Fresh figs are rarely seen: can you eat the split bottom and the skin?

In the legends of Mediterranean coastal countries, figs are called the "sacred fruit" and are one of the offerings used in sacrifices. They have high nutritional value and are deeply loved by modern people, and the price of figs is also rather expensive. But when you are selecting and eating them, do you often run into some problems? Are they ripe? Have they gone bad? Don't worry, let me answer them for you!

Were figs originally connected to the Bible? 
In the Bible, there is a passage describing figs. It is said that after Adam and Eve secretly tasted the forbidden fruit, they suddenly noticed each other's nakedness, and in their shame they picked leaves from the fig tree to cover their private parts. This shows that figs had already been discovered and recorded thousands of years ago. However, figs in Taiwan, China were only successfully tried, planted and cultivated by people in recent years, and their fresh, tender taste surpasses the historical descriptions of them in books.

Figs are so nutritious!
Figs contain very rich substances such as citric acid, lipase, malic acid protease and hydrolase, and they contain a variety of lipids. These substances can help the human body enhance its digestion of food. In addition, fig fruits contain a large amount of pectin, hemicellulose and vitamins A, C and D, which can cause various harmful substances in the intestines to be adsorbed and excreted from the body. Figs have high nutritional value and are one of the earliest fruit trees cultivated by humans, with a cultivation history of more than 5,000 years, and are also called the "fruit of life."

Q1: Why are fresh figs rarely seen?

       Figs are rarely seen on the market because their shelf life is very short and they are not easy to store. Within 8~20 hours after harvest, they soften very quickly and must be eaten as soon as possible. After picking the fruit, it must immediately be put into cold storage or even frozen storage to keep it fresh!

Q2: Can you eat one whose bottom has split open?

       The degree to which the bottom has split open indicates how ripe it is. A split bottom means it is already fairly ripe, and compared with the others it should be eaten as soon as possible! Otherwise, after becoming overripe, it will crack open~

Q3: Can the fig skin be eaten?

       Of course you can eat it together! The skin of a fig is very thin and breaks with a light touch. As long as it is washed clean, it does not have much effect on the body, and the skin contains many nutritional elements, so eating it is even better for your health.

Q4: Which parts can be eaten?

       As for the whole fruit, after cutting off the stem end, the entire fruit can be eaten! The seeds can be eaten too, just like sesame seeds, and the skin is also no problem to eat after being washed clean.

Q5: Can it be eaten on an empty stomach?

       Yes! The main components of figs are sugar, fruit acid, minerals, protein and water. Among them, only plant acids are more irritating to the stomach and intestines, but the plant acid content in figs is very low, so the overall effect on the stomach and intestines is very small. Therefore, it is suitable for eating on an empty stomach!

Q6: Can you eat one that has cracked open?

       You can still eat it! Cracking open means it is overripe, and its sweetness is also at its highest, so it is actually at its best! But be sure to eat it only after it has been washed clean.