In the fruit group, dried figs stand out for their high calcium content. According to nutrition data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), about 100g of dried figs provides nearly 160mg of calcium, higher than many popular fruits such as bananas, apples or grapes.
A serving of about 4-5 dried figs also provides a significant amount of calcium, while supplementing fiber and potassium.
Not only rich in calcium, figs also contain magnesium and potassium - two minerals that play an important role in bone health.
Many studies show that the formation and maintenance of bone density not only depends on calcium but also requires the combination of magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin K and phosphorus.
Therefore, adding figs to the diet can bring more comprehensive benefits than just focusing on one nutrient.
Another advantage of figs is their high content of soluble fiber. Fiber helps nourish the gut microbiome, creating favorable conditions for mineral absorption.
Figs are also rich in polyphenols and flavonoids - antioxidant compounds that help protect cells from the effects of free radicals.
Prolonged oxidative stress is considered one of the factors promoting bone loss as age increases. Therefore, a diet rich in antioxidants can contribute to maintaining long-term bone health.
However, no fruit can completely replace major sources of calcium such as milk, yogurt, cheese, bone-fed fish or calcium-fortified foods.
Fruits only play a complementary role in a balanced diet. If you only rely on figs or other fruits, it is very difficult to meet daily calcium needs.
To take advantage of the benefits of figs, they should be used in moderation. Fresh figs can be eaten directly, combined in salads or yogurt. Meanwhile, dried figs have a higher content of calcium and fiber because they have eliminated most of the water, but also contain more natural sugar and energy.
In addition, the ability to absorb calcium not only depends on the amount of calcium in food but is also affected by vitamin D.
Therefore, in addition to supplementing with calcium-rich foods such as beans, everyone also needs to maintain a diet rich in vitamin D, exposed to sunlight reasonably or supplement according to the doctor's instructions when necessary.
