Ficus carica
2 associations assessed — none with dependable human evidence behind them yet. Strongest first.
The inverted flower cluster of the fig tree, eaten as a soft fruit with edible seeds. This USDA entry is fresh fruit; dried figs are a distinct food with several times the sugar per gram.
Also known as Common fig, Fresh fig
What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.
Fig leaf infusions have a folk reputation in glucose management, and a little animal work behind it. Human research on eating the fruit for glucose or insulin outcomes has not been done, and the fruit is high in sugar.
Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.
Some trials report faster colonic transit and softer, more frequent stools with daily fig paste in people with functional constipation. The studies are few and small, and they use a concentrated paste rather than fresh fruit.
Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.
Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.
AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.
| Nutrient | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Macronutrients | ||
| Calories | 74 kcal | 4% |
| Protein | 0.75 g | 2% |
| Total fat | 0.3 g | 0% |
| Carbohydrate | 19.2 g | 7% |
| Fibre | 2.9 g | 10% |
| Total sugars | 16.3 g | — |
| Water | 79.1 g | — |
| Fats | ||
| Saturated fat | 0.06 g | 0% |
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.066 g | — |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.144 g | — |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| EPA (omega-3) | 0 g | — |
| DHA (omega-3) | 0 g | — |
| DPA (omega-3) | 0 g | — |
| Linoleic acid (omega-6) | 0.144 g | — |
| Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin A | 7 µg | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 2 mg | 2% |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg | 0% |
| Vitamin E | 0.11 mg | 1% |
| Vitamin K | 4.7 µg | 4% |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.06 mg | 5% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.05 mg | 4% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.4 mg | 3% |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.3 mg | 6% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.113 mg | 7% |
| Folate | 6 µg | 2% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 µg | 0% |
| Choline | 4.7 mg | 1% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 35 mg | 3% |
| Iron | 0.37 mg | 2% |
| Magnesium | 17 mg | 4% |
| Phosphorus | 14 mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 232 mg | 5% |
| Sodium | 1 mg | 0% |
| Zinc | 0.15 mg | 1% |
| Copper | 0.07 mg | 8% |
| Manganese | 0.128 mg | 6% |
| Selenium | 0.2 µg | 0% |
| Other measured compounds | ||
| Beta-carotene | 85 µg | — |
| Alpha-carotene | 0 µg | — |
| Lycopene | 0 µg | — |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 9 µg | — |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | — |
| Ash | 0.66 g | — |
Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.
Source record: Figs, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 173021).
% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.
Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.
Flavonoid pigment
The water-soluble pigments behind red, purple and blue plant colour. Poorly absorbed intact; much of their measurable activity comes from microbial…
In dark-skinned varieties only, concentrated in the peel.
Polyphenol (class)
An umbrella term for thousands of plant phenolic compounds. Useful as a category, but a "high polyphenol" figure says nothing about which compounds…
Soluble fibre
The gelling soluble fibre of apples, citrus peel and many fruits.
Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.
Drying removes most of the water, concentrating both sugars and fibre by weight. A handful of dried figs is a much larger sugar dose than the same weight of fresh fruit.
Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.
Allergy
Fig sap is a true latex, and fig is a recognised member of the latex-fruit syndrome group. Reactions range from oral itching to systemic symptoms, and people sensitised to natural rubber latex or to Ficus houseplants are at higher risk.
Worth knowing
The milky sap from leaves and unripe fruit contains furanocoumarins. Skin contact followed by sunlight produces a blistering phytophotodermatitis, well documented among people who prune fig trees or make fig-leaf infusions.
Too much
Figs are high in fructose and fructans and are one of the fruits most consistently flagged in low-FODMAP protocols. Dried figs concentrate that load several-fold.