If you want to have better health and look younger with fewer wrinkles, you should eat figs, wrote ancient Roman author Pliny the Elder. If it's too late to avoid wrinkles, it's never too late to start enjoying figs. They are in season right now and the best place to buy them is at a farmers market or produce market. Dried and canned figs are available all year. There are hundreds of varieties.
Fresh figs can be round, flat, oval, or elongated, with a white, green, purple, or black skin.
The flesh, which range from yellowish-white to a deep reddish pink, has a very delicate flavor and soft texture. They grow well in California, Texas, Arizona and much of the South. They satisfy a sweet tooth without adding fat, while their unique satiny texture and seeds provide a satisfying mouth feel and crunch. And figs have the highest overall mineral content of all common fruits. Fresh figs are picked when just turning ripe and are sold immediately.