"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves" (Gn 3:7).
The first tree recognized and identified in the Bible is the fig tree. Fig trees are mentioned more than 50 times in the Bible. These facts testify to the importance of the fig tree in biblical culture. The Common fig (Ficus carica) is a large, deciduous, shrub or small tree native to southwest Asia and the eastern Mediterranean region (Greece east to Afghanistan). The fruit is 3-5 cm long, with a green skin sometimes ripening towards purple. The sap of the tree's green parts is an irritant to human skin. Unlike most other fruits, figs ripen gradually and are picked from May to October. This late summer crop is dried and made into cakes or kept on strings. It has been an important food crop for thousands of years, and was also thought to be highly beneficial in the diet. Figs were also a common food source for the Romans. Cato the Elder, in his De Agri Cultura, lists several strains of figs grown at the time he wrote his handbook: the Mariscan, African, Herculanean, Saguntine, and the black Tellanian (De agri cultura, ch. 8). The fruits were used, among other things, to fatten geese for the production of a precursor of foie gras. Figs can be eaten fresh or dried, and used in jam-making. Most commercial production is in dried or otherwise processed forms, since the ripe fruit does not transport well, and once picked does not keep well.
I absolutely love the historical quality of the fig. Figs and fig trees were used as more than just for food. The fig tree is a symbol for the historical city of Jerusalem. Fig trees were used often as symbols for peace and prosperity. The biblical quote "each man under his own vine and fig tree" (1 Kings 4:25) has been used to denote peace and prosperity. Jesus often used the fig as an emblem of goodness. In Matthew 7:16 and Luke 13:6-9 Jesus uses the fig as a symbol of spiritual fruitfulness and a reminder of divine mercy. There is a chapter in the Quran named after the fig tree, and the fruit is also mentioned in Qur'an in many places. The Prophet Muhammad mentioned figs and then stated, "If I had to mention a fruit that descended from paradise I would say this is it because the paradisiacal fruits do not have pits...eat from these fruits for they prevent hemorrhoids, prevent piles and help gout." (Bukhari)
Not only is this fruit blessed with sacred spiritual characteristics, the fig is downright healthy. Figs are one of the highest plant sources of calcium and fiber. According to USDA data for the Mission variety, dried figs are richest in fiber, copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamin K, relative to human needs. They have smaller amounts of many other nutrients. Figs have a laxative effect and contain many antioxidants. They are good source of flavonoids and polyphenols. In one study, a 40-gram portion of dried figs (two medium size figs) produced a significant increase in plasma antioxidant capacity. Isaiah ordered that a lump of figs be applied to King Hezekiah's boil "that he may recover" (2 Kgs 20:7). Ancient Egyptians also used figs to heal stomach diseases and to ease back pain. Boiled in milk or barley-water, figs were thought to ease chest pain. The fig also is used in folk medicine for cancer, skin conditions, and for healing wounds. Dried figs contain a lot of sugar, about 60%. It is thought that that was the reason why Plato advised Greek athletes to eat many figs. The white juice that drips out of the fruit if the the stalk has been broken off is called latex. It was supposed to represent the universal energy and was used as a remedy against infertility and to incite the breast feeding process. Dried figs consist for about 60% of sugar, contain a lot of vitamins and it is said that humans could live on figs alone. It is a very healthy fruit and you can consume as much of them as you like.
Our ancestors had the right ideas. All their daily food needs were met by items in their backyard. No processed packages or chemical additives were ever needed to sustain their daily diet. It is imperative that we get back to nature and learn about all the items that have been placed on this planet for our sustenance. Seek out the fig and taste what it can do for your palate and diet.
By Allen Wheeler
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