Suppression

Figs

Category: Food

Type

Voluntary

Introduction and description

Figs and Morning glory

Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes and hemiepiphytes in the family Moraceae.

It is pollinated by wasps. “The unique fig pollination system, involving tiny, highly specific wasps, known as fig wasps that enter via the sub-closed inflorescences to both pollinate and lay their own eggs, has been a constant source of inspiration and wonder to biologists.”

Figs and wasps - close-up

There is typically only one species of wasp capable of fertilizing the flowers of each species of fig, and therefore plantings of fig species outside of their native range results in effectively sterile individuals. For example, in Hawaii, some 60 species of figs have been introduced, but only four of the wasps that fertilize them have been introduced, so only four species of figs produce viable seeds.

“The intimate association between fig species and their wasp pollinators, along with the high incidence of a one-to-one plant-pollinator ratio have long led some scientists to believe that figs and wasps are a clear example of planned coevolution and symbiosis”.

Figs are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig (F.carica) is a temperate species native to southwest Asia and the Mediterranean region (from Afghanistan to Portugal), which has been widely cultivated from ancient times for its fruit. The fruit of most other species are also edible though they are usually of only local economic importance, however, they are extremely important food resources for wildlife. The table below shows producers of the Common fig.

Top five fig producers (2012, in tonnes)
Turkey	274,535
Egypt	171,062
Algeria	110,058
Morocco	102,694
Iran	78,000

Some other example species that represent the diversity of the genus include the Weeping Fig (F. benjamina) a hemi-epiphyte with thin tough leaves on pendulous stalks adapted to its rain forest habitat; the rough-leaved sandpaper figs from Australia; and the Creeping Fig (F. pumila), a vine whose small, hard leaves form a dense carpet of foliage over rocks or garden walls.

For our purposes on this site I have concentrated on the Common fig, as this way I can include its chemical constituents.

Background

Fig trees have profoundly influenced culture through several religious traditions. Among the more famous species are the Sacred Fig tree (Pipal, Bodhi, Bo, or Po, Ficus religiosa). The Buddha is traditionally held to have found bodhi (enlightenment) while meditating under a Sacred Fig. The oldest living plant of known planting date is a Ficus religiosa tree known as the Sri Maha Bodhi planted in the temple at Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka by King Tissa in 288 BCE.

The common fig is one of the two sacred trees of Islam, and there is a sura in Quran named "The Fig" or At-Tin (سوره تین).

Krishna on a fig leaf

In East Asia, figs are also important in Hinduism and Jainism. The Sacred fig was Ashvattha, the "world tree" of Hinduism – the Tree of Life. The Plaksa Pra-sravana was said to be a fig tree “between the roots of which the Sarasvati River sprang forth”. Needless to say this is all symbolic.

The choice of the fig tree to represent the Tree of Life is very apt. It is not only a very long lived tree, but it is an ancient tree. Although there are no unambiguous older fossils of Ficus, the current molecular clock estimates indicate that Ficus is a relatively ancient genus being at least 60 million years old, and possibly as old as 80 million years.

Furthermore their choice as the symbol for the Tree of Life is reinforced by the fact that figs are keystone species in many rainforest ecosystems. Their fruit are a key resource for some frugivores including fruit Bats, capuchin Monkeys, langurs and mangabeys. They are even more important for some Birds. Asian barbets, pigeons, hornbills, fig-parrots and bulbuls are examples of taxa that may almost entirely subsist on figs when these are in plenty. Many Lepidoptera caterpillars feed on fig leaves, and the Butterfly is an extremely important symbol in all mystic systems.

Current Common Fig varieties

So what we can see is that the physical tree provides an interwoven mesh of just about every symbol used in mystic thought, which is probably why Buddha chose it.

There is a very literal aspect to the choice of the fig tree as the Tree of Life too. There is evidence that figs, specifically the Common Fig (F. carica), were among the first – if not the very first – plant species that were deliberately bred for agriculture in the Middle East, starting more than 11,000 years ago. Nine subfossil F. carica figs dated to about 9400–9200 BCE were found in the early Neolithic village Gilgal I (in the Jordan Valley, 13 km north of Jericho). These were a parthenogenesis type and thus apparently an early cultivar. This find predates the first known cultivation of grain in the Middle East by many hundreds of years. So the fig tree literally sustained life by its presence.

The fig as a fruit has important symbolic meaning in all spiritual and mystic movements, encompassing as it does the structure of the Egg [you will need to know more about symbolism to understand these references].

Some men are just more figgy than others....

Many of the Mysteries incorporated the fig as a symbol and as a food. The Dionysian Mysteries, for example, used figs as part of their regime for attaining annihilation – becoming a ‘god’. Again you will need to read these sections to understand why. As a clue, most of the Mystery religions used sexual stimulation as the means of achieving ‘enlightenment’ and the fig is extremely helpful in this respect being both nutritionally useful and when fully opened having a passing resemblance to a part of a lady’s anatomy and a part of a male's anatomy too - but a different one - depending on which way you swing - so to speak. It is only a passing resemblance, you’d have to have a good imagination to have a hard-on from a fig, on the other hand, most people involved in the Mysteries did have a good imagination. As Wikipedia says “The fig tree was sacred in ancient Cyprus where it was a symbol of fertility”.

There is also the link with the Crown

One more symbolic association related to sexual stimulation methods. Fig plants can be hermaphrodite. Even if they are not totally hermaphrodite they may be gynodioecious - hermaphrodite and female. As the absolute key to achieving enlightenment is to marry the feminine with the masculine with an emphasis on the feminine, we have another key attribute of the plant.

All the native fig trees of the American continent are hermaphrodites, as well as species like Indian Banyan (F. benghalensis), Weeping Fig (F. benjamina), Chinese Banyan (F. microcarpa), and Sacred Fig (F. religiosa). On the other hand the Common Fig (Ficus carica) is a gynodioecious plant, as well as Lofty fig or Clown fig (F. aspera). A bit more.....

“Nearly half of fig species are gynodioecious, and therefore have some plants with inflorescences with long styled pistillate flowers, and other plants with staminate flowers mixed with short styled pistillate flowers. The long flowers styles tend to prevent wasps from laying their eggs within the ovules, while the short styled flowers are accessible for egg laying.” You may need to think about this for a while, personally I prefer the bee.

Now that you know they were used in the rituals of the

Mysteries during sexual stimulation, you should, from

this handy little photo, be able to suss out another

symbolic attribute that the fruit has,

ideally you need to put two together to complete

the symbolic picture

The Bible, as all should be aware, is also entirely symbolic and is meaningless without the symbol code [which I have provided for you on this site]. Anyone who takes the Bible to be literally true is not only about as far away from 'heaven' as they are ever likely to be, but is doing the writers of the Bible a severe injustice, as they took great time and trouble to make it a symbolic work.

Where in Genesis 3:7, Adam and Eve cover their nakedness with fig leaves, it is a symbol. The fig fruit is included in the food found in the Promised Land, according to the Torah (Deut. 8).

There is also symbolic meaning in the fig leaf, which will become apparent if you compare the leaf and the jester's hat - the cap and bells.

I think it should also be apparent why the Puritans, institutionalised Roman Catholics and 'those who would control and suppress', including the current political Muslim regimes, now cast the fig in a dim light. Their principle route to power is/was via Repression, and the fig is a symbol of everything that is the opposite of repression. It is also a symbol of personal spiritual experience during your own lifetime for all, which is a threat to institutionalised religion - as those who achieve their own paths to enlightenment, do not need an imam.

Method

Goat Cheese Stuffed Figs with Honey

Figs can be eaten raw, they can be used in salads, they can be made into jam, they can be grilled and served with honey and lemon juice. I have provided some ideas in the pictures accompanying the information on the chemical constituents of the common fig.

They are most unpleasant if they are not ripe, and because they are not an easily grown or common plant, ripe fruit is not cheap. But they can be obtained dried and the dried fruit, though having different uses, is delicious.

Traditional Italian Biscotti al Ficchi

A lovely winter fruit salad can be made with prunes, dried figs, dried apricots, dried cranberries, and honey. The fruit can be soaked in Earl grey tea to give an added interest or the whole salad can just be soaked in prune juice. The fruit salad is served with Greek yoghurt [it must be creamy and rich]. The salad is not only delicious, it must be one of the most effective natural laxatives there is.

Although fig biscuits can be bought, it is also possible to make your own fig biscuits. This option is essential if you have problems with gluten, as most shop biscuits are made with flour and not necessarily organic flour either. I have found that organic cornflour, ground almonds, and eggs, with a little sugar or honey makes a lovely paste which can be used to wrap the blended figs in which can then be baked in the oven. Delicious served with green tea.

Chemical constituents

The following is a long and amazing list. The fig fruit and its seed is a truly amazing plant in the number of chemicals it contains. The list as always on this site has been taken from Dr Duke's database of plants.

Chemical	Lo ppm	Hi ppm	Minerals - present in the fig are shown in blue. Figs are not particulalry mineral rich. Vanadium is not present, but has a specialised, biochemical roles as structural or functional cofactors in other organisms, and is thus only possibly needed by humans. Chloride is also not present, Sulphur, Arsenic, Silicon, Cobalt, Chromium, Selenium , Molybdenum nor is Iodine. The minerals present are: Boron Potassium - high levels Sodium Calcium Phosphorus Magnesium Iron Copper Manganese Zinc Vitamins - are shown in green. A fig does not contain, Vitamin B7 [also known as biotin], Vitamin B12 [also known as cobalamin], Vitamin D [also known as ergocalciferol]. It does have: Vitamin B1 - also known as thiamin. Vitamin B2 - also known as riboflavin. Vitamin B3 - also known as niacin. Vitamin B5 - also known as pantothenic acid. Vitamin B9 [also known as folic acid or folate or folacin], not shown in chart, but see Essential amino acid section Vitamin C - also known as ascorbic acid. Vitamin E - also known as tocopherol. Vitamin B6 - also known as pyridoxine Vitamin A - also known as Beta carotene Vitamin K [also known as phylloquinone] Overall, therefore a fig is very nutritious in terms of the vitamins it contains. All you need is some red meat [B12], cheese [B7] and sunshine [D] and you have a vitamin complete meal. Figs, parma ham, mozarella cheese, honey dressing and basil [for the minerals] Essential Fatty acids - are shown in pink. ALA - α-Linolenic acid is not present specifically, although the more general PUFA category may imply it is. LA - Linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid is present. Fig jam Essential amino acids are shown in violet. All essential amino acids are present. Of the six amino acids considered conditionally essential in the human diet, cysteine is not present, nor is glutamine, although glutamic acid is. But, figs do contain Serine, which is a precursor to several amino acids including glycine and cysteine. It is also the precursor to numerous other metabolites, including sphingolipids and folate. Phenylalanine Isoleucine Lysine Leucine Methionine Threonine Tryptophan Valine Histidine arginine glycine proline and tyrosine. Figs, honey and mascarpone ice cream Other miscellaneous nutrients - the lists of vitamins and mineral shown above are the generally accepted ones, but in addition to these we have a few unclassified nutrients. Choline is not shown on this chart, however, according to the USDA Nutrients database a large fig does contain about 3mg, as it is an essential nutrient and must be consumed through the diet for the body to remain healthy, its presence is important. Cyanide, as far as I can ascertain, is not present. It has an essential role in very small doses in feeding our friendly bacteria. figs with ricotta and honey Lipids -Lipids are a group of substances which are known in a general sense as fats and oils. They are shown in gold. Fig rolls Sugars - are shown in red
2-METHYL-BUTYL-ACETATE
3-HYDROXY-2-BUTANONE
ACETALDEHYDE
ACETIC-ACID
ACETOIN
ACIDS	900	10800
ACYLMONOGALACTOSYLDIGLYCERIDE
ALANINE	450	2154
ALKALOIDS		500
ANGELICIN
ANTHOCYANINS
APIGENIN-4,6-ARABINOSYL-8-C-GLUCOSIDE
APIGENIN-4,6-C-GLUCOSYL-8-C-ARABINOSIDE	4	5
APIGENIN-GLYCOSIDES
ARABINOSE
ARACHIDIC-ACID	2520	3150
ARGININE	170	814
ASCORBIC-ACID	20	2013
ASH	5000	57000
ASPARTIC-ACID	1760	3447
ASTRAGALIN
BENZALDEHYDE		1
BENZYL-ALCOHOL
BENZYLALDEHYDE
BERGAPTEN
BETA-CAROTENE	0.3	16
BETA-SITOSTEROL	270	1350
BORIC-ACID
BORON	1	100
BUTYRIC-ACID
CALCIUM	350	4228
CAMPESTEROL	10	50
CARBOHYDRATES	98000	918143
CAROTENOIDS	16	43
CERAMBIDOLIGOSIDE
CERAMBPHOSPHATINOOLIGOSIDE
CEREBROSIDE
CHLOROPHYLL-A	10	18
CHLOROPHYLL-B	7	10
CINNAMALDEHYDE
CINNAMIC-ALCOHOL
CINNAMIC-ALDEHYDE
CINNAMYL-ALCOHOL
CITRIC-ACID	1000	4400
COPPER	0.6	3.6
CRYPTOXANTHIN
CYSTINE	120	574
DIACYLGLYCEROL		1
DIGALACTOSYLDIGLKYCEIDE
DIMETHYL-ACETAL
DIPHOSPHATIDYL-GLYCEROL
ETHANOL
ETHYL-2-METHYL-BUTYRATE
ETHYL-ACETATE
ETHYL-BUTYRATE
ETHYL-ISOBUTYRATE
ETHYL-PROPIONATE
ETHYL-VALERATE
EUGENOL
FAT	2000	24000
FAT	240000	300000
FIBER	12000	154000
FRUCTOSE		22950
FRUIT-ACIDS	1000	4400
FUMARIC-ACID
FUMARIC-ACID
GAMMA-CAROTENE
GERMACRENE-D
GLUCOSE		31050
GLUTAMIC-ACID	720	3447
GLYCINE	250	1197
GLYCOSIDES		500
GLYOXYLIC-ACID
HEMICELLULOSE		11200
HISTIDINE	110	527
HYDROXY-ALPHA-CAROTENE
HYDROXYCARYOPHYLLENE
INDOLE
INVERT-SUGAR	500000	700000
IRON	3	57
ISOAMYL-ACETATE
ISOBUTANOL
ISOBUTYL-ACETATE
ISOBUTYL-ISOVALERATE
ISOLEUCINE	230	1101
ISOQUERCITRIN
ISOSCHAFTOSIDE
KAEMPFEROL-3-O-BETA-D-RUTINOSIDE
KILOCALORIES	420	3600
LEUCINE	330	1580
LINALOOL
LINALOOL-OXIDE
LINOLEIC-ACID [fruit]	1440	6893
LINOLEIC-ACID [seed]	84000	105000
LINOLENIC-ACID	115200	144000
LUTEIN
LYSINE	300	1436
LYSOPHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE
LYSOPHOSPHATIDYLETHANOLAMINE
MAGNESIUM	158	872
MALIC-ACID
MALIC-ACID		30200
MALONIC-ACID
MALONIC-ACID
MANGANESE	1	7
METHIONINE	60	287
METHYL-ACETATE
METHYL-BUTYRATE
MONOACYLGLYCEROL		1
MONOGALACTOSYLDIGLKYCEIDE
MUCILAGE		8000
MUFA	660	3159
MYRISTIC-ACID	20	96
NIACIN	3	32
OLEIC-ACID	660	3159
OLEIC-ACID	47520	59400
OXALIC-ACID
OXALIC-ACID
PALMITIC-ACID	460	2202
PALMITIC-ACID	12552	15690
PANTOTHENIC-ACID	3	14
PECTIN	9300	77900
PENTOSANS		8300
PHENYLALANINE	180	862
PHOSPHATIDINIC-ACID
PHOSPHATIDYL-CHOLINE
PHOSPHATIDYL-ETHANOLAMINE
PHOSPHATIDYL-GLYCEROL
PHOSPHATIDYL-INOSITOL
PHOSPHATIDYL-SERINE
PHOSPHORUS	129	2764
PHYLLOQUINONE		0.03
PHYTATE	3850	5570
PHYTOFLUENE
PHYTOIN
PHYTOSTEROLS	310	1484
POTASSIUM	1770	11662
PROLINE	490	2346
PROPYL-ACETATE
PROTEIN	3300	130000
PSORALEN
PSORALEN-GLYCOSIDE
PUFA	1440	6893
PYRROLIDINE-CARBOXYLIC-ACID
QUINIC-ACID
REDUCING-SUGARS	67700	884000
RIBOFLAVIN	0	5.7
RUBIXANTHIN
RUTIN
SALICYLATES	1.8	64
SCHAFTOSIDE
SERINE	370	1771
SFA	600	2872
SHIKIMIC-ACID
SODIUM	10	366
STEARIC-ACID [fruit]	120	574
STEARIC-ACID [seed]	5232	6540
STEROL-DIGLYCOSIDE
STIGMASTEROL	30	150
SUCCINIC-ACID
SUCCINIC-ACID
SUCROSE	2250	460000
SUFLOQUINOVOSYL-DIGLYCERIDE
SUGARS	68500	896800
TARTARIC-ACID
THIAMIN	0	3.3
THREONINE	240	1149
TOCOPHEROL		1
TRANS-CARYOPHYLLENE
TRIACYLGLYCEROL	1	4
TRYPTOPHAN	60	287
TYROSINE	320	1532
VALINE	280	1340
VIOLAXANTHIN
VIT-B-6	1	5.4
WATER	250000	877000
XANTHOPHYLL
ZINC	1	7