By Veronika Powell MSc, Viva! Health.

Dates and figs are available all year round but they always receive more attention around Christmas time. Both very sweet, they are perfect ingredients for festive treats but are also a great snack on their own. Figs offer a bit more in terms of nutrients and less sugar but dates are more versatile and can substitute for sugar or other sweeteners in many recipes.

TOP TIP:

Fresh figs are delicious and healthy and you can use them as a jam substitute in raw food diets — just scoop out the flesh and spread on whatever takes your fancy!

FIGS

Fig trees are native to the Middle East but for centuries, they have been cultivated in the Mediterranean, North Africa, Asia and North America. Once harvested, fresh figs keep only for about a week, which is why most are sold dried. And dried figs, apart from being a convenient sweet snack, are packed with nutrients.

It’s recommended we get at least 30g of fibre a day and just three dried figs provide 2.7g (and this includes both types of fibre — soluble and insoluble). Soluble fibre helps to make you feel fuller for longer and promotes healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels, whilst insoluble fibre helps to keep your digestive system healthy and prevents constipation.