Health benefits of Anjeer
1. Improves digestion:Anjeer is rich in dietary fibre. 3
pieces of dried figs contain 5 grams of fibre, which accounts for about 20% of
our daily requirement. It’s a natural laxative for preventing constipation and other digestive problems
like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
2. Helps in weight loss:Apart from being rich in fibre,
dried figs are low in calories. One piece of dried fig gives you just 47
calories. And, you obtain only 0.2 grams of total fat per dried fig. So, dried
figs are an ideal snack for people who want to lose weight.
3.
Prevents hypertension: When you eat more salt, the level of sodium
in your body increases. This disturbs the sodium-potassium balance of the body
and in turn results in hypertension. Anjeer is an ideal fruit
for helping to restore this balance. One dried fig gives you 129mg of potassium
and just 2mg of sodium. This helps to prevent hypertension.
4.
Rich in antioxidants: Dried figs are rich
in antioxidants. A study by
Vinson JA and colleagues suggested that processed, dried figs are superior to
natural figs when it comes to antioxidants. The study also mentions that dried
figs have superior quality of antioxidants, called phenols, compared to other
fruits that attribute their antioxidant property to vitamin Cand E.
5.
Prevents heart disease: The high levels of
antioxidants in dried figs help to eliminate free radicals in your body that
can damage blood vessels and result in heart disease. And, as mentioned earlier they prevent
hypertension, a huge risk factor for development of coronary heart disease (CHD). Plus, there are some studies
which suggest that dried figs help to reduce the levels of triglycerides that contribute greatly to heart disease.
6. Prevents cancer: Antioxidant-rich
dried figs also help in preventing cellular DNA damage due to free radicals
that can make a cell cancerous.
7. Strengthens your bones: One dried fig gives
you 3% calcium of your daily calcium requirement. Along with other calcium rich
foods, they can help to improve bone density and strength.
8. Good for diabetes: The high fibre
content in figs makes them good for people with diabetes. However, dried
figs are high in sugar content. So you should consult a diabetologist about the
quantity of dried figs you can consume.
9. Cures iron-deficiency anemia: Dried figs are a rich source of iron. One dried fig
can give you 2% of your daily iron requirement. Iron is an important mineral
that carries hemoglobin throughout your body. So eating anjeer is a natural way
to raise your hemoglobin levels indirectly by increasing the levels of iron in
your body.
10. Improves reproductive health: According to ancient literature, the
Greeks used fig as a natural aphrodisiac. Figs were considered as a sacred
fruit and were closely associated with fertility and love. Scientifically, figs
improve fertility and libido because they are loaded with minerals like zinc,
manganese and magnesium which play an important role in boosting reproductive
health.
