How to Use (Anjeer) Figs for Weight Loss?
22-12-2017 | Posted By: Shagun Parasher | 26672 View(s)
Weight loss can be a tedious process. It is often said that gaining weight is easy but losing weight is something that involves hard work. But it can become more comfortable when you incorporate healthy, low-calorie enjoyable foods into your diet. One such fruit is Fig. Let us get into the details of how you can use Figs for Weight Loss.
Figs are commonly known as Anjeer in Hindi. They are little sweet and one of the satisfying fruits that can help in weight loss if consumed as a part of your daily diet. They can be eaten either in its fresh form or as a dry fruit. They provide a variety of health benefits for the human body. In India, the new or fresh figs are not readily available. Hence, they are consumed in the dry form, Anjeer.
Including Figs in Your Diet for Weight Loss
Figs are useful for weight loss because you get the same satiation level as you get from other foods with just a few figs. They are comparatively low-calorie fruits and effective substitutes for sweets and desserts. Thus, they prove to be beneficial for weight loss. However, if they are consumed in more than the desired quantity, it may not have any effect on weight loss. So, when you are incorporating Figs for Weight Loss in your diet, you must keep in mind that you do not consume more than what is desired.
Best Ways To Use Figs for Weight Loss?
Figs can be eaten fresh or dried. You can include figs in your dishes and even to baked items such as cakes and pies. Keep in mind that you do not add extra sugar to these foods if you add figs. When you use figs in dishes, go for the dried variety since they are sweeter than the fresh variety and also gives you fewer calories.
When you are consuming Figs for Weight Loss, make sure that you eat the whole or the fresh variety. When you consume figs, along with other nutrients of this fruit, a certain percentage of water also gets into the body. This provides better satiation and controls our hunger.
How Are Figs Suitable for Weight Loss?
For those who wish to reduce weight, they must be wondering how beneficial Figs are for Weight Loss. We will tell you how. Here are the calorie and glycemic contents of dried figs.
1. Dried figs provide 220 calories approximately in 100 gms, which is higher than the amount supplied by fresh figs. Figs must be eaten in moderation, but eventually, people get addicted to them because of their sweet taste and pulp.
2. The Glycemic index of figs is moderate at 61, and the glycemic load is 16 which are high.
3. The glycemic load of figs which is 16 makes the blood-sugar levels rise as dried figs release a high sugar level into the body. If they are consumed in a higher amount, then it can be unsuitable for consumption to the people who have Type-2 Diabetes (Consult to the Doctor Here) and also to those who plan to lose weight.
4. Since figs are sweet, they must be eaten in the morning for quick energy and so that all the calories consumed are burnt throughout the day itself.
What is The Right Time to Eat Figs?
Figs are low-calorie fruits that you can munch on anytime, especially when you are looking for weight loss. But the best time to include figs in your diet is during breakfast. Our bodies need high calories during breakfast and therefore, including figs in your morning diet will help meet the required energy as well as maintaining satiety for a longer time.
You can also take it 30 minutes before exercising. Exercising requires high energy and even burns lots of calories, hence, consuming figs before the workout can be a good choice.
You can incorporate figs in the morning half of the day, but they are not ideal for consumption after sunset because it is the time when the metabolism process of our body naturally slows, and we tend to store more than we burn.
Let us discuss other benefits of figs other than weight loss:
Benefits of Eating Figs
Before getting into the Figs for Weight Loss, let us tell you how this fruit can provide the best weight loss benefits:
1. Better digestion
Ficin, a digestive enzyme present in figs that works efficiently along with the other enzymes in your gastrointestinal tract helps in the digestion of foods efficiently. This does not only ensure that you get a healthy body but also helps in inch-loss from the stomach and waist region.
2. Rich in Dietary fibre
Presence of dietary fibre in figs makes it suitable for weight loss. It can help you control the total calorie intake and help you reach satiety easily. Figs also help in bowel formation and eased bowel movement. It is useful in curing problems of indigestion and constipation. It can also reduce bulging of stomach quickly, mainly if that is caused due to intestinal gas or constipation. The consumption of figs ensure that you have a healthier digestive system and the burning of fat in the body is also fastened.
3. Figs contain healthy omega fatty acids
Figs are rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids which are not only good for the heart but also acts as health boosters in the body. Omega 3 fatty acids are helpful in burning more calories in the muscles while exercising. Such a good content of figs plays an essential role in weight loss benefits offered by this fruit.
4. Helpful in replacing the desserts
It is very necessary to keep desserts or any sugars away from the diet when you are on in weight loss regime. Figs are sweet and can, therefore, be a healthy replacement for desserts. They can easily control a person’s craving for sweets and comparatively add fewer calories to your bodies. They can keep you satiated for a longer time as well, thus reducing your total calorie intake.
5. Other nutrients in fig
Figs have a high amount of calcium, potassium, iron and other vital nutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin B, magnesium, copper, phosphorus and manganese. All these are vital to maintaining a perfect health and metabolism of the body. The calcium and iron content present in figs are high, and this makes it helpful in fighting against problems such as anaemia and loss of bone density, ensuring better health. The antioxidant content of figs is also high which can give you anti-ageing effects. The antioxidants can also be helpful in keeping cancer at bay.
So this was about Figs and its benefits for weight loss. We discussed how Figs could be incorporated into your diet, what is the right time to do so and other benefits. We hope that you liked reading this article. If you did, then please do let us know in the comments below. Stay Fit, Stay Happy.
