19/06/2022
Under the Fig Tree: Sweet and Healthy Fruits on Hand
Most of our guests are delighted that a fig tree (lat. Ficus carica) makes the pleasant shade on the terrace of our apartment and that they can pick its juicy fruits whenever they want. That is not surprising considering that many of them, as they told me, have only seen this paradise fruit of the Mediterranean in shopping centres. And buying a kilo of figs in a store or picking them with your hands to eat them immediately is not the same experience. The latter is much sweeter.
One of the World’s Oldest Cultivated Fruit Trees
The fig belongs to the mulberry family and originates from Asia Minor. It is one of the oldest cultivated fruit trees in the world. “According to the found fossil remains, the fig was cultivated long before wheat and barley and thus represents the first example of organised agricultural production,” the authors of the portal Agroklub pointed out.
It prefers a warm environment and is very grateful for cultivation, so it often succeeds even on rugged soil without tillage. There is a whole range of different varieties of figs, about 600 species, but we usually distinguish them by the colour of the fruits, which can be green-yellowish, purple, and purplish-black fruits. The ripening season lasts from June to October, and you can consume it fresh and dried, as well as processed in the form of jam, compote, and fermented drinks. The lifespan of a fig tree ranges from 50 to 70 years. The fig tree in front of our apartment belongs to the “Laštrica” sort and has not yet reached adulthood. Namely, the tree is only 17 years old.
Various Beneficial Properties of Traditional Dalmatian Food
The numerous healing properties of figs have been known for centuries, and the Greek philosopher Plato allegedly called figs friends of philosophers because they strengthen intelligence. And he was right. Figs are an excellent source of minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and antioxidants. Thanks to this, it stimulates brain work and concentration and improves mood and sleep. In addition, it reduces tension, anxiety, and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Fig has a positive effect on bone density, so its consumption is helpful for menopausal women. Also, its richness in antioxidants protects the body from premature aging and cancer. It is used to treat various diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, respiratory problems, ulcers, warts, etc.
Folk Medicine
In folk medicine, the fig is primarily known as a means to regulate digestion thanks to its laxative properties. Since figs do not contain fat and cholesterol, they often help prevent diabetes and help with weight loss. But you should be careful with dry figs! While one hundred grams of fresh figs contain 74 calories, the same amount of dried ones retain as many as 250 calories.
Highly Recommended – Traditional Fig Cake
Fig represents an indispensable tradition of Dalmatian cuisine. It goes well with both sweet and savoury dishes. It is best chilled and eaten fresh, but figs are an excellent ingredient in cakes, compote, salads, jam, and brandy. Our ancestors prepared various delicacies from figs, and perhaps the most famous is the fig cake (smokvenjak or viški hib), an authentic Croatian delicacy.
