Discover the benefits of dates for the body
Dates are one of the sweetest fruits in the world. It grows on large trees known as date palms, and is native to the Middle East, where it has been enjoyed for thousands of years. These sweet, chewy fruits are available in several varieties and are sold fresh and dried. Dates can also be eaten directly or used as a topping for sweet and savory dishes, and they can also be incorporated into salads and pureed into sauces.
What is the history of dates?
The word “date” comes from the Greek word dactolos, which means “fingers,” and was probably named after the shape of the fruit. Dates come in many varieties, but only a few are available in the United States. Most dates are allowed to be hung on trees to “cure” and dry slightly before being harvested so that they last longer once picked. It will still be just as soft but have a little more quality to it. These are the “fresh dates” available in some supermarkets, specialty grocery stores, and farmers markets. Fresh dates contain a high percentage of sugar, which condenses as the fruit dries. Thus, fresh dates differ in both taste and texture from the sugared, dried, chopped dates sold in boxes in the baking aisle of the grocery store. Some varieties are also more expensive than others because harvesting them is labor-intensive.
Uses of dates
Fresh dates are delicious when eaten as they are, with a cup of coffee or a cup of tea alongside to cut down on their sweetness. However, there are many other ways to enjoy them, from savory appetizers to sweet desserts. Before any type of preparation, you first need to remove the pit. Simply cut the date lengthwise and the pits will come out easily.
Fresh dates can also be cut in half and placed on toast that has been spread with honey ricotta cheese, or the fruit can be cut and sprinkled over ice cream. You can also serve them seeded and stuffed with blue cheese as a simple appetizer, or as part of a dish. Or of course, dates play a huge role in baking, adding sweetness and texture to cakes, breads and cookies.
Dried dates can also be eaten as a snack, or you can chop them up and add them to salads or sprinkle them over hot oatmeal. You can also blend them into smoothies. You'll just need to soak them in hot water for 10 minutes to reconstitute them first.
The benefits of dates:
1. Fruit full of nutrients
Dates have excellent nutritional content.
Since they are dried, their calorie content is higher than most fresh fruits. The calorie content of dates is also similar to that of other dried fruits, such as raisins and figs.
Most of the calories in dates come from carbohydrates. The rest is a very small amount of protein. Despite their calories, dates contain some important vitamins and minerals in addition to a large amount of fiber.
A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of Medjool dates provides the following nutrients:
§ Calories: 277
§ Carbohydrates: 75 grams
§ Fiber: 7 grams
§ Protein: 2 grams
§ Potassium: 15% daily value
§ Magnesium: 13% daily value
§ Copper: 40% daily value
§ Manganese: 13% daily value
§ Iron: 5% daily value
§ Vitamin B6: 15% daily value
Dates also contain a high percentage of antioxidants, which may contribute to their many health benefits.
2. It contains a high percentage of fiber
Getting enough fiber is important for your overall health.
With approximately 7 grams of fiber in a 3.5-ounce serving, including dates in your diet is a great way to increase your fiber intake.
Fiber can also benefit digestive health by preventing constipation. Because it promotes regular bowel movements by contributing to stool formation.
In one study, 21 people who ate 7 dates daily for 21 days saw improvements in stool frequency and had a significant increase in bowel movements compared to when they did not eat dates.
Furthermore, the fiber in dates may be beneficial for blood sugar control. Fiber also slows digestion and may help prevent blood sugar levels from rising dramatically after eating.
For this reason, dates have a low glycemic index (GI), which measures how quickly blood sugar rises after eating a certain food.
3. It contains a high percentage of disease-fighting antioxidants
Dates provide many antioxidants that have a number of health benefits, including reducing the risk of many diseases.
Antioxidants also protect your cells from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that may cause harmful reactions in your body and lead to many diseases.
Compared to similar types of fruit, such as figs and prunes, dates appear to have the highest antioxidant content.
Here's an overview of the three most powerful antioxidants in dates:
Flavonoids: Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation and have been studied for their ability to reduce the risk of diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and certain types of cancer.
Carotenoids: Carotenoids have been shown to promote heart health and may also reduce the risk of eye-related disorders, such as macular degeneration.
Phenolic acid: Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, phenolic acids may help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.
4. Promotes brain health
Eating dates may help improve brain function.
Laboratory studies have found that dates are beneficial in reducing inflammatory markers, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6), in the brain. High levels of IL-6 are associated with an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.
In addition, other studies including animal studies have shown that dates are beneficial in reducing the activity of beta-amyloid proteins, which can form plaques in the brain.
When plaques accumulate in the brain, they may disturb communication between brain cells, which may ultimately lead to the death of brain cells and Alzheimer's disease.
One animal study found that rats fed food mixed with dates had significantly better memory and learning ability, in addition to less anxiety-related behaviors, compared to those that did not eat them.
Dates' potential brain-boosting properties are attributed to their content of antioxidants known to reduce inflammation, including flavonoids.
5. It helps relieve labor and the pain of natural birth
A study on dates has proven that they work to promote and relieve late labor in pregnant women.
This is because eating this fruit throughout the last few weeks of pregnancy may promote dilation of the cervix and reduce the need for labor. It may also be useful in reducing delivery time.
Although eating dates seems to help promote labor and reduce the duration of labor, more research is needed to confirm these effects.
The role that dates may play in pregnancy is likely due to compounds that bind to oxytocin receptors and appear to mimic the effects of oxytocin in the body. Oxytocin is a hormone that causes labor contractions during childbirth.
In addition, dates contain tannins, which are compounds that have been shown to help facilitate contractions. They are also a good source of natural sugar and calories, which are essential for maintaining energy levels during labor.
References:
https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/health-benefits-of-dates/
https://www.thespruceeats.com/all-about-dates-4067019
https://www.health.com/nutrition/groceries/health-benefits-dates
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-dates#TOC_TITLE_HDR_6