Health Benefits of Eating Date Fruit

Dates are full of goodness and health advantages. They contain many nutrients that help relieve, heal and even cure certain types of illnesses and health problems. In general, they are a vital diet that take care your overall well being.

Dates are packed with iron, supplying 0.9 mg in every 100 g of the fruit. Iron is an essential mineral that functions as an oxygen carrier in the blood. It transports oxygen from the lungs to the major organs and muscles in your body.

The fruit is an excellent source of tannins, the powerful flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants with many health properties, namely anti-inflammatory, anti-hemorrhagic and anti-infection.

Dates have an abundance of antioxidant flavonoids, like lutein, zeaxanthin and beta-carotene. These health beneficial compounds help fight against cancers of breast, prostate, lung and pancreas.

This delicious fruit is also useful as a natural remedy to treat abdominal cancer. Besides, the nicotinic compound found in the fruit is believed to be capable of healing intestinal disorders. Dates promote the growth of pathological bacteria, thus having therapeutic effects on intestinal discomfort.

Dates contain substantial amount of vitamin A, contributing 149 I.U. in every 100 g of the fruit. Studies have proven that foods with retinol aid the vision, besides taking care of the mucus membranes and skin.

This little fruit is also a good source of potassium. This is an important mineral that is able to regulate your heart beat and blood pressure.

Loaded with dietary fiber, dates are a laxative food. They assist you to get rid of constipation. Moreover, according to research, foods high in dietary fiber discourage the absorption of LDL cholesterol in the gut.

Both fresh and dried dates provide you with energy needed. They contain simple sugars such as dextrose and fructose that are effective in replenishing the energy immediately. That is why they are a significant source of energy during Ramadan month for Muslims.

The fruit is just great for those who want to gain weight. It is rich in sugars, fats, and nutrients like vitamins, minerals and protein. A kilogram of dates give you nearly 3,000 kcal.

Dates boost sexual stamina. Soak a handful of the fruit in fresh goat's milk overnight, then grinded and mix with honey and cardamom powder makes a strong tonic that raises sex endurance.

Facts about Date Fruit

A date is the fruit of the date palm (scientific name Phoenix dactylifera), a plant native to the Middle East and Northern Africa. Besides being consumed fresh, it is also dried and eaten as a snack or added to many desserts. A lot of Middle Eastern recipes and Mediterranean dishes include dates. Normally, dried dates are available year round in most markets, but the fresh ones can only be found seasonally in certain specialty markets.

Stages of Ripening of Date Fruit

In the beginning of the ripening stage, dates are yellow and known as kimri (unripe), in Arabic. Next, it enters khalal stage, where the fruit reaches full size, but still crunchy. Subsequently, it turns ripe, sweet and soft, where it is known as rutab. The final stage of ripening sees the fruit sun-dried on the plant, where it is called tamr.

Various types of dates are cultivated worldwide. The popular one would be the Black Sphinx date and the more common ones would be noor and medjool dates.

Date Nutrition Facts and Calories

Nutritional Value of 1 Medjool Date (24 g) (Pitted)
Calories 66 kcal
Total Fat 0 g
Cholesterol - mg
Sodium 0 mg
Total Carbohydrates 18 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Sugars 16 g
Protein 0 g

Date Recipe

Date Bread Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup whole dates; 2 cups flour; 4 teaspoons baking powder; 1 cup milk; 1 tablespoon shortening, melted

Preparation:

Soak the dates in cold water. Set aside for several hours or overnight. Drain, discard the pits and chop. Mix the flour and baking powder, then add the milk and whisk. Add the dates and shortening. Transfer the dough to an oiled loaf pan. Allow to stand for 30 minutes in a warm area. Preheat the oven to 350 °F / 180 °C and bake for 60 minutes.

Note: The dates can be substituted with prunes or raisins if not available.

Date Side Effects

There are no known side effects or health risks of eating date fruit in moderate quantity.