Fig by-products in food and their health effects
What it found
Fig and its by-products are rich in antioxidants and other plant compounds, and adding them to foods like biscuits, bread and yoghurt may help with conditions such as constipation, heart disease and diabetes.
The evidence comes from lab tests, animal studies and a small number of human studies.
What they found
Studies in people
Heart health
Fig can reduce triglyceride levels in humans, which may help maintain heart health. Its antioxidants also remove free radicals that can block coronary arteries.
Animal and lab studies
Antioxidants in lab tests
Lab tests show fig extracts have antioxidant activity, with darker varieties containing more phytochemicals than lighter ones. The peel contributes more polyphenols and antioxidant activity than the pulp.
Cancer, in lab tests
Compounds from fig latex, called AGS, suppressed the growth of cancer cell lines in lab tests. The palmitoyl form was the most effective against several cancer cell lines.
Diabetes, in animals
In diabetic mice, compounds from Ficus species reduced diabetes-related problems. The authors say these compounds improved insulin sensitivity and insulin release, and lowered carbohydrate absorption.
Other findings
Nutrients in fig
Fig contains antioxidants, phenolic compounds, polyunsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols and vitamins. The amounts vary depending on which part of the fig is used and the variety.
Constipation and fiber
Fig contains 12.21 g of dietary fiber per 100 g. The authors say this fiber can help treat constipation by speeding up waste removal from the body.
What the authors conclude
“Concussively, fig-based food products may be important for human beings and produce healthy food.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that fig is a rich source of nutrients and bioactive compounds.
- They say fig by-products play an additive role in developing different food products, including beverages, dairy and bakery items.
- They suggest that in the future, fig-based nanoparticles can be used as a coating material for different foods.
How it was done
The authors wanted to review how fig by-products are used in food products and what role they play against long-term diseases.
They gathered and described published studies on fig's bioactive compounds, its use in bakery, dairy and beverage products, and its effects on health conditions including cancer, diabetes, constipation, heart disease and gut problems.
What it can’t tell you
- Many of the health claims come from lab tests or animal studies, which cannot show what happens in people.
- The review did not find large or long-term human trials, so it cannot show that eating fig prevents or treats any disease.
- The authors note that many claims about fig's health benefits are not yet supported by sufficient data.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Government College University, Pakistan; UBT-Higher Education Institution, Kosovo; Technical University of Munich, Germany
The paper
- Title
- Industrial Application and Health Prospective of Fig ( Ficus carica ) By-Products
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Rasool IFU, Aziz A, Khalid W, et al (2023). Industrial Application and Health Prospective of Fig ( Ficus carica ) By-Products. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). doi:10.3390/molecules28030960Free full textPubMed 36770628DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error