NutriDex

The Supplement Research Compendium
🌿

Fig

Ficus carica

Sweet syconium rich in fibre and minerals

Preliminary evidence 🍎Fruits

✚ Updated · How we grade evidence

Evidence tier
Preliminary
Research weight
Citations
11 verified / 11
Classification
Fruits
❝
What the evidence says. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive.

Nutrition per serving 2 medium figs (100 g)

100gSERVING
  • Water 79.1 g80%
  • Sugars 16.3 g16%
  • Fibre 2.9 g3%
  • Protein 0.8 g1%
  • Fat 0.3 g0%
What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).
Fibre10%Potassium5%Calcium3%Magnesium4%Vitamin K4%Vitamin B66%Copper8%Vitamin C2%
One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.
74 kcal0.75 g protein2.9 g fiber0.3 g fat
NutrientPer serving% daily value
Fibre2.9 g10%
Potassium232 mg5%
Calcium35 mg3%
Magnesium17 mg4%
Vitamin K4.7 mcg4%
Vitamin B60.11 mg6%
Copper0.07 mg8%
Vitamin C2 mg2%
Manganese0.13 mg6%
Total sugars16 g33%

Composition data: USDA FoodData Central ↗

What is Fig?

Fig (Ficus carica) is a fruit used for relieves functional constipation (fig paste rct: more bowel movements, faster transit). NutriDex grades the human evidence as Preliminary. Most human evidence on figs is limited and indirect. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found Ficus carica paste improved bowel-movement frequency, stool consistency and abdominal discomfort in functional constipation, and a small crossover RCT showed an abscisic-acid-standardised fig extract lowered postprandial glucose and insulin responses. Beyond these, claims rest largely on phytochemical reviews, animal models and the general fruit-and-fibre literature rather than fig-specific outcome trials. Notably, one randomised crossover trial of mixed dried fruit (including figs) found no cardiometabolic benefit and slightly higher fasting glucose and LDL. Figs are a genuine source of fibre, potassium, calcium and polyphenols, but dedicated, well-powered human trials on whole figs are scarce, so the overall weight of evidence for disease-specific benefits is preliminary.

Purported Benefits

✓Relieves functional constipation (fig paste RCT: more bowel movements, faster transit)
✓Blunts postprandial glycaemic and insulin response (abscisic-acid fig extract crossover RCT)
✓Supplies soluble and insoluble fibre supporting digestive regularity
✓Contributes potassium, calcium and magnesium toward cardiovascular and bone-relevant intakes
✓Polyphenol-rich profile with antioxidant activity, especially in dark-skinned varieties

Dosing & Compounds

Typical Dose
A typical serving is 2 medium fresh figs (about 100 g) or 3-4 dried figs; studies on constipation used roughly 200-300 g/day of fig paste over 8 weeks. Eaten as a whole-fruit snack, in salads, or paired with cheese or nuts.
Active Compounds
Pectin and dietary fibre (soluble + insoluble)Anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-rutinoside, in dark skins)Chlorogenic acid and other phenolic acidsFlavonoids (rutin, quercetin, catechins)PotassiumCalciumMagnesiumAbscisic acidVitamin K

Safety & Cautions

Figs are high in natural sugars (especially dried), so portion-control matters for diabetes and weight management. Fresh figs and fig latex can cause IgE-mediated allergy, sometimes cross-reacting with latex, birch pollen or ficus houseplants; raw latex is irritating to skin and mucosa. Figs contain psoralens (furocoumarins) that can cause phototoxic dermatitis on skin contact, and they carry a modest oxalate load relevant to stone-formers. The high potassium content warrants caution in advanced kidney disease. Whole figs have no established grapefruit-type CYP3A4 interaction. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Fig with any medicine.

Key Studies ★ 11 studies

Systematic review Zeng 2023 ✓ Full text
Mendelian randomisation study (UK Biobank): genetically predicted higher dried-fruit intake was associated with lower risk of heart failure and stroke, but showed no significant effect on coronary artery disease or myocardial infarction.
Systematic review van der Schoot 2024 ✓ PubMed
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 23 studies (1714 adults with chronic constipation) found fruits (including fig) and rye bread improved some constipation outcomes, while noting overall scarcity of high-quality evidence for whole foods.
Meta-analysis Huo 2022 ✓ Full text
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 trials concluded fruit intake alleviates functional constipation, but rated kiwifruit superior to Ficus carica paste on Bristol Stool Scale across three high-quality studies.
Guideline Dimidi 2025 (BDA Guidelines) ✓ Full text
British Dietetic Association evidence-based guidelines (75 RCTs, GRADE + Delphi) issued 59 dietary recommendations for chronic constipation; food-level statements covered kiwifruit, prunes and rye bread, with no standalone fig recommendation owing to insufficient RCTs.
RCT Naseri 2025 ✓ Full text
Double-blind RCT in 90 pregnant women with functional constipation: fig-walnut syrup and fig syrup (15 ml/night for 14 days) significantly improved constipation symptoms and quality of life versus placebo (no significant difference between the two fig arms).
RCT Sullivan 2020 ✓ PubMed
Randomised crossover trial: a large daily portion of mixed dried fruit (plums, figs, dates, raisins) did not improve cardiometabolic risk and slightly raised fasting glucose and LDL versus a matched control snack.
RCT Baek 2016 ✓ PubMed
RCT (n=80, 8 weeks): Ficus carica paste shortened colon transit time and improved stool type and abdominal discomfort in functional constipation versus placebo.
RCT Atkinson 2019 ✓ Full text
Double-blind crossover RCT (n=10 healthy adults): abscisic-acid-standardised fig extract lowered the postprandial glycaemic index by about 24-25% and reduced insulin response in a dose-dependent manner.
Review Jumaa 2026 ✓ PubMed
Effects of oral gum arabic supplementation on glycemic and lipid outcomes in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Review Sandhu 2023 ✓ Full text
Literature review (2000-2022): summarises fig phytochemistry and preliminary health signals while emphasising the need for well-controlled human fig-fruit trials.
Review Arvaniti 2019 ✓ PubMed
Review of fresh/dried figs: phenolic acids and flavonoids dominate, and antioxidant capacity correlates with phenolic content, which is higher in dark-skinned varieties and in the skin.
11 sources cited · 11 verified Search all studies on PubMed ↗

Common questions about Fig

What is Fig used for?

Fig is most often taken for Relieves functional constipation (fig paste RCT: more bowel movements, faster transit), Blunts postprandial glycaemic and insulin response (abscisic-acid fig extract crossover RCT), Supplies soluble and insoluble fibre supporting digestive regularity, Contributes potassium, calcium and magnesium toward cardiovascular and bone-relevant intakes. Sweet syconium rich in fibre and minerals

Does Fig work — what does the evidence say?

Preliminary evidence. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive. Most human evidence on figs is limited and indirect. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found Ficus carica paste improved bowel-movement frequency, stool consistency and abdominal discomfort in functional constipation, and a small crossover RCT showed an abscisic-acid-standardised fig extract lowered postprandial glucose and insulin responses. Beyond these, claims rest largely on phytochemical reviews, animal models and the general fruit-and-fibre literature rather than fig-specific outcome trials. Notably, one randomised crossover trial of mixed dried fruit (including figs) found no cardiometabolic benefit and slightly higher fasting glucose and LDL. Figs are a genuine source of fibre, potassium, calcium and polyphenols, but dedicated, well-powered human trials on whole figs are scarce, so the overall weight of evidence for disease-specific benefits is preliminary.

What is the typical dose of Fig?

A typical serving is 2 medium fresh figs (about 100 g) or 3-4 dried figs; studies on constipation used roughly 200-300 g/day of fig paste over 8 weeks. Eaten as a whole-fruit snack, in salads, or paired with cheese or nuts.

Is Fig safe? Any cautions or side effects?

Figs are high in natural sugars (especially dried), so portion-control matters for diabetes and weight management. Fresh figs and fig latex can cause IgE-mediated allergy, sometimes cross-reacting with latex, birch pollen or ficus houseplants; raw latex is irritating to skin and mucosa. Figs contain psoralens (furocoumarins) that can cause phototoxic dermatitis on skin contact, and they carry a modest oxalate load relevant to stone-formers. The high potassium content warrants caution in advanced kidney disease. Whole figs have no established grapefruit-type CYP3A4 interaction.

How many studies support Fig?

NutriDex cites 11 sources for Fig, graded "Preliminary".

Cite this page
APA

Peh, D. (2026). Fig (Ficus carica): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 16 Sept 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/fig

BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_fig,
  author       = {Peh, Daryl},
  title        = {Fig (Ficus carica): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
  url          = {https://nutridex.info/s/fig},
  note         = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-09-16}
}

For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.

← Back to the full dex · All substances