THE FIG: A FRUIT WHOSE PERFECTION HAS ONLY RECENTLY BEEN
REVEALED
[I swear] by the fig and the olive. (Qur'an, 95:1)
The reference to the fig in the first verse of Surat at-Tin is a most wise one
in terms of the benefits imparted by this fruit.
The Benefits of the Fig for Human Beings
Figs have a higher fibre level than any other fruit or vegetable. One single
dried fig provides two grams of fibre: 20% of the daily recommended intake.
Research over the last fifteen years or so has revealed that the fibre in plant
foods is very important for the regular functioning of the digestive system. It
is known that fibre in foods assists the digestive system and also helps reduce
the risk of some forms of cancer. Nutritionists describe eating figs, which are
rich in fibre, as an ideal way of increasing one's fibre intake.
Fibrous foodstuffs are divided into two types: soluble and insoluble. Foods rich
in insoluble fibre facilitate the passage of substances to be expelled from the
body through the intestine by adding water to them. They thus accelerate the
digestive system and ensure its regular functioning. It has also been
established that foods containing insoluble fibre have a protective effect
against colon cancer. Foods rich in soluble fibre, on the other hand, have been
shown to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood by more than 20%. These are
therefore of the greatest importance in reducing the risk of heart attack.
Excessive levels of cholesterol in the blood collect in the arteries, hardening
and narrowing them. Depending on which organ's blood vessels the cholesterol
accumulates in, disorders connected to that organ arise. For example, if
cholesterol accumulates in the arteries that feed the heart, problems such as
heart attacks result. Accumulations of cholesterol in the kidney veins can lead
to high blood pressure and kidney deficiency. Furthermore, the intake of soluble
fibre is important in terms of regulating blood sugar by emptying the stomach
because sudden changes in blood sugar can lead to life-threatening disorders.
Indeed, societies with fibre-rich diets have been shown to have far lower
incidences of illnesses such as cancer and heart disease.117
It is also another major health advantage for soluble and insoluble fibres to be
present at one and the same time. It has been shown that when both forms are
present together, they are much more effective in preventing cancer than when
they are on their own. The presence of both forms of fibre, soluble and
insoluble, in the fig makes it a most important foodstuff in this regard.118
Dr. Oliver Alabaster, Director of the Institute for Disease Prevention at the
George Washington University Medical Centre, refers to figs in these terms:
[H]ere is an opportunity to add a really healthy, high fiber food to your diet.
Choosing figs and other high fiber foods more frequently means that you'll
naturally choose potentially harmful foods less frequently-and this is great for
your lifelong health.119
According to the California Fig Advisory Board, it is believed that the
antioxidants in fruit and vegetables protect against a number of diseases.
Antioxidants neutralise harmful substances (free radicals) that arise as a
result of chemical reactions in the body or else are taken in from the outside
and thus prevent the destruction of cells. In one study performed by the
University of Scranton, it was determined that dried figs had a much higher
level of the phenol makeup, which is rich in antioxidants, than other fruits.
Phenol is used as an antiseptic to kill micro-organisms. The level of phenol in
figs is much higher than that in other fruits and vegetables.120
Another study, by Rutgers University in New Jersey, revealed that due to the
essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 and phytosterol contained in dried
figs, they can play a considerable part in reducing cholesterol.121 It is known
that omega-3 and omega-6 cannot be manufactured in the body and need to be
absorbed with food. Furthermore, these fatty acids are indispensable to the
proper functioning of the heart, brain and nervous system. Phytosterol permits
the cholesterol in animal products, which has the potential to harden the
heart's arteries, to be expelled from the body without entering the blood
stream.
Despite being one of the oldest fruits known to man, the fig-described as
"nature's most nearly perfect fruit" by the California Fig Advisory Board
122-has been rediscovered by food producers. The nutritional value of this fruit
and its health benefits have led to its acquiring a whole new importance.
The fig can constitute a part of just about any special diet. Since figs do not
naturally contain fat, sodium or cholesterol but have high levels of fibre, they
are an ideal food for those trying to lose weight. At the same time, figs have
higher mineral contents than any other known fruit. Forty grams of figs contains
244 mg of potassium (7% of the daily requirement), 53 mg of calcium (6% of the
daily requirement) and 1.2 mg of iron (6% of the daily requirement).123 The
calcium level in figs is very high: The fig ranks second after the orange in
terms of calcium content. A crate of dried figs provides the same level of
calcium as a crate of milk.
Figs are also thought of as a medicine which gives strength and energy to
long-term patients as they seek to recover. They eliminate physical and mental
difficulties and give the body strength and energy. The most important
nutritional component of figs is sugar, which comprises 51-74% of all fruits.
The sugar level in figs is one of the highest. Figs are also recommended in the
treatment of asthma, coughs and chills.
The benefits we have restricted ourselves to mentioning here are an indication
of the compassion Allah feels for human beings. Our Lord provides the substances
required by human beings in this fruit, which is so pleasant to eat, already
packaged and at the ideal levels for human health. The way that this special
blessing from Allah is mentioned in the Qur'an may indicate the importance of
the fig for human beings. (Allah knows best.) From the point of view of human
health, the nutritional value of the fig was only established with the advance
of medicine and technology. This is another indication that the Qur'an is
indisputably the Word of Allah, the Omniscient.