o
]
[
8
1
3
w
/
?
^
r Figs
Nutritional Profile
Energy value (calories per serving): Moderate (fresh figs)
High (dried figs)
Protein: Low
Fat: Low
Saturated fat: Low
Cholesterol: None
Carbohydrates: High
Fiber: Very high
Sodium: Low (fresh or dried fruit)
High (dried fruit treated with sodium sulfur compounds)
Major vitamin contribution: B vitamins
Major mineral contribution: Iron (dried figs)About the Nutrients in This Food
Figs, whether fresh or dried, are high-carbohydrate food, an extraordinarily
good source of dietary fiber, natural sugars, iron, calcium, and potassium.
Ninety-two percent of the carbohydrates in dried figs are sugars
(42 percent glucose, 31 percent fructose, 0.1 percent sucrose). The rest is
dietary fiber, insoluble cellulose in the skin, soluble pectins in fruit. The
most important mineral in dried figs is iron. Gram for gram, figs have about
50 percent as much iron as beef liver (0.8 mg/gram vs. 1.9 mg/gram).
One medium fresh fig has 1.4 g dietary fiber, six grams sugars, and
0.18 mg iron (1 percent of the RDA for a woman, 2 percent of the RDA for
a man). A similar size dried, uncooked fig has 0.8 g fiber, four grams sugars
and the same amount of iron as a fresh fig.The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food
Dried (but see How other kinds of processing affect this food, below).Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food
Low-fiber, low-residue diets
Low-sodium (dried figs treated with sulfites)