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 wellbeing.
- 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.
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