Sweet, dried, and full of nutritional qualities, dates have become pretty popular in recent years. Let’s have a look at the benefits of this tropical fruit.
Dates are the fruits of the date palm tree that is usually found in the tropical regions of the world. Almost all the dates that are found in stores are dried and can be recognized by their wrinkled appearance. The variety of the fresh date can be determined by the size. Fresh dates are small in size, with colors ranging from bright red to bright yellow. The most consumed variety of dates is the Medjool and Deglet Noor dates. Chewy and sweet in taste, there are lots of advantages to eating dates. Have a look!
Nutritional Value of Dates:
As far as the nutritional value of dates is concerned, they are considered to be of excellent quality. Calories from dried dates are higher than most fresh fruits. In fact, there are 23 calories in one date, which is made of 1% fat, 96% carbs, and 3% protein. As mentioned before, most of these calories come from the carbs in them. Despite the high-calorie count present in dates, they contain some of the most important vitamins and minerals in addition to a notable amount of fiber.
A 100 grams of dates contain around 277 calories, 75 grams of carbs, 7 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, 20% potassium, 20% magnesium, 18% copper, 15% manganese, 5% iron, 12% Vitamin B6. Dates are also rich in antioxidants, which contribute to many health benefits.
Benefits of Eating Dates:
Dried dates are high in fiber. Just adding dates to your everyday diet increases your fiber intake for your body. The high amount of fiber in dates is beneficial to the digestive system and also prevents constipation. Benefits of eating dates also include blood sugar control as fiber slows down the digestion process and prevents blood levels from spiking. This means the calories from a single date are enough to keep your health in excellent condition.
Disease-Fighting Antioxidants:
One of the health benefits of the date is that it’s rich in anti-oxidants, which protect your cells from harmful free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that cause harmful reactions in your body and can even lead to diseases.
There are 3 types of anti-oxidants present in dates:
Flavonoids: A powerful antioxidant that reduces inflammation and has the potential to reduce the risk of diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.
Carotenoids: A proven means to promote heart health and the potential to reduce the risk of eye muscular degeneration.
Phenolic acid: This antioxidant has anti-inflammatory properties and a potential to reduce heart diseases.
Natural Sweeteners:
Dates are a natural source of fructose, a natural sugar found in fruits. This gives them a naturally sweet and caramel-like taste—which is another health benefit of the date, making it an excellent substitute for white sugar.
You can use a paste made from dates in recipes to replace white sugar. The paste is made by mixing dates and water in a blender. The ideal rule to replace the paste with sugar is 1:1. You might want to use the paste in moderation as they too are high in calories.
Though you can benefit from consuming dates at any time of the day, the best time to eat dates is considered to be with your morning breakfast. Its components and nutritional benefits work their magic best in the morning.
Since they hail mostly from Arab countries, during Ramadan, the best time to eat dates is with dinner. Dates are how the Ramadan fast is broken. But as mentioned earlier, you can always benefit from consuming dates at any time throughout the day.
The health benefits from dates and their nutritional value surpass much of modern medicine and have the potential to exponentially increase your brain and heart health. Dates are an excellent benefactor to your health and are a good source of nutrition.
