Figs

 

Description: May be golden or deep purple – small, fleshy and slightly pear shaped

 

Availability: Fresh – Summer – Dried – year-round

 

Facts: Figs were probably one of the first fruits dried and stored by man and are the most mentioned fruit in the bible. Figs were brought to the United States by Spanish missionaries. Although considered a fruit, the fig is actually a flower that is inverted into itself. The seeds are drupes, or the real fruit. Figs are the only fruit to fully ripen and semi-dry on the tree.

 

Serving Size = 1/4 CUP

 

Selection: Avoid darkened or moldy figs.

 

Storage: Stored unopened for up to 6 months. Once opened, store in airtight containers. May be refrigerated.

Nutrition Benefits: Fat free; saturated fat free; very low sodium; cholesterol free; good source of dietary fiber.

 

Pigments: Beta-Carotene

 

Phytochemicals: Benzaldehyde, calcium glucarate, polyphenol, courmarin