrams |
| Manganese | 0.128 milligrams |
| Selenium | 0.2 micrograms |
| Zinc | 0.15 milligrams |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.3 milligrams |
| Pyridoxine | 0.113 milligrams |
| Riboflavin | 0-05 milligrams |
| Thiamin | 0.06 milligrams |
| Energy | 74 Kilocalories |
*Above quantity dictates nutrition value per 100 grams of figs.
*All information is in accordance with USDA
When Should We Eat Anjeer?
The best time to eat anjeer is during the morning hours and that too when your stomach is empty. You need to place 4-5 figs in water and leave them to soak overnight.
Now, drink this miraculous drink the next morning soon after you wake up. Give yourself a healthy kickstart every day!
Precautions When Consuming Anjeer
Here is a list of precautions that you must be taking before you shake hands with anjeer.
- People intolerant to latex or mulberry might experience undesirable side effects after consuming anjeer.
- Women undergoing the stages of pregnancy and breastfeeding should always consult a doctor before taking figs.
- With some drugs, anjeer can increase the chances of bleeding or hemorrhage. Hence, be more careful if you take any drugs, especially those that lead to thinning of blood or antiplatelet drugs.
- People with diabetes are advised to monitor their blood sugar levels regularly. Consuming fresh figs are better than dried ones.
Ways to Include Anjeer in Your Diabetic Diet
You can consume anjeer in one or all of the following ways-
- Take 3-4 pieces of anjeer and soak them in water overnight, just as we do with almonds. Drink this anjeer-soaked water the next morning.
- Drink anjeer-soaked water with honey every morning when you are an empty stomach. This keeps digestion-related problems, predominantly constipation, and piles, miles away.
- Get a fig leaves capsule. Consult a doctor before you start with these capsules. Ensure the right dosage per day.
- You can search google for various recipes like anjeer chaat, anjeer kulfi, and many more.
Concluding Words
Like everything, anjeer too has its potential upsides and few downsides. But the good thing is that we have more positive attributes to look at.
The tremendous health benefits received from anjeer overpowers the downsides it has got.
If we see from a diabetes perspective, anjeer is fairly good and can be consumed by people with diabetes safely in controlled amounts. Just be vigilant towards the number of figs you are eating daily and the levels your blood sugars are attaining.
As long as there is synchrony between both, enjoy the wonderful gift of nature, which we call figs.
References
- http://www.ijrpb.org/papers/v6-i2/5.pdf
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/10815622_Experimental_diabetes_treated_with_ficus_carica_extract_Effect_on_oxidative_stress_parameters
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6288147/
- https://www.ijmrhs.com/medical-research/dry-fruits-and-diabetes-mellitus.pdf
