Little-known Health Benefits of Sacred fig

Sacred fig Benefits, Uses and Side Effects

Overview:

Sacred fig is a plant having a special place in Indian culture. Sacred fig has been widely used in curing diseases and Ayurvedic treatment since time immemorial due to its medicinal properties.

Sacred fig is a medicinal plant belonging to the ‘Moraceae’ family. This plant is native to India, Nepal, Thailand, Southwest China and Vietnam to the east of Southeast Asia. However, the species is believed to have originated in India after which humans introduced the plant to other Asian regions. Since the plant is rich in many nutrients, it provides a whole range of health benefits. It can help you reduce your fever and even get rid of your cold. It can help in treating asthma. It treats eye pain and is also good for oral health as it eliminates oral bacteria as well as dental spots. It can also be used to treat ear infections. It is a popular treatment for jaundice also.

Health Benefits of Sacred fig

Table of Contents

Sacred fig is a large tree growing up to 2-3 meters in diameter (width) and 20-25 meters in height, which is found all over India. The bark of this tree is pale brown – white, scaling in nature. The leaves are thin, shiny, heart shaped at the base and long at the head and have 5-7 visible veins. The fruits of this plant are small, round, about 0.5 inches in diameter. They turn from green to black when ripening. The fruits grow in summer and ripens during monsoon season. Hindus and Buddhists consider the tree sacred and hence it is often seen around temples.

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Health Benefits of Sacred fig

This article describes the health benefits of Sacred fig and other related data.

Chemical Constituents of Sacred fig

Phenols
Tannins
Steroids
Alkaloids
Flavonoids
β-sitosterol-D-glucoside
Vitamin K
N-octacosanol
Methyl oleanolate
Lanosterol
Stigmasterol
Lupin-3-on

Different regional names of Sacred fig

Assamese : Aahot Gos
Hindi : Peepal tree
Bengali : Aswattha, Ashud
Gujarati : Peepalo
Malayalam : Ashwatham, arachu, aracu, arasu, araval, arsam, devataru, mangalyam, rohi.
Marathi : Peepal, ashvath, pimpal, pipal.
Tamil : Ashwatham, arasan, arasha maram, aal, aalvallari, asuvattham, asvattam, attira, attiru, pippalam, tanivirutcham.
Telugu : Ashwathamu, arasum, ashvaddhamu, ashvattham.

Scientific Classification of Sacred fig

Kingdom : Plantae
Clade : Tracheophytes
Clade : Angiosperms
Clade : Eudicots
Clade : Rosids
Order : Rosales
Family : Moraceae
Genus : Ficus
Species : F. Religiosa
Scientific name : Ficus religiosa

Benefits of Sacred fig

1. Helps with fever:

Sacred fig trees are very effective in treating fever. If you take a few soft leaves from this tree and boil it with milk and sugar, it will give you an effective mixture that you need to drink at least twice a day to reduce your fever.

2. Treats asthma:

Asthma is one of the serious and common health problems (especially among young children) nowadays due to the increase in pollution levels in most cities. . If you boil the leaves of the tree (or its powdered form) in milk and consume it twice a day, it will help you fight asthma.

3. Treats eye pain:

Eye pain can occur due to several reasons. It can be extremely uncomfortable; it can even affect your eyesight if the condition degrades too far. Sacred fig leaves can be used to treat eye pain. Latex from the leaves of this tree can help relieve eye pain.

4. Good for oral health:

Sacred fig tree also has benefits for oral health. All you have to do is chew the branches of this tree to get the advantage of it. Chewing branches can help remove any bacteria in your mouth, thus preventing any kind of transmission or disease. Moreover, chewing these branches removes stains from your teeth and makes them look clean.

5. Helps with nostril bleeding:

If you are prone to bleeding from your nose often, then sacred fig can help you. Take some leaves from this tree and use its juice. A little of this snow, when input into the nose tube, can be a good way to get a nose secretion in just a few minutes.

6. Treats jaundice:

Jaundice is a most often occurring disease and can have a severe impact on your body. Sacred fig plants can be used to treat jaundice. Add a little bit of sugar in the leaf juice and drink this combination 2-3 times a day.

7. Treats constipation:

Constipation is not only an annoying problem but it can also interfere with your regular cleaning process of the digestive system. Mix mashed sacred fig leaf with the anise seeds and eat this mixture with milk just before you go to bed. Doing so will help in cleaning your digestive system and relieve constipation.

8. Treats heart disease:

Heart diseases are fatal and can strike at any time. You can soak some soft leaves of a sacred fig plant in a jar of water overnight. The next morning, filter and drink the water 2-3 times a day. This will help your heart work well. This can prevent abnormal heartbeat. This can help you prevent heart weakness.

9. Treats Dysentery:

Sacred fig can provide you some relief from dysentery. Leaves can provide immediate relief from this problem. You should chew only a few leaves, a little coriander, and sugar mixed with it.

10. Helps in diabetes:

Sacred fig plant also has benefits for diabetic patients. This is because it can help in reducing your blood sugar. All you need is crushed sacred fig fruit and black myrobalan fruit. Consume the mix and this will help in reducing your blood sugar.

11. For ear infections:

Heat the extract from the leaves of the sacred fig plant and pour 2-4 drops of it in the ear hole with the help of cotton. This will help in treating ear infections.

12. Eczema and itching:

Take 50 g of the bark ash of sacred fig plant and add lime juice and clarified butter (Ghee) with and make a paste out of these ingredients. Apply this paste to the affected area. You can also take 40 ml of tea made from sacred fig tree bark regularly.

13. For skin diseases:

Chewing soft leaves of sacred fig trees can cure itching problems and other skin diseases. It is equally effective if you consume tea made of its leaves.

Other Benefits of Sacred fig

For vaginal defects— Boil 25gm of sacred fig plant bark in 100gms of rice water and consume the drink once a day for 15days. It can help reduce the problem.
For blood related and stomach problem; boil 25gms of sacred fig plant bark in 3 cups of water and add 2 spoons of honey in it. Consume the mix once a day for about 1 month. It can help with the problem.
For Burn/ wounds— Apply the powdered form of sacred fig plant bark on the affected body portion.

Uses of Sacred fig

Leaves, bark, tender leaves, etc. are used. Leaf juice, leaf powder, leaf extraction, leaf Latex, fruits etc. are used for curing diseases and cosmetics made from this tree are used to cure skin problems.

Side Effects of Sacred fig

Sacred figs are generally considered safe when used in appropriate amounts. However, some people may experience some side effects after over consuming them. The possible side effects are described below-

When the extraction of leaves from sacred fig trees is consumed in medicinal quantities for up to a month, it is usually safe. However, if high doses are taken, its latex can cause bleeding in the digestive tract of some people. It is advisable to consult a doctor before consuming the extract of the plant.
The extraction of a tree can cause sensitivity to the sun in some people. So it is advised not to go out in direct sun after applying sacred fig infused products on the skin.
Exposure to Sacred fig fruit can cause skin rash or allergies in some people. In addition, people sensitive to natural rubber latex may have an allergic reaction to the body.
There is no reliable study supporting the effect of the extraction of the sacred fig in case of pregnant and lactating women. Therefore, it should be consulted by the doctor before using it in such a situation.
The Sacred fig tree is known to have anti-diabetic effects. People taking formulations made from the extraction of these trees should monitor their blood sugar levels regularly. The use of such formulas can interfere with blood sugar levels during or after surgery. Therefore, it is recommended to stop using the extraction of a tree at least two weeks before a scheduled operation.

It should be used regularly in the right quantity keeping in view their benefits and disadvantages of sacred fig as excessive use of any product can harm our health. Doctors should be consulted before using them in case of immunity.

Conclusion

The above article provides brief information about the benefits of sacred fig plants and other related things. We hope this information will benefit you in various ways. Thank You!

FAQ

1/ What is Sacred fig good for?

Ans: Sacred fig is a storehouse of medicinal value and is used to treat many diseases ranging from asthma and skin diseases to various kidney and blood related problems.

2/ What is the lifespan of a Sacred fig tree?

Ans: Their life span is very long, on an average between 900 and 1500 years.

3/ Why it’s not safe to sleep under a Sacred fig tree?

Ans: It is recommended not to sleep under the Sacred fig tree as this tree releases carbon dioxide at night which can cause a large amount of damage to the body. The plant is very large and heavy so it releases a lot of carbon dioxide at night. So do not sleep under such trees at night.

4/ Can we eat the fruits of the Sacred fig tree?

Ans. Yes, eating ripe fruits of Sacred fig plant is good for weak appetite and is helpful in treating stomach irritation.

5/ What are the disadvantages of Sacred fig tree?

Ans: The extraction of Sacred fig trees can cause sensitivity to the sun in some people. The fruit of the people tree can cause skin rash or allergies due to exposure to some people.