@ FIG: Ficus carica, GO FIGURE!

FIGS were in my mind an unexpected surprise, I didn’t think of it as anything more than a natural package of candy and fiber. It wasn’t! It has some hidden and surprising phytonutrients.

My “raw” research notes appear below, more detailed discussion of the supporting studies will have to follow later.

–of all the common fruits FIGS have the highest concentration of minerals. Ditto polyphenols, RED WINE and TEA are low compared to FIGS.
–FIGS also have BENZALEDHYDE and COUMARINS two other anticancer compounds. BENZALDEHYDE has been used to treat terminal human carcinomas. COUMARINS have been used for skin and prostate cancers.
–FIGS are a member of the MULBERRY family.
–a study at the U of Wisc School of Medicine found a chemical compound called LUPEOL (also found in many fruits STRAWBERRIES MANGOES and FIGS) that may aid in fight against prostate cancer. “Nude” mice were injected with human prostate cancer cells. Mice receiving LUPEOL alone showed a substantial slowing of the cancer process and those that received LUPEOL with a lab produced antibody showed even greater results, Cancer Research Dec 1 2005.
–by dried weight can have 5% COUMARINS
–“these results may indicate a possible preventive effect at the level found naturally in the fruit
–have one of the highest amounts of calcium for any fruit
–contains measurable amounts of oxalates.
–FIG FRUIT LATEX, I tried this once in North Carolina by eating or trying to eat an unripe FIG a very unpleasant experience, contains significant amounts of POLYPHENOLIC compounds..findings in this study indicated potent effect in some cancer lines and little or no effect in others.
–FIG RESIN …showed in vitro inhibitory effects on proliferation of various cancer cell lines.
–FERULIC ACID, QUERCETINS, PSORALEN, and BERGAPTEN found within FIGS
–FIG leaf extracts contained QUERCETIN and LUTEOLIN
–FIGS are a component of the Mediterranean Diet “for millennia”. In a comparison of black red yellow and green FIG varieties the major CYANIDIN was C3R in all varieties. Extracts of darker varieties showed higher contents of phytochemicals than those levels found in the lighter colored varieties. “Fruits of the Mission FIG variety contained the highest levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, also exhibited the greatest antioxidant activity”
–FIG LATEX has been shown to be effective against warts, this from Iran.
–some studies from as far back as 1952 seemed to be aware that compounds from FIGS could inhibit cancer.
–crude extracts of West Indian Ficus Pumilla were shown to be cytotoxic to the leukemic cell line MT-4
–FIGS are low in calories 100 grams have 74 calories
–antioxidant levels comparable to apples
–chlorogenic acid in FIGS helps lower blood sugar levels
–100 g of dried figs contain 640 mg of potassium, 162 mg of calcium, and 2.03 mg of iron.

There are a number of sweet things that fight cancer. FIGS can be added to the list. Instead of reaching for a bowl of ice cream, milk or soy based, reach for some figs. They will provide phytonutrients that ice cream cant. They will provide vitamins minerals and fibre. They will do more towards improving your health than either you or I ever suspected.

choose carefully
eat well
best wishes

martin