Do Figs Really Have Dead Wasps In Them?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- Some figs need fig wasps to pollinate their fruit. But are we eating dead wasps every time we bite into a fig?
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Imagine for a minute that you’re a pregnant woman. Still with me, guys? Now, the only way you can give birth is if you crawl into a small, cramped cave made out of chocolate. And the tunnel to this cave is so cramped that the only way you can get through is by cutting your own arms off “127 Hours” style. Once you’re in this cave you give birth! Then you eventually die from either exhaustion or starvation.
Sounds pretty grim, right? As if giving birth wasn’t difficult enough, what I just described to you is the life cycle of the fig wasp. Their role in the pollination of figs is crucial, both to the propagation of their species and the survival of fig trees.
This arrangement between wasp and plant is called “mutualism,” and it’s evolved over millions of years. Without the wasps you wouldn’t have figs. And vice versa. And yes, most of the figs we eat contain at least one dead wasp.
But more on that later. First, let’s talk pollination.
A fig is technically just a flower with its petals folded inside. There are male figs - which are inedible, and called caprifigs - and female figs, which we eat. But in order to create seeds (and tasty fruit), the female figs need to receive some pollen from the male figs. Since the figs’ reproductive bits are tucked away, wind and bees can’t help as they do with lots of plants. Enter the fig wasp.
So okay… let’s get away from the whole pregnant lady/chocolate metaphor thing and break down how this wasp/fig mutualism process works. For a dude fig plant to share its pollen with a lady fig plant, a female fig wasp needs to enter a male fig. She crawls through a narrow passage in the fig called an ostiole. It’s so cramped that her wings and antenna break off along the way.
But the messed up thing is that these lady fig wasps don’t know is whether they’re entering a male caprifig or a female fig. If it’s a caprifig, she’ll find its male flower parts perfectly shaped for her to lay eggs into. The eggs hatch into larvae and grow within the fig’s petals.
The male wasps hatch first and are born blind and flightless. They mate with their female counterparts (yes… I guess they’re technically brothers and sisters) and start eating an exit tunnel through the fig. The wasp dudes can’t escape, though, so they die inside.
But the females collect the fig’s pollen, crawl out of the tunnel and fly away in search of a new fig plant to lay their eggs in. These wasps are only a few millimeters long, but they can fly up to 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) to find the right species of fig plant. When they arrive, they deposit their natal fig’s pollen, lay their eggs, and the whole process starts over again.
But if a female wasp enters a female fig, she won’t be able to lay her eggs because of a long part of the flower called a stylus. She’ll probably die, but at least she’s delivered the pollen. An enzyme inside the fig called ficin breaks down her corpse into protein, ingesting the dead wasp and making it part of the ripened fruit.*
Just so we’re clear, those crunchy bits you’re chewing in figs aren’t bits of dead wasp or larvae; they’re the fig’s seeds. And anyway, you should get used to the idea of occasionally eating an insect by accident. The FDA considers certain amounts of insect content in various foods “natural” and “unavoidable” - and it’s really not hazardous, just gross.
SOURCES:
animals.howstuf...
Nature's Little Magician The Fig Wasp. By: Andersen, Christie B., Cricket, 00906034, Sep2005, Vol. 33, Issue 1
Fig-Wasp Upset. By: Milius, Susan, Science News, 00368423, 4/26/2003, Vol. 163, Issue 17
Nature's recourse. By: Milius, Susan, Science News, 00368423, 7/31/2010, Vol. 178, Issue 3
Big on figs. By: Kinnaird, Margaret, International Wildlife, 00209112, Jan/Feb2000, Vol. 30, Issue 1
WHAT. NO. WHAT
Don't freak out
Craft
Really Phil...why still awake :
Y.H.E. Spray
did you just...... wow
i was better off not knowing this, phil
Chloe Howelter *insert Phil's sassy smirk face* hehe
important to also note: 1:07 - this is not the type of wasp that is found inside any fig species. it is only the FIG WASP, which is a much smaller black wasp.
I was eating a fig and my mom said: "You know you're eating insects, right?" and my face went from this :) to this :|
That's how I ended up watching this vid. Thankyou :D * keeps eating fig *
I love Fig Newtons. I will, however, need some time to digest this information.
More or less time than the fig takes to "digest" the wasp? ;-)
Just a little added protein. ;)
Does your mom do that often? Like, you are eating honey and she tells you out of the blue "You know you are eating bees' vomit, right?". Or you are drinking red colored soft drinks and she yells "You know you are drinking dried and crushed insects, right?".
Funny part of your comment
from this :) to this :|
R.I.P. we will always remember your sacrifices ;---;
No, its *Extra Protein*
So... Can we still count figs as vegetarian/vegan?
Vegetarians will eat insects because they are not animals. Vegans are idiots that make up their own rules so it would depend.
ThEcAnDyCrAcKeR Um
Issy is Awkward You asked man.
I would say yes and I'm vegan, because an enzyme in the fig breaks down her body into protein, so your not actually eating the wasp body. :)
pj snedeker Yeah, I thought something along those lines, thank you :3
Me: *watching TH-cam videos*
Me: *eating fig newtons*
Me: TH-cam searches "figs"
TH-cam video: "Do Figs Really Have Dead Wasps in them?"
Me: *_*
Wow you must be sick after watching this! lol
LOL same
NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There's a really cool documentary on this called Queen Of The Trees. I'll never look at Fig Newtons the same again.
Dont you mean Wasp Newtons?
Denshuu Your picture goes perfectly with what you just said.
Thank you, indeed that's a great documentary. :) Kudos.
Wtf is a fucking fig N E W T O N ???????????????
My grandmother used to tell my mom to open figs before eating them, because they could have worms in them. My mom just did it as a habit when she was older, and didn't really believe the "worm" thing, because she had never seen one in a fig before.
And then "boom" there was a live larva of some sort inside one fig she was about to eat. D:
+Lemonz1989 ;_________________;
+Lemonz1989
Nope nope nope nope nope nope.
hmmm..
Nope.
+Lemonz1989 I once found a live larva in a dried fig. It didn't put me off figs altogether but it sure was gross.
As other people have stated below, not all figs require pollination with the fig wasp. Most California figs do not require pollination.
Actually, common fig plants are capable of parthenogenesis (virgin birth) and in a majority of caseses they are not pollinated by any wasp. That's because most of the times that specific type of wasp where fig plants originate from (Middle East) (Blastophaga psenes who pollinates Ficus carica-common fig) doesn't live where most figs are being cultivated nowadays.
not all figs need wasp and caprifig.
some cultivated variety able to self pollinate, like Brown Turkey fig.
but either self pollinating or not, figs are awesome fruit to eat :)
Someone gave me a fig fresh off the tree yesterday. I've never seen or eaten a fig so held on to it. Today I randomly stumbled on this video looking for something completely unrelated. Thanks, God. Goodbye, fig....*compost*
Just harvested a few pounds of figs from our tree to make preserves. Delighted to learn about the enhanced protein content.
Lol I've never eaten a fig be for so now I now what to expect. Thanks for the heads up. I would still eat it since the wasp is gone and is part of the fruit more nutrients lol😂
There's probably more bug parts in cereal, popcorn, peanut butter and other processed foods than figs lol
Well, I'm not going to give up eating figs, but I will confess that this was new information. Thanks. I think.
to make matters worse, the female fig wasps crawl inside this super tiny hole which not only breaks off their wings and antennae, but also while squirming through the ostiole the mother crushes their abdomen. they use all the strength they have left in them to plant their eggs in the male figs ovaries. once the mother is in, she can't get out. she plants her babies and then dies of starvation, exhaustion etc. on the plus side, male figs are not supposed to be eaten. the female figs have wasps which enter accidentally and die, but since they are female they cannot plant their eggs, so all we're eating is the fig which absorbs and breaks down the body of the female fig wasp once fully ripened.
TLDR; figs break down all wasps once fully ripened. no wasps, crunch is seeds.
I love your website, I had no idea you had a TH-cam channel.
If anything, this just makes me want to eat figs even more!
SO there is NO dead wasp in many figs, since it's digested and broken down into protein. Digestion is a chemical change, and as such the wasp isn't a wasp anymore. If by any chance you do eat a fig with a half-digested wasp in it, it's about the same chance as having an insect in any other fruit you eat.
You are what you eat. Since The fig flower is literally digesting the wasp then it is in essence absorbing the wasp into itself (like fly traps and pitcher plants). Which still means that fig you're eating has wasp in it. If You were given a sandwich that was 10% ham and 90% shit, would you still consider it a ham sandwich?
You don't get it. Here's the key difference: Digestion is a chemical change. Slapping shit onto a sandwich is not.
+Mara Torrijos If you think that way you are actually eating shit when eating crops that has been fertilized with animal dung
Never eating a dead bug, never eating a fig
Make sure to not eat peanut butter, chocolate, candy, and a lot of other fruits. Haha it's inevitable
can't eat bread either then
Or almost anything that contains Flour
the problem is a bread contains little bit of bugs maybe 0.000000001%
but naturally riped natural-figs must have bugs like 100%, if not pollinated then the tree rejects that fig bulb. the tree knows being pollinated, then it ripes them.
How interesting I learned something today because I have a fig tree myself lol the life cycle of the fig and the wasp.
I was told this and immediately had to go out and buy me some Fig Newtons, reminded they exist and are delicious.
I’m gluten intolerant, and I just...can’t care rn.
one less fruit to worry about, I mean flower?
never going to look at fig rolls the same way again...
here is why, some bug parts is ok. A WHOLE ENTIRE BUG not ok.
Not only am I not turned off, I just decided to plant 3 fig trees in my garden!
i had doubts about eating figs again and this video didnt help
I've always hated figs. I hate the name, I hate the look of them inside and out, I hate the texture, I hate the fact that they have very little flavour, and I especially hate the fact that they either eat wasps or house their babies. However I do and will still eat fig rolls. Sausage theory: mash it up fine enough and it doesn't really matter what's in it, it's just cells. With tiny crunchy bits.
Thing is, I already wasn't going to eat a fig, they just look unappealing to me.
Never gonna eat figs. Like ever.
+Prezzie :D I just had one. I then watched this. I'm not super happy, but you know what, figs are good, and I feel like eating insects is moral. I'm not going to stop eating them. Really, when you think about it, it's not that different from plants being fertilized with dung. You wouldn't eat dung, but you'll gladly eat plants grown in it.
+Prezzie :D You swallow an average of twelve spiders per year.
udsuna Lol that is bullshit.
Prezzie :D Yet true. Bugs are everywhere, and we spend hours unconscious every day.
udsuna You must be truly stupid to believe that myth.
Well, you know what W.C. Fields said about what fish do on water. (Basically, that they procreate, but not so politely phrased) We still drink water, and with never a second thought.
Thank you, I can eat figs again!
That is pretty cool and freaky. Freaky for the wasps.
Is this true for all species of figs? We have an Adriatic Fig tree and my husband is very keen on them. He harvested over 1000 this past summer. But I don't remember seeing wasps. Perhaps only certain types of figs are pollenated this way?
From what I'm seeing, Adriatic Figs also need wasps... maybe you just didn't see them? Here's a lot more on the history of them in California. www.californiafigs.com/about_figs.php?page=5
BrainStuff - HowStuffWorks My husband just said that Adriatic figs are also called Common figs and are one of the kinds of edible fig that doesn't require wasp pollenation. Smyrna Fig is the one that does need the wasp and is the most pervasive in fig newtons, dried figs, etc. Never the less, this wasp-business is both fascinating and disturbing. Great video!
Kali Sakai Thanks for clearing that up Kali. Very interesting!
Informative video. Always wondered about that dead wasp rumor but wasn't bothered by Fig Newtons enough to avoid them, ate fresh figs which are awesome. Now I know and will keep eating figs. More, actually! Also, the young gal presenting the video was cute. Eurasian, I'd guess.
This is a really great video. I don’t subscribe to channels often but if the other videos are as informative and entertaining as this one, I’m in. Looks like I’ve been eating a lot of insects. I have a fig tree and I noticed a bunch of little black bugs when I washed them. I opened one up to find a little black bug or two-four. Looks like that’s unavoidable.
AINT NO BUGS ON ME ! HEY THAT SOUNDS LIKE A .. S O N G ?
So, the answer is nope. There aren't dead wasps in figs. Just proteins derived from dead wasps' bodies. Which is stuff we are eating anyway with basically any fruit or vegetable, since proteins from dead plants and animals are nutrients for other plants and animals. It's how the food chain works.
There are way more gross things. Honey, for example, is more or less literally vomit from bees. Honeydew is even better, it's literally aphids' shit that gets eaten and then vomited by bees. It's the "2 girls 1 cup" of nature.
It's perfectly clean, tho. their secretions are completely edible for us. And nutritious, and delicious.
Then again, if you ever drank any red colored juice or soft drink, chances are you ate crushed insects. Red edible color is made with some small insects. They get dried and crushed and they extract the pigmentation.
This is awesome, and I really wish I didn't find it.
1:36 Breezy, she can help! 'By the power vested in me, mak my monsters grow!' Dun na dun....
Since I can't unsee this video, I'll be cutting open my figs before eating them from now on.
+Debbie Bunny no need to , this is to HEALTHY not to eat , google dried figs and apple cider viniger for 14 days I am up for it it rolls the fat out the body , it is worth it
I thought it was a sick rumor. I didn't want this confirmed. God.
I hated figs and eating flying insects beforehand so this changes nothing.
Figs are a miracle food(mentioned in the Qur'an! )-I've got a fig plant in the garden but have ate them but never seen any fig flowers though!
+Araf Jan speaking of never seen any fig flowers, a little fun fact: the Chinese name for fig literally is "flowerless fruit"
+Araf Jan also the BIBLE will say keep your eye on the FIG TREE , figs are very healthy high in potassium, and with apple cider viniger you will loose fat out of the body , google dried figs and apple cider great way to get the fat out of the body
Wow, what a terrible depressing life. What the hell, nature!?
Meh, more protein.
OMG people, just shut up and eat your wasps, be grateful you have wasps to eat, some people don't even have that.
what makes figs delicious is wasp gravy.
You went from being potentially hot to "wtf is she talking about?" in 40 seconds flat.
i live in slovakia, here, the fig trees are uncommon, i have one in my garden and i highly doubt that there is any male fig tree nearby and even if it was, there aren't any fig wasps here too, so how come i eat ripe figs 2x a year
+lordicemaniac We forgot to specify in the video -- not ALL species of fig are pollinated by wasps.
+BrainStuff - HowStuffWorks So, which varieties of figs are fertilized this way? Odd as it sounds, I wonder if this renders those figs not kosher. (Dates are still okay to eat, right???)
+BrainStuff - HowStuffWorks
That's kind of important you know?
+Jack Linde I've read that we are supposed to open up the fig to check the inside first before eating them.
From the CRC: "Figs - are washed in a warm water bath to increase moisture before packing. Sulfur or potassium sorbate are usually added to prevent mold from forming on these naturally moist fruits and there is no kosher concern. Oil is rarely added with the exception of diced or sliced figs.Whole figs, therefore, should be acceptable without a hechsher. However, domestic and imported figs can be infested. Greek figs are generally problem-free, but, in truth, all figs should be checked. By checking several in a pack you can establish that the rest are acceptable to eat. To check figs for black fig wasp infestation turn the fig inside out and look for a noticeable webbing."
Chaim Leib Halbert Thanks for the information. Time to sharpen up those x-acto blades and rubber gloves for some high school style fig dissecting.
LMAO That GOT reference just got you guys my subscribe. Please stay cool.
All i need to know is; they are good to eat. I will keep eating them. I like figs.
+Esteban Delacruz AND THE BEST WAY TO GET THE FAT OUT OF THE BODY, VERY HIGH IN POTASSIUM AND MUCH MUCH MORE , IF WE REALLY KNEW THAT WITH BRAGS APPLE CIDER VINIGER AND 3 DRIED FIGS EACH DAY FOR 14DAYS PLACE FIGS IN CIDER AT NIGHT FOR THE FIRST SEVEN DAYS AFTER TAKING A TOOTH PIC AND PIECING EACH FIG IN 2 -3 OUNCES OF CIDER , REPLACE THE USED CIDER AFTER THE FIRST SEVEN DAYS AND START THE SECOND SEVEN AND REPEAT THE WEIGHT FALLS OFF , YOU BETTER BET i WILL CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO EAT FIGS IF IT GETS THE FAT OUT OF MY BODY IN A HEALTHY WAY !!!
SOOO SAD AND GROSSED OUT!! I HAVE BEEN EATING THEM LIKE GRAPES. SO GROSSED NOW!
Feed this woman a cheeseburger, STAT!
eating a fig whilist watching ,reaching for another one
I want tabasco cheezits right now
She makes me want to be a wasp... sting! sting! sting!
This has me kinda freaked out about the bacon wrapped figs from tapas restaurants....
Lauren V. is my favorite, she's beautiful, quirky, smart and sexy (and has good comedic timing too). I wish they would have her host more videos, she's just delightful to watch.
never tried a fig what does it taste like?
I first thought the title said "Pigs" not "Figs"
Can't give up figs.
what are the other products that contain insects then??
witch came first the fig or the fig wasp? evolution derp
Here in the UK, we don't have an "FDA" (although we have something similar for medicines). Despite this, our canned and packaged foods NEVER contain such defects that your FDA allows - insect parts, rodent hairs, larvae, rodent poop, mammal poop, rust, and cigarette butts - which would be unthinkable here, if not downright illegal. So our vegetarian-specific range of products, of which there are so many (we're really spoiled for choice here), are 100% guaranteed vegetarian.
As for eating figs, well I never liked them anyway and won't give them another chance after seeing this, but thats just me.
Actually, here in the UK we do have an "FDA" - two in fact. The Food Standards Agency (www.food.gov.uk/) and also the EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority.
Interestingly, whilst the FDA have legal limits in place for the amount of insect contaminants in food (no more than 150 or more insect fragments per 100 grams of wheat flour, for example), there are no such regulations in the UK imposed by either our own government or the EU that I'm aware of (and I've looked).
In fact, the EU specifically states that their regulations do not cover "extraneous matter, such as insect fragments, animal hair, etc." - europa.eu/legislation_summaries/food_safety/contamination_environmental_factors/l21113_en.htm
I used to work with a company that produce machines that test the number of insect fragments in wheat grain. It turns out that different food manufacturers have different tolerances they will allow from their suppliers - so a major bread brand brand may allow 'only' 50 insect fragments per 100g of flour, whilst a supermarket own-brand bakery which produces children's cake may allow 500 insect fragments per 100g of flour!
Also, I should point out that I can find no regulation that prevents products sold as 'vegetarian' having no trace insect parts. In fact, I'd argue that this was unavoidable in today's mass manufacturing food industry.
It's the equivalent of cans of shandy - Any drink with an alcohol content of 0.5% or below is not defined as "alcohol" and is able to be sold without a Premises Licence, to adults and children alike.
Thanks, Rob. Isn't it funny how all over the world, it's always the most ignorant people who are the huge nationalists?
Figs are delish. Bug or no bug I'm going to continue to eat them. I just won't show this video to my kids.
So i Just died of starvation in a chocolate cave
yuk
because of this video is the reason I have stopped eating figs
There actually is such a thing as too much information. 🤪
Jenn and ricky took me here.
Fresh figs are so good just hard to come by
Antonia Purdiman its easy to grow in most places I think though, we have a fig tree here in NC :)
Antonia Purdiman Please visit Korea/Japan when you have the chance. They have the tastiest figs. I had my first fig in Korea, and couldn't get enough of them even after I came back to Australia - and sadly have to contend with Australian figs now :-(
Same can be said to Korean strawberries
Hmmm that sounds delicious
To elaborate, they're huge, extremely juicy & fragrant, and the taste was just soooo rich. Australian figs taste so bland in comparison :-( and lots more dry. Probably a lot to do with the climates.
I still love my Fig Newtons......
MMmm insects.. Good bit of protein.
imagine you were eating a fig when this vid popped up on your auto playlist.
+Strud I was eating dried figs when I glanced at the suggested videos and saw this. The figs are safely in the kitchen now. Far away from me.
Lmao! I don't think you'll be buying figs again :D
I give up because I know figs are meant to have insects in them now.
Actually most insects are eatable
With the exception of butterflies caterpillars (butterflie larvae) and flies witch are not eatable
which came first, the wasp or the fig tree?
if the wasp came first, how did it lay its eggs without fig trees? If the fig tree came first, how did it get its male pollen into the female fig to continue the species before the wasp came along?
I had one fig roll and it was disgusting this is probably why
I never trusted figs. Now I know why.
I'm never going to eat figs again...
just...I have a huge fear of wasps and bees and stuff like that....that's why...
I've never liked figs because they look like a uterus and I'm not into that
whats with the hand gestures lol
Just bought a bag of figs..... not sure if I wanna eat them :(
+Marilyn K Eat them, they are delicious! /Lauren
+BrainStuff - HowStuffWorks so you like eating fruits with wasps in them?
+Marilyn K
Try not to bite the wasp stingers. They hurt.
+sleazybtd Yes, nothing like biting into the stinger, lol.
Ok, I just watched another video where a woman cut open an "edible" (?) fig from a tree and found a dead female wasp and tons of wriggly larvae. But if this was a caprifig could we eat it, would it taste sweet....? Confusing.
Love figs too much to care! If concerned... wrap them in parma ham & bake in oven for 15mins. ;-)
Holy cow. I always thought it was a hoax.
what does the pregnancy thing you said at the beginning have to do with fig wasps? and why isn't male figs edible? anyway, what's the difference between a male and female fig anyway? and what if a female wasp accidently lays eggs in the female fig what happens? and I learned a lot. I mean it. and wasp bit me on the back of my hand, so I'll think about eating figs.
-Esther Pearl Man Ting (Joseph's daughter)
Dear glob....
M'kay..............
AHHHHHHH !!!!! I’ve never eaten one thank god. But oh my .
traumatized
I'm not going to eat a dead wasp...period...
We have a fig tree growing in our backyard from which we harvest and eat lots of figs every year. How come we've never seen a wasp tunneling into a fig?
Another question: are the male and female figs on the same tree or on different trees?
I'm glad I don't like figs anyway. However, if I did, I'd still eat them!
thanks for sharing, I guess my 'full vegan' date has been refreshed.
Never eating a fig again
Stop eating figs?!? I'm going to eat MORE of these murder flowers!
Sean F. Kennedy same here lel
gotta git dat protein for dem lifts
Murder flowers😂😂😂
WHAT. I WAS BETTER OFF NOT KNOWING THIS
I eat Fig Newtons because I need a bit more variety of insects than just the fig wasp.
You mean Pig Newtons.
Renato Pastor
I love pig newtons.
pig newton lol
Because he loves children.
Jack K...I was thinking the same thing. It is really creepy.