Fig leaves are used in many cultures for making home remedies and treating many illnesses for centuries. These leaves are also commonly used figuratively to express the covering up of an object or an act, which is distasteful with something of inoffensive appearance or embarrassing, a metaphorical reference to the Bible, where Adam and Eve used fig leaves to cover their nude bodies after eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of evil and good.
However, figs and fig leaves have so many uses and are beneficial for treating many conditions.
Health Benefits of Fig Leaves 
Although figs have so many health qualities, fig leaves have only 2 great benefits that are really impressive:
- Help with Diabetes
Dealing with this condition is truly hard. However, these leaves have amazing anti-diabetic properties and can reduce the need for insulin injections. Early research suggests that a tea prepared of these leaves can reduce insulin requirement in individuals with type 1 diabetes. It can also lower blood sugar levels after eating.
- Lower Triglycerides
Scientists claim that a regular consumption of fig leaves tea can help lower triglyceride levels and improve cardiac health.
Fig leaves are also used for treating high cholesterol, and certain skin conditions such as psoriasis, vitiligo, and eczema – but, more evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of these leaves for that kind of uses. (Your Health Tubers will stay tuned – and keep you informed about the newest research.)
How to Make Fig Leaves Tea?
You will need:
- 2 tablespoons of dried fig leaf or 1 tea bag of fig leaves tea
- 1 liter/33 ounce of water
Preparation:
- Put 2 tablespoons of fig leaves and a liter of water into a pot put on the heat.
- Bring to boil and boil the leaves for about 15 minutes or till the pot of water is half way gone.
- Then, remove the tea from the heat and strain the leaves.
- Let it cool down a little, put in a teacup and drink.
- You can store the leftover tea in the fridge until needed. Consume this tea every day and you will feel the improvement.
The idea is to get the best quality leaves possible or to buy the most quality fig leaves tea. Some people (including me – you can see my fig tree in the photo above) have resorted to growing their own trees in their garden – if you are one of them, you are lucky to eat fresh figs and you can dry your own fig leaves.
How to Dry Fig Leaves?
You should let the leaves get full blown. When the leaves are large, take a knife with a ridged edge or a paring knife and cut some leaves through the stems. You will notice a white sap ease out. Take the leaves to a big basin and run water over to wash them lightly; after that, dry the leaves as well as you can.
Next, place them on a cloth and let them dry in a well-lit room in your house (remember – not outdoors). It will take a few weeks for the leaves to dry. When the leaves are dry, put a few leaves at a time in a blender or a food processor. Chop them well – but you don’t need to make a powder out of them. Next, store them in glass containers and keep in a dark place so the sun doesn’t turn them brown. Drying the fig leaves in your home will help to keep their beautiful green color.
Extra tip: A faster way to dry the leaves is to cut them into small pieces.
Conclusion:
Fig leaves are restoring the blood sugar balance by naturally stimulating the antioxidant status, which is impacted by diabetes. Remember: people with diabetes should use fig leaves only under a doctor’s supervision. This is truly important because these leaves reduce the demand for insulin hence patients with diabetes might need lesser insulin injections. However, they are a safe natural remedy that you can use.
References: Webmd.com Natural-living.com Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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