Skip links
+30 21 0482 7639
The fig tree

Sun dried figs

Figs have been a staple of the human diet for at least 3,000 years. For the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean it was a necessity and an integral part of the diet, sometimes even replacing bread.

For more than

3000

It was a favorite fruit and a vital element of the Greek diet since ancient times, was the main food of the athletes in the Olympic Games and was associated with the worship of Dionysus, Demetra and the Pythagoreans. The fig was not only a nutritious fruit but also a symbol as it symbolized prosperity, fertility, knowledge and unity.

In ancient Athens, figs had their place of honor, with cultivation being done naturally. Their export was strictly prohibited. He who pointed out the perpetrator of the export, received a fee and was called a sycophant (the one that shows the figs).
Demetra, the goddess of agriculture, when she was informed of the disappearance of her daughter Persephone, who was abducted by Mars, left Olympus. Transformed as an old woman, she descended to earth, being very angry at the loss of her daughter she stopped the earth from producing fruit. At Eleusis, King Celeus hosted her. In return for his hospitality, he allowed the fig tree to grow and taught him the mysteries of her worship, which later became known as the “Eleusinian Mysteries”. Hence the opinion of the Athenians that the fig tree comes from Attica.
According to history, one of the many reasons Xerxes wanted to conquer Greece was the famous figs, especially those of Attica.
Even Homer referring to Odysseus, says that in order to make his father Laertes believe that he was indeed his son, he reminded him that he had given him “forty figs”.

nutritional characteristics of dried figs

Research reveals that the antioxidant composition of nuts is admirable and protects the cardiovascular system by preventing the oxidation of “bad” cholesterol (LDL). The antioxidants in dried figs enrich the blood plasma with lipoproteins and prevent their oxidation, according to research published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. In addition, according to the same research, figs represent a higher nutritional score among dried fruits due to the higher content of phenols – a class of antioxidants that, although to some extent destroyed by the dehydration process of the fruit, remain in a relatively high concentration.
Dried figs are rich in vitamins A, B, C and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium and iron. Two basic human nutritional purposes are simultaneously served by eating figs. About 10% of the body’s energy can be pumped by consuming 100 grams at the same time meeting the needs of the levels of 7% protein, 17% calcium, 30% iron and magnesium about 5% vitamins, all necessary to maintain the chemical balance of the body and cell function.
Samaras Dried Figs Brochure