Dates are considered to be terribly tasty and extremely useful for our health. Hundreds of health benefits of dates fruit make it unique amongst other fruits. It is a sweet delicacy and a good source of vitamins, minerals, and substitutes for refined sugar and sweeteners. Let’s explore the health benefits of date.
Read Also: Why Islam Recommended Dates in Ramadan?
Basic Facts About Dates:
- Rich in carbohydrates, iron, potassium, and phosphorus.
- Dates are an important source of energy and in this respect surpass all other fruits.
- Almost all dates sold in Western countries are in appearance. Wrinkled skin indicates that they are dry, while smooth skin indicates freshness.
- Depending on the variety, fresh dates are quite small in size and vary in color from bright red to bright yellow.
- Dates are chewy with a sweet taste. They are also high in important nutrients and have various benefits and applications.
Health Benefits of Dates Fruit:
The health benefits of dates fruit come from nutrients like calories, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, improved brain function, and help in pregnancy.
They are very Nutritious:
Dates have an excellent nutritional profile, because they are dried, and contain higher calories a fresh fruit. The caloric content of dates is similar to other dry fruits, like raisins and figs.
The intake of dates is filled with carbohydrates and protein. Other than the calories, dates contain vitamins and minerals in addition to a significant amount of fiber.
In addition, dates are high in antioxidants, which can contribute to many health benefits.
100 Grams of Quantity Contain – Dates Benefits
| Calories in dates | 277 |
| Carbohydrates in dates | 75 grams |
| Fiber in dates | 7 grams |
| Protein in dates | 2 grams |
| Potassium in dates | 20% of the required daily intake |
| Magnesium in dates | 14% of the required daily intake |
| Honey | 18% of the required daily intake |
| Manganese in dates | 15% of the required daily intake |
| Iron in dates | 5% of the required daily intake |
| Vitamin B6 in dates | 12% of the required daily intake |
Control Cholesterol + Weight Loss:
Even though dates are quite sweet they are very low in fat and completely free from cholesterol. Considered to be the best diet food for your health.
Dates for weight loss: Regular consumption of dates will balance out your cholesterol level thus assisting your weight loss.
Improves Digestive System:
After having dates your digestive system improves and works effectively. If you have any problem with your digestive system dates will solve your problems in minutes. It contains soluble fiber which is exceptionally good at regulating digestion and helping with constipation.
Specialist advice: soaking a few dates in water and then having them in breakfast, will increase their natural abilities and your digestive system work better.
Improve Brain Function:
Dates can help improve brain function. The potential brain-stimulating properties of dates are attributed to their content of antioxidants, which are known to reduce inflammation, including flavonoids.
Dates save from Alzheimer’s disease:
According to laboratory research, dates are useful in reducing inflammatory markers, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6), in the brain. High levels of IL-6 are associated with a higher risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
In addition, animal studies show that dates are useful in reducing the activity of amyloid-beta proteins, which can form plaques in the brain.
When plaque builds up in the brain, it can disrupt communication between brain cells, which can eventually lead to brain cell death.
Dates Boost Energy:
The International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition said: that chewing a few dates when you are exhausted raises your energy level immediately.
Dates have natural Glucose, Fructose, and Sucrose, which provide the necessary energy boost if you are tired. So date fruit is considered to have natural types of sugar/sweeteners.
The caramel taste will never let you leave it. They are healthy substitutes for white sugar in recipes because of the nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants.
The best way to replace sugar is to make a date paste, as in this recipe:
- Mix dates with water in a blender. As a rule, replace sugar with date paste in a ratio of 1:1.
- If the recipe requires 1 cup of sugar, you will replace it with 1 cup of date paste.
It is important to note that although dates are high in fiber and nutrients, they are still quite high in calories and are best consumed in moderation.
2. High in fiber:
- Getting enough fiber is important for your overall health.
- Fiber can benefit the digestive system and prevent constipation. They promote regular bowel movements, which contribute to the formation of stools.
- In addition, the fiber in dates can be useful for controlling blood sugar. They slow down digestion and can help prevent high blood sugar levels after a meal.
- For this reason, dates have a low glycemic index (GI), which measures how fast your blood sugar rises after eating a certain food.
3. High Content of Antioxidants:
- Dates contain a variety of antioxidants that can offer a number of health benefits, including a reduced risk of several diseases.
- Antioxidants protect your cells from free radicals, which are unstable molecules and can cause harmful reactions in the body and lead to various diseases.
- Compared to similar fruits, such as figs and prunes, dates have the highest content of antioxidants.
Types of Antioxidants in Dates:
- Flavonoids: Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and can reduce the risk of diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and some cancers. – Carotenoids: Carotenoids have been shown to promote heart health and can also reduce the risk of eye diseases. – Phenolic acid: Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, phenolic acid can help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.
- Carotenoids: it has been shown to promote heart health and can also reduce the risk of eye diseases. – Phenolic acid: Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, phenolic acid can help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.
- Phenolic acid: Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, phenolic acid can help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.
5. Help with pregnancy
Dates have been shown to encourage and alleviate late pregnancy in women.
Eating these fruits in the last few weeks of pregnancy can promote cervical dilation and reduce the need for induced labor.
In a study of 69 pregnant women who consumed 6 dates a day for 4 weeks before their due date, the chances of starting to give birth naturally increased by 20% compared to those who did not eat them.
The positive effect of dates on pregnancy is probably 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 contractions during childbirth.
Other Potential Health Benefits:
Dates are said to have several other health benefits that have not yet been studied in detail.
- Bone health: Dates contain several minerals, including phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium. They have all been studied for their potential to prevent bone-related conditions such as osteoporosis.
- Blood sugar control: Dates can help regulate blood sugar due to their low glycemic index, fiber and antioxidants. Thus, their consumption can be useful for the treatment of diabetes.
Although these potential health benefits are promising, more research on humans is needed before conclusions can be drawn.
Easy to Add to your Diet:
Dates are incredibly versatile and can be used as breakfast. They are often consumed with other foods, such as almonds, nut oil or cheese.
Dates are also very sticky, which makes them useful as a binder in some pastries, such as cakes. You can also combine dates with nuts and seeds to make healthy snacks.
What’s more, you can use dates to sweeten sauces, such as salad dressings and marinades, or mix them with cocktails and oatmeal.
It is important to note that dates are high in calories and their sweet taste makes them easy to overeat. For this reason, they are best consumed in moderation.
Conclusion:
Dates are a very healthy fruit to include in your diet.
They are high in several nutrients, fiber and antioxidants – all of which can provide health benefits ranging from improved digestion to a reduced risk of cancer.
There are several ways to add dates to your diet. One popular way to eat them is as a natural sweetener in a variety of dishes. They can also be a great breakfast.
Dates are easiest to find in their dried form, although they are higher in calories than fresh fruit, so it is important to eat them in moderation.
It is definitely worth adding dates to your diet, as they are both nutritious and delicious.
