Today we decided to help you understand one interesting topic - is it possible to eat dried or fresh figs when losing weight, and how to do it correctly? This plant is also called fig tree and fig tree. The sweet overseas fruit is glorified in many legends and traditions, and in our country it is sold in all supermarkets. So is it possible to eat figs while on a diet, or sweet fruits that are strictly prohibited?
Benefits and contraindications: dried figs
Dry figs retain many beneficial properties:
- Prevents the appearance of plaques and blood clots;
- Strengthens the elasticity of blood vessels;
- Normalizes blood circulation;
- Prevents the development of cardiovascular diseases;
- Reduces blood clotting and cholesterol levels in the body;
- Increases hemoglobin in the blood;
- Improves skin health and gastrointestinal function.
Contraindications to consuming figs:
- Kidney failure;
- The presence of inflammatory processes in the intestines;
- Gout;
- Stomach diseases;
- Pancreatitis;
- Diabetes.
What it is?
This is the fruit of the Fig tree, or the common fig tree (Fig). It is sometimes called fig or wineberry. It grows in subtropical regions around the globe.
The photo shows what a fig fruit looks like and the tree on which it ripens.
Fruit or berry?
This is a fruit. Figs are popularly called berries. From a botanical point of view, its fruit is an infructescence and not a berry.
There are many varieties of fig trees.
Below are the two most famous: dark - “Black Mission” and green “Kadota”.
But there are many more varieties of figs. Their color varies from light yellow-green to black. Lots of brown options.
For weight loss: beneficial properties and harm
Due to its valuable composition, figs are used in nutrition as a fruit that helps remove toxins from the body and also saturate the blood with beneficial substances. In addition, the fruit has an intense effect of removing toxins and excess fluid from the intestines. Can be recommended to every person, except in cases of certain types of diseases.
For dietetic purposes, figs are used fresh. When losing weight, dry fruit can increase weight gain. The fact is that in dry form it has a higher number of kcal, about 5 times more than in fresh form. Therefore, you need to use dry figs in dietetics very carefully and in small portions, combining them with other products: nuts, cheese, eggs, fish, boiled vegetables and various meats (poultry, veal, turkey), fermented milk products and cereals.
Video
Getting rid of excess weight and losing a few kilograms may not be difficult or impossible if you eat the “right” foods. One of these products is figs. The fig diet is a simple way to lose weight that is accessible to everyone. How figs are useful for weight loss and how to properly include them in your diet, learn from this article.
When losing weight, figs can be consumed both fresh and dried and have many beneficial properties. The high content of calcium, iron and other useful substances, the absence of fat makes this fruit very attractive for a healthy diet. It can be eaten alone or included in other dishes.
The fig tree is considered one of the oldest fruit plants, the fruits of which people began to use for food. In various cultures it is considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity, fertility and peace. The first mention of figs dates back to the Sumerian era. This fruit is native to western Asia, from where it spread to the Mediterranean countries.
It was brought to America by the first Spanish colonialists in the early 16th century.
He is also mentioned in the Bible. As legend has it, the Jewish king Hezekiah was cured of a dangerous plague by eating figs. Ancient Greek Olympians included it in their diet to achieve success in competitions. The Greeks even banned the supply of it to other countries. They valued the nutritional qualities of this fruit so highly.
Figs are a long-living tree. Under favorable conditions, it can grow and bear fruit for up to 200 years. Drawings and frescoes of this tree are found during excavations of ancient Egyptian settlements. The inhabitants of ancient Arabia knew about it. Ancient doctors attributed figs to cure malaria, measles, fever, and various ulcers. Even those suffering from leprosy and syphilis.
The benefits and harms of the fig diet
Figs satisfy the feeling of hunger, thereby preventing overeating and gaining extra pounds. Figs for weight loss have their own benefits, but can also harm human health.
Benefits : In addition to figs for weight loss, you can add other low-calorie foods to your diet, because they will keep you full for a long time, and you won’t feel hungry. The diet can be used for both weight loss and weight gain. The fig diet contains about 1700 kcal per day, so it can help you lose weight
Harm : Contraindicated in diabetes mellitus, intestinal disease and gout.
Compatible Products
No matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to lose weight on figs alone for a long time. Although the fruit is rich in nutrients, monotonous food quickly becomes boring. In addition to figs, the basis of nutrition should be the following dishes:
- Greenery;
- Vegetables;
- Fruits;
- Cereals;
- Low-fat dairy products;
- Meat broth;
- Meat with fish;
- Green tea.
Be sure to forget about these products:
- Pickles and sweets;
- Fatty foods and smoked foods;
- Fried foods.
When on a fig diet, it is recommended to consume the product not only on its own, but also to use it as an additive to other dishes.
You are allowed to eat no more than 15 pieces of fruit per day. You should eat frequently, up to 5 times a day, in small portions. Be sure to maintain a drinking balance.
How much can you lose on a fig diet?
It all depends on the diet you choose; in most cases, you can lose up to 5 kg per week on a fig diet. It is worth noting that if you are not overweight to begin with, it will be much easier to lose weight.
If you decide to abandon the fig diet, you should not worry about weight gain, because the fruit can be easily replaced with other low-calorie foods (fruits, vegetables).
Diet: dried figs
In most cases, fresh figs are chosen for the diet. But if you consume dried fruit in the right quantity, you can also cleanse your body of toxins and lose excess weight.
When dried, it retains a lot of fiber, but such fiber is not absorbed in the human stomach. Instead, fiber performs another function when entering the human body, namely: it cleanses the gastrointestinal tract of toxins, thereby preventing many digestive diseases.
The amount of sugar in dried figs exceeds the permissible limit that can be consumed for diabetes. People with this disease need to consume it in dried form with caution.
Diet: figs with oatmeal
Dried figs with oatmeal will be a valuable and satisfying breakfast; you will have enough energy and a feeling of fullness for a long time. In dried form, it can be used as lunch or dinner; for this, eat 4-5 pieces at lunch or in the evening, pre-soak the fruit in water.
Diet with kefir
On a diet of figs + kefir, you can cleanse your intestines of toxins and lose up to 3 kg in just 4-5 days.
Eat about 500 grams of fruit every day and drink one and a half liters of kefir per day, it is advisable to take low-fat kefir.
Diet with milk
The fig + milk diet allows you to lose up to 3 kg in just 4 days.
The daily portion is 400 g, and you also need to drink about 2 liters of milk, the milk should be skim.
Diet: figs and green tea
In the morning and throughout the day, eat any low-calorie food, and in the evening for dinner, eat about 7 pieces of figs, you can wash the fruit down with hot green tea.
Rules of use
Losing weight on figs requires caution, even regardless of the beneficial qualities of this product. Dried fruits contain about 220–250 kcal per 100 g. For this reason, it is undesirable to abuse this exotic fruit. By eating a couple of fruits 30 minutes before a meal, you can satisfy your hunger, and besides, when you eat a meal, a person will feel full much earlier.
Be sure to read: The best express diet for weight loss - basics, contraindications and types
Five fruits can fully replace an afternoon snack, even dinner. Some experts recommend periodically performing fasting days using figs. The product can be consumed together with unsweetened drinks. Even a special fig diet has been developed. Fresh fruits do not aggravate the feeling of thirst, saturating a person with liquid.
When you want to eat dried figs in your diet, it is recommended to first soak them in cold water for half an hour. This way you can neutralize all preservatives that are used to process figs so that they are better preserved. When a person is on a strict diet, but suddenly wants to eat something sweet, figs can replace chocolate or candy. It contains practically no fat, but it does contain light carbohydrates, which is worth remembering. Dried fruits are much healthier than sweets for weight loss.
Can fruit cause allergies?
An allergy to figs during weight loss is possible if you have a personal intolerance to the components of this fruit. The fruit contains salicylates (chemical substances contained in the fruits of certain types of plants), which are an allergen. If a woman decides to try a fig diet shortly after giving birth, she should inform her doctor (in advance). The reason is that the salicylates contained in figs enter the child's body with mother's milk and can cause allergies in the child.
Reviews
Konovalova T.M., nutritionist, Moscow: “The fig diet allows you to lose weight without exposing the body to stress. Tissues are saturated with microelements, fiber intensively rids the body of “garbage”. If you don’t get carried away with it for a long time and follow the rules for overcoming the restriction, a positive result will not be long in coming.”
Ekaterina, 28 years old, Tver: “I’m glad that such a diet has appeared. After all, now you can lose weight deliciously! Dishes with figs diversify the taste palette well. The fruit relieves fatigue well and helps restore strength. In a month of the fig diet I lost 5 kg. I felt a pleasant lightness, because along with the kilograms, another problem went away - the intestines now work like a clock.”
Olga, 35 years old, Belgorod: “I wanted to be slim by the beginning of summer. Over the winter, my favorite dresses somehow began to hug my figure too tightly, so I had to take urgent action. I found this interesting diet, the existence of which I had not even suspected until recently. I love sweets, refusing them is a punishment for me. Figs supported weight loss and did not let me miss my favorite chocolate. A snack of dried fruit can even replace a sandwich. The calorie content of this fruit is acceptable, salads with it helped to maintain energy, and with other diets I quickly experienced a breakdown.”
How to store figs for weight loss
Dry figs should be stored in a dry place.
Fresh figs should not be stored for a long time; it is advisable to eat the fruit within 24 hours. To keep the fruit longer, place it in the refrigerator, storage temperature no more than -1 degree.
If you buy a lot of fresh figs for your diet, you can freeze them and keep them in the freezer. This method will allow you to preserve delicious fruit. By storing figs in the freezer, you can start and continue the diet at any time of the year, even in winter.
Recipes
To diversify your diet menu, you don’t have to include only whole figs in your diet. You can choose a low-calorie recipe for weight loss, one of the ingredients of which is they, and from time to time dilute them with lean dishes. We present some of them to your attention.
Fig milk
Calorie content: 44 kcal.
Ingredients:
- 100 g fresh figs;
- 200 ml water;
- 200 ml low-fat milk;
- 1 tsp. maple syrup.
Preparation:
- Wash the figs and cut them together with the peel into small pieces.
- Pour a glass of boiling water, cover with a lid, leave for 4 hours.
- Mix with a glass of warm boiled milk.
- Add maple syrup.
- Beat in a blender.
Pumpkin dessert
Calorie content: 62 kcal.
Ingredients:
- 400 g pumpkin;
- 1 medium sized lemon;
- 1 medium sized orange;
- 200 g dried figs;
- 1.5 tbsp. l. maple syrup.
Preparation:
- Pour boiling water over the figs and leave for 10 minutes. Remove from the water, pat dry with a paper towel, and cut into small pieces.
- Peel citrus fruits so as not to damage the white layer between the peel and pulp.
- Pass them through a juicer.
- Peel the pumpkin and cut into arbitrary pieces approximately 5 mm thick.
- Mix all ingredients, place in a thick-walled saucepan, bring to a boil with constant stirring, leave covered over low heat for 7 minutes.
- To stir thoroughly.
- Cool at room temperature.
- Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Note. For this recipe, it is better to take a hard lemon-colored pumpkin. Orange sweet will not work.
