Figs: Benefits, Side Effects, And Nutrition - Medical News Today

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Medical News TodaySubscribeCan figs be beneficial to our health?

Medically reviewed by Imashi Fernando, MS, RDN, CDCES — Written by Jessica Caporuscio, PharmD — Updated on March 25, 2025

Benefits
Risks
Fresh vs. dried
How to use
Nutrition
FAQ
Summary

Figs may be beneficial to health in a variety of ways, including improving skin and hair health. They also tend to have high nutritional value for many.

A fig is a soft fruit with a thin skin that can be either green or purple. The flesh of a fig is typically red, and the entirety of the fruit is edible.

Historically, figs have been used in traditional medical practices to help treat issues related to the endocrine, reproductive, and respiratory systems and the digestive tract.

Benefits

Practitioners of Indian systems of medicine have long used figs to treat conditions including:

gastrointestinal
respiratory
inflammatory
metabolic
cardiovascular

Some researchers believe that figs have the following properties:

antioxidant
anti-inflammatory
fat-lowering
cell-protective

These properties may be responsible for the therapeutic effects of figs. The sections below discuss these potential benefits in more detail, though many are based on animal studies with limited evidence from large human randomized controlled trials. Further research on humans is necessary.

Diabetes and glucose control

Studies suggest that people may use traditional plants to help treat diabetes, although this is not part of standard treatment guidelines in Western medicine practice.

One 2023 study on the effectiveness of medicinal plants found that figs help decrease blood sugar by 13.5% after two months of treatment. Figs are also a good source of abscisic acid (ABA), which can improve glucose homeostasis.

Erectile dysfunction

A 2022 study found that a diet supplemented with fig leaves may increase sexual function, sexual behavior, and testosterone levels in rats with high blood pressure. However, further studies on humans are necessary.

Skin health

Figs may aid skin health. They are rich in carotenoids, which are soluble pigments found in fruits and vegetables, such as carrots and tomatoes.

They include:

lutein, which is also found in kale and spinach
zeaxanthin, which is also found in leafy greens and bell peppers
beta-carotene, which is also found in carrots and sweet potato

Carotenoids benefit skin health with UV protection and antioxidant properties.

Hair health

Very few studies have looked at the connection between figs and hair health. However, figs are very high in iron, an essential mineral for helping maintain healthy hair.

Before taking extracts or supplements for hair health, a person should speak with their doctor to ensure their safety.

Digestive health

Figs are high in dietary fiber, which is essential for maintaining digestive health. Overall benefits of dietary fiber include:

improving metabolic health
lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease
aiding colonic health
helping with gut motility

Risks

The risks associated with figs may vary depending on how people use them.

Medication interactions

Both fresh and dried figs contain a high level of vitamin K. People taking blood-thinning medications such as warfarin need to maintain consistent vitamin K levels in their diets, so they may wish to eat figs in moderation.

Digestive symptoms

Since figs have a high fiber content, eating too many figs — especially dried figs — can cause diarrhea.

Fresh or dried figs?

Choosing dried or fresh figs depends on a person’s tastes, preferences, and circumstances.

When comparing an equal weight of dried figs to fresh figs, dried figs contain more calories, sugar, dietary fiber, certain vitamins, and minerals than fresh figs. Fresh figs will have more vitamin C, vitamin A, and beta-carotene.

How to use figs

A person should always rinse fresh figs. After that, they are edible as they are.

A person can eat dried figs as they are or reconstituted by soaking them in warm water until they soften.

People can use fresh and dried figs in various dishes, such as oatmeal and cheeses.

Nutritional profile and portion size

The following table, adapted from United States Department of Agriculture, shows the nutritional content of 100 grams (g) of raw and dried figs in kilocalories (kcal), g, milligrams (mg), and micrograms (mcg):

Raw figs	Dried figs
Calories	74 kcal	249 kcal
Protein	0.75 g	3.3 g
Lipids	0.3 g	0.92 g
Dietary fiber	2.9 g	9.8 g
Sugar	16.26 g	47.9 g
Calcium	35 mg	162 mg
Iron	0.37 mg	2.03 mg
Magnesium	17 mg	68 mg
Phosphorus	14 mg	67 mg
Potassium	232 mg	680 mg
Vitamin C	2 mg	1.2 mg
Folate	6 mcg	9 mcg
Choline	4.7 mg	15.8 mg
Vitamin A	7 mcg	0 mcg
Beta-carotene	85 mcg	6 mcg
Lutein and zeaxanthin	9 mcg	32 mcg
Vitamin K	4.7 mcg	15.6 mcg

However, it is essential to remember that 100 g of raw figs is around 2 raw figs, whereas 100 g of dried figs is about 12.5. This may explain why 100 g of dried figs appear to have more of almost all vitamins and minerals.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main benefits of figs?

The main benefits of figs include being a high source of dietary fiber, having antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and aiding digestion issues.

How many figs can a person eat a day?

The number of figs a person can eat daily depends on whether they have particular digestion issues, have diabetes, or take blood-thinning medications. Eating too many can cause diarrhea.

Can figs make a person constipated?

Figs are high in dietary fiber, meaning they can actually help constipation rather than cause it.

Summary

A fig is a nutritious fruit that provides a lot of vitamins and fiber. People can choose to eat fresh or dried figs, but they should be mindful that dried figs contain more calories and sugar.

People can use figs to help aid various conditions, as they are unlikely to cause harm. However, there is not currently enough research to back up many of the claims associated with the alleged health benefits of figs.

Nutrition / Diet

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Ajeigbe OF, et al. (2021). Fig (Ficus exasperata and Ficus asperifolia)‐Supplemented diet improves sexual function, endothelial nitric oxide synthase and suppresses tumour necrosis factor‐alpha genes in hypertensive rats.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/and.14289
Barber TM, et al. (2020). The health benefits of dietary fibre.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7589116/
Fig, dried. (2020).https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/1102632/nutrients
Fig, raw. (2020).https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/1102663/nutrients
Label: Warfarin sodium - warfarin tablet. (2022).https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=558b7a0d-5490-4c1b-802e-3ab3f1efe760
Sandhu AK, et al. (2023). Phytochemical composition and health benefits of figs (fresh and dried): A review of literature from 2000 to 2022.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10255635/
Walter K. (2022). Common causes of hair loss.https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2795266
Yedjou CG, et al. (2023). The management of diabetes mellitus using medicinal plants and vitamins.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10218826/
Zerres S, et al. (2021). Carotenoids in human skin.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1388198119302392

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Medically reviewed by Imashi Fernando, MS, RDN, CDCES — Written by Jessica Caporuscio, PharmD — Updated on March 25, 2025

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