Fig
The oldest fruit cultivated by man
The fig is currently considered the oldest domesticated fruit, after the discovery in 2006 in the Jordan Valley in Palestine of nine parthenocarpic figs, i.e. figs that did not produce seeds and whose cultivation required human intervention, using cuttings. These figs were said to date back to 9,400 to 9,200 BC. They were therefore domesticated at the same time as rice in Asia, but 1,000 years before wheat, barley and pulses.
The fig is rich in minerals and trace elements: potassium, iron, and copper. It is a good source of B-group vitamins. Its flesh and skin supply different antioxidant phenolic compounds – flavonoids and carotenoids – as well as a beneficial amount of fibre. The bulk of its energy supply comes from its carbohydrates.
