I do not think that you will find anything about a fig that is unique in its nutritional properties compared to most other fruits such as blackberries, blueberries, cherries, paw paws or oranges. Contrary to popular belief, there really are no "super foods," just foods that are higher in certain nutritional properties than other foods. Blueberries, for instance, are higher in antioxidants which likely help somewhat with cancer prevention and heart disease. And I say somewhat because much, much more important is maintaining an ideal body weight, abstaining from smoking, adequate physical activity, only moderate at most alcohol consumption and then there's genetic factors. So, compared to the above risk factors, eating figs, no matter how nutritional they are, won't help much.
Almost all fruits are high in potassium, some just higher than others. If someone has low potassium such as from certain medications, eating lots of figs or other fruits won't help much in restoring the body's potassium level compared to taking prescribed potassium supplementation. So, eating figs won't keep you from having a heart rhythm abnormality secondary to low potassium. Medication will.
Nothing someone can eat will make blood vessels more flexible. A healthy adolescent has flexible blood vessels. As one ages, calcified cholesterol plaques form on the inside of the arteries. It's obvious, then, that arteries lined inside with calcification will be inflexible. This is one of the causes of hypertension (and strokes and heart attacks). High cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes all accelerate the process significantly. That's why I say that no eaten fruit, figs or whatever, will make the calcified blood vessels more flexible. Controlling one's cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes can actually reverse the plaque buildup somewhat.
Because people living in certain countries where the folks have high fig consumption tend to be less overweight doesn't necessarily mean that there is a direct correlation between eating lots of figs and a lower rate of obesity. Maybe there is but maybe the folks there consume less fatty foods or less sugar or maybe they walk more or maybe there's genetic factors.
I doubt that figs neutralize stomach acid any more than other foods that are eaten. Stomach acid has a pH of 3 or 4 (or lower) from the hydrochloric acid produced by certain cells in the stomach lining. That's acidic enough to corrode metal! A fig would have to be very basic with a very high pH to neutralize stomach acid- so high that serious damage would occur to the mouth and esophagus as the fig was eaten.
I'm not familiar with cancer cells needing an acidic environment. I do know that the human body requires a pH of 7.4 (pH 7 is neutral, so a pH of 7.4 is slightly basic). The human body is created to go to great extremes to keep the pH at exactly 7.4. A little higher or a little lower, even just a little, uncorrected means significant trouble, perhaps death.
If you find anything on the web that says eating figs "supports" heart health or "supports" prostate health, or "supports" whatever health- that's so nonspecific that it is nonsense. A strong black cup of coffee in the early morning wakes me up enough so that I drive better and don't end up killed in an accident. So coffee "supports" my heart/prostate/whatever health.
So, I can't think of anything nutritionally about a fig that sets it apart from most other fruits, nothing to justify developing a fig forest.
I take my young grandchildren out to see my garden every chance I get. There's a great satisfaction watching the eyes and lips of my 15 month old granddaughter as she crunches blueberries I've just picked or see her bite into a perfectly red strawberry we just plucked. She's now hooked on fruit! As she grows a little more, we'll pick tomatoes and okra and dig up carrots. She'll get hooked on veges too. And she'll likely be healthier all her life because of it. Her health risks will be decreased because she enjoys eating food that's good for her.
And that's where figs and a fig forest can be so important. If a fig forest introduces LAers to a knowledge and a taste of figs especially at an earlier age, then maybe they'll develop better food choice habits. Fruits like figs are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Higher intake of fiber may decrease one's risk of colon cancer. Substituting fruits for sugary and fatty foods results in less obesity (and therefore a decreased risk of diabetes, hypertension, degenerative arthritis, and cancer). As people become more conscientious about eating better, they're also more apt to be more aware of their need for adequate physical activity. That's the angle I'd use in pushing this project through. I'm sure that there's many folks in inner city LA that don't know from where their food comes. Seeing fig trees growing would seem helpful in correcting this. I remember, at just several years of age, being fascinated with tiny, growing watermelons- I still am. I think that sparked my interest in biology and gardening. Watching tiny figs grow fascinates me in the same way. They're amazing! Everyone ought to have that same opportunity of fascination.
I like the drought tolerant angle as well. I've not read anything on the Fig Forum that says fig trees need insecticides (unlike may other fruit trees). Insect and disease resistance is a great angle too.
A long post, sorry. Complicated thread. Sounds like a great project.