Fruits · IFCT 2017
Fig: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, fresh fig gives 82 kcal, 16.3 g carbohydrate, 4.6 g dietary fibre, 79 mg calcium and 16.9 mg vitamin C, according to IFCT 2017. Its calcium ranks 3rd of 43 fruits, which is unusual, since most fruits carry very little. These figures are for the fresh fruit, not the dried anjeer sold in dry fruit shops, which is far more concentrated.
About fig
Fig, anjeer in Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi, anjir in Marathi and Gujarati, is grown in India mainly around Pune, where Purandar figs carry a geographical indication tag, and in parts of Karnataka, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. The soft, purple-brown fresh fruit has short seasons and keeps for only a day or two, so outside the growing districts most Indians know fig as dried anjeer, threaded on a string or pressed flat in boxes.
Some of the regional names in IFCT 2017 point to a wild relative. Dumura in Bengali, dimoru in Assamese, dimiri in Odia and athipazham in Tamil usually mean the native cluster fig, a temple tree whose small fruit is cooked as a vegetable in eastern India. The figures on this page are for the common fig, Ficus carica, eaten fresh.
What fig brings to a meal
- 01
Calcium, rare in a fruit
Fresh fig has 79 mg calcium per 100 g, 3rd of 43 fruits and 73rd of 242 foods. 100 g meets about 8 per cent of the daily requirement, small next to milk or ragi but notable for fruit.
- 02
Fibre and mild sweetness
It carries 4.6 g dietary fibre per 100 g, 12th among fruits, with 8.6 g sugars. The many tiny seeds add both to the fibre and to the pleasant crunch.
- 03
Vitamin C in the fresh fruit
Fresh fig gives 16.9 mg vitamin C per 100 g, about 21 per cent of a man's and 26 per cent of a woman's daily requirement. Drying removes most of it.
- 04
Vitamin E and B6
Its 0.42 mg vitamin E ranks 7th of 44 fruits, and 0.15 mg vitamin B6 meets about 6 per cent of a man's and 8 per cent of a woman's daily requirement.
Fig nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 82 kcal | 4% | 5% |
| Protein | 2 g | 4% | 4% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 16.3 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 4.6 g | ||
| Free sugars | 8.6 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.4 g | ||
| Water | 75.6 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.09 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.04 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.1 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 47 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 79 mg | 8% | 8% |
| Iron | 0.69 mg | 4% | 2% |
| Zinc | 0.22 mg | 1% | 2% |
| Magnesium | 26 mg | 6% | 7% |
| Phosphorus | 22 mg | ||
| Potassium | 231 mg | ||
| Sodium | 2 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.19 mg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 16.9 mg | 21% | 26% |
| Beta-carotene | 2 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.04 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.02 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.27 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.15 mg | 6% | 8% |
| Folate (B9) | 14 µg | 5% | 6% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.42 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 5.8 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Fig: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fruits/fig/
Where fig sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 43 fruits and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In fruits | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium | 79 mg | 3rd of 43 | 73rd of 242 |
| Vitamin C | 16.9 mg | 26th of 44 | 74th of 130 |
| Dietary fibre | 4.6 g | 12th of 43 | 87th of 182 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.42 mg | 7th of 44 | 97th of 242 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 47 mg | 18th of 42 | 109th of 202 |
How fig is eaten
- Fresh figs eaten whole, skin and all, after a gentle rinse, or halved over thick curd.
- Dried anjeer soaked overnight in water and eaten in the morning, a common household habit.
- Anjeer barfi or anjeer roll, ground with dates and nuts and set without added sugar.
- Anjeer milkshake: soaked dried figs blended with chilled milk and a pinch of cardamom.
- Sliced fresh figs over a salad of greens and roasted seeds with a lime dressing.
Before you plan around it
The figures here describe fresh fig. Dried anjeer has lost most of its water, so per 100 g it carries several times the sugar and energy, and it is easy to eat a lot of it without noticing. The milky sap from fig stems and leaves can irritate skin, especially in sunlight, so wash hands after handling a cut branch. Some people allergic to latex also react to figs. Eat fresh figs within a day or two of buying.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about fig
Is anjeer high in calcium?
For a fruit, yes. IFCT 2017 lists 79 mg calcium per 100 g of fresh fig, 3rd among 43 fruits. Dried anjeer is more concentrated by weight. Milk, curd, ragi and sesame still supply far more, so treat fig as a contributor rather than a main calcium source.
Is fresh fig or dried anjeer better?
Fresh fig is lighter, at 82 kcal per 100 g with 75.6 g water, and it keeps its 16.9 mg vitamin C. Dried anjeer is convenient and lasts for months but is far denser in sugar and energy, so the portion should be much smaller.
Can people with diabetes eat figs?
Fresh fig, at 16.3 g carbohydrate and 8.6 g sugars per 100 g with 4.6 g fibre, can fit a meal plan in modest amounts. Dried anjeer is much more concentrated, so one or two pieces is a sensible limit. Check portions with your doctor or dietitian if you take diabetes medication.
What is fig called in Indian languages?
IFCT 2017 records anjeer in Hindi, Urdu, Kashmiri and Punjabi, anjir in Marathi, Gujarati and Nepali, athipazham in Malayalam and atti pandu in Telugu. The Bengali, Assamese and Odia names it lists usually refer to the native cluster fig.
Related foods and tables
Dates
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Raisins
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Apricot (dried and processed)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Almond
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Guava
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Calcium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by calcium per 100 g.
Vitamin C content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin c per 100 g.
Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by dietary fibre per 100 g.
All fruits
44 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.