Technically, a fig is not a fruit; it is a 'syconium,' a fleshy, hollow vessel containing hundreds of tiny flowers growing inward. Because the flowers are hidden, they cannot be pollinated by wind or bees. Instead, figs rely on a highly specialized relationship with 'fig wasps.' A female wasp enters the fig through a tiny opening to lay her eggs, pollinating the flowers in the process. She often dies inside. The fig then produces an enzyme called ficin that completely breaks down and digests the wasp into protein. So, when you eat an everyday fig, you are not eating a crunchy wasp; you are eating the digested remains that have been fully absorbed by the plant.