From boosting heart health to controlling weight: Enjoy the many benefits of fig or anjeer

Dried fig is available throughout the year and is considered a healthy snack.

Dry fruits are considered as a rich source of antioxidants which besides keeping us healthy, drives away our hunger pangs. Whether raisins, almonds, cashew nuts or berries, the options are aplenty. Out of these, anjeer or fig is considered immensely beneficial as they are rich sources of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese and iron.

Dried fig, which is round in shape, is available throughout the year and is considered a healthy snack which has a higher concentration of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It can also be used to make sweets, jams and other preserves.

 

 

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Here are benefits of dried figs that you must note:

*Rich in potassium, figs help maintain blood pressure. Not just that, it also ensures that the digestive system is at its optimum. Its dietary fibres can fill your stomach easily and keep you fuller for a longer time, and also stimulate the bowel movement.

*The presence of phenol, omega-3, and omega-6 fatty acids in figs help keep a check on cardiovascular health. These fatty acids reduce the risk of coronary heart diseases and have an inhibitory effect on triglycerides (which is a type of fat found in the blood), making their overall number drop.

*Figs help in losing weight and are generally recommended for obese patients. However, when taken with milk it has an adverse effect and can also result in weight gain.

Munching on these dry fruits can help you stay fit!

*People with a sweet tooth can have figs as a healthy substitute for dessert. The sweetness level is pretty high in this dry fruit so it can satiate the sweet craving and also add lesser calories to your body.

*The human body requires around 1000mg of calcium per day to meet the daily requirement. Since calcium isn’t produced by the body, what we eat solely contributes to this requirement. Dried figs are a good source of calcium. Most often we fail to meet the set requirement despite having milk, which is the highest source of calcium. Therefore it is important to include other food sources of calcium such as figs in our diet.

Here is a special recipe.

Wheat flakes barfi with dried figs by Kellogg’s

Preparation time: 50 min
Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 cup – Kellogg’s wheat flakes crushed powdered
1/2 cup – Castor sugar
1/2 cup – Ghee
2tbsp – Cardamom powder
1 cup – Chopped fig
1/2 cup – Dried khoya
1tbsp – Crushed almonds
1tbsp – Crushed pistachios
3 cups – Water

Method:

*Add two cups water to a large pan. Add chopped figs and boil for 10 mins.

*Remove; grind it to form a paste.

*Return it to the pan, add one cup water, sugar, ghee and khoya.

*Stir on low flame.

*Cook till everything comes together. Once khoya is caramelised, finish with adding cardamom powder.

*Fold in wheat flakes coarse powder.

*Set it in a greased tray, sprinkle nuts on top and press it by rolling a rolling pin on it.

*Allow it to set at room temperature for 4-5 hours.

*Cut and serve.

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