National Fig Week

This week is National Fig week. This fruit, but not technically a fruit, is shaped like a teardrop and packed with delicious flavors and good health benefits.

Health Benefits:

Figs are a great source of vitamins.  Vitamin A, B1 and B2.  Minerals too.  Manganese, potassium, iron and phosphorus.

Your digestive system can benefit from figs.  They are full of fiber and can help you regulate.

If you are diabetic figs are a great snack.  They are sweet and the potassium helps to keep your blood sugar level even.

Looking for calcium? Figs are a wonderful source.  Great for your bones!

Most figs are exported.  The countries who export are Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Iran and Spain.  The season is late spring to early summer.  

California also produces figs and that can make the season a bit longer.  Often you can find figs through early fall.  Don’t forget about dried figs!  These are an option and available for much of the year.

If you do buy fresh figs here’s a few tips on storage:

Figs will last on your counter for 2-3 days.

Ripe figs are a bit wrinkled and saggy.

You should eat them at room temperature for best taste.

It’s ok to store your figs in the refrigerator.  

Make sure you put them in a veggie crisper or loosely wrapped them in plastic.

Consume the figs within 2 weeks if in the fridge.

Private Home Health Care wishes it was fig season.   Enjoy them raw or in a recipe.  We’ll have to make due with dried figs for now and wait for the next season to enjoy them fresh!