Figs, or Anjeer, are a delicious fruit often consumed in dried form in India. Figs are known for their nutritional benefits, such as boosting gut health, strengthening muscles, and improving energy levels. However, some people worry that this 'fruit' might be non-vegetarian.
Sounds bizarre, right? How can a fruit that grows on trees be non-vegetarian? This confusion arises from the unique process behind the formation of the fig fruit. Intrigued? Read on to learn more about how figs form and decide whether you would call them vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Role of Wasps in Fruition of Figs Figs begin as an inverted closed flower.
This shape prevents common pollinators like wind or bees from spreading the fig's pollen. This is where pollinator wasps help the fig tree turn flowers into fruits. A female wasp crawls into the tiny opening of the fig flower to lay her eggs.
During the process, her antennae and wings break off, and she is unable to exit, dying shortly afterwards while still inside the flower. Also Read: 5 Reasons Why Dried Figs (Anjeer) Are The Ultimate Travel Snack - According To Nutritionist The fig digests the wasp's body using an enzyme called ficin, which breaks down the body into protein. Her eggs hatch, the larvae mate, and then crawl out of the fig.
For every fig consumed, a wasp likely died inside it to allow it to come to fruition. However, since the wasp's body is absorbed, you will not be eating the insect corpse when biting into the fruit. According to Co.
