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Dates are a nutritious and beneficial fruit. They give the body a great boost of energy with their fast-absorbing sugars. What are its benefits?
Dates have excellent nutritional value, and since they are dried, their calorie content is higher than most fresh fruits.
The calorie content of dates is similar to that of other dried fruits, such as raisins and figs.
Most of the calories in dates come from carbohydrates, and the rest comes from a very small amount of protein. Despite their calories, dates contain some important vitamins and minerals, in addition to a large amount of fiber.
100 grams of dates provide the following nutrients:
Calories: 277
Carbohydrates: 75 grams
Fiber: 7 grams
Protein: 2 grams
Potassium: 15% of the recommended daily limit
Magnesium: 13% of the recommended daily limit
Copper: 40% of the recommended daily limit
Manganese: 13% of the recommended daily limit
Iron: 5% of the recommended daily limit
Vitamin B6: 15% of the recommended daily limit
Dates are also high in antioxidants, which may contribute to their many health benefits, according to a report in Healthline.
Important components in dates
1- Dietary fiber
Getting enough fiber is important for your overall health. With approximately 7 grams of fiber in 100 grams, including dates in your diet is an excellent way to increase your fiber intake.
Fiber can benefit digestive health by preventing constipation. They also promote regular bowel movements by contributing to stool formation.
Furthermore, the fiber in dates may be beneficial for blood sugar control. Fiber slows digestion and may help prevent blood sugar levels from rising too high after eating.
For this reason, dates have a low glycemic index, which measures how quickly blood sugar rises after eating a certain food.
Dates provide many antioxidants that have a number of health benefits, including reducing the risk of many diseases.
Antioxidants protect cells from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that may cause harmful reactions in your body.
Compared to similar types of fruits such as figs and prunes, dates appear to have the highest antioxidant content.
Here's an overview of the 3 most powerful antioxidants in dates:
Flavonoids: 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 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.
The benefits of dates
1- Promoting brain health
Eating dates may help improve brain function. Studies have found that dates are useful in reducing inflammatory markers, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6) in the brain. High levels of interleukin 6 are associated with an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.
Other studies - including animal studies - have shown that dates are useful in reducing the activity of beta-amyloid proteins, which can form plaques in the brain.
When these plaques accumulate in the brain, they impede communication between brain cells, which can eventually lead to brain cell death and Alzheimer's disease.
2- Improving learning ability
One animal study found that rats fed a diet mixed with dates had significantly better memory and learning ability, as well as less anxiety-related behaviors, compared to those that did not eat them.
3- Stimulate natural labor
Dates have been studied for their ability to induce natural labor in pregnant women.
Eating this fruit during the last few weeks of pregnancy may promote cervical dilation and reduce the need for labor induction. It may also be useful in reducing delivery time.
In labor induction, the pregnancy care provider stimulates labor rather than allowing labor to start on its own. Providers induce labor to speed up the birth process in situations where the health of the mother or the fetus is at risk, or when the pregnant woman is past due.
The role that dates 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.
4- A natural solution
Dates are a source of fructose, a natural type of sugar found in fruit.
For this reason, dates are very sweet and also have a caramel-like taste. It makes a great healthy alternative to white sugar in recipes because of the nutrients, fiber and antioxidants it provides.
The best way to replace dates with white sugar is to make date paste, as in this recipe. It is prepared by mixing dates with water in a blender. The rule of thumb is to replace date paste with sugar in a 1:1 ratio.
For example, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of date paste will replace it.
5- Boosts energy
Dates are a natural source of sugar and carbohydrates, making them an ideal energy-boosting snack. This also makes it a great pre-workout food.
6- It may improve bone health
Dates contain quantities of minerals such as calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, which are essential for maintaining strong and healthy bones.
7- Prevents constipation
The high fiber content in dates aids digestion, prevents constipation, and promotes digestive health.
8- It may reduce the risk of cancer
Dates contain insoluble fibers such as beta-D-glucan that exhibit anti-tumor activity by inhibiting the growth and spread of cancer cells. Dates are also rich in carotenoids, phenols and other antioxidants that limit cancer growth by reducing inflammation and protecting cells from DNA damage.
9- Boosts the immune system
Dates contain vitamins A and C, which are essential for a healthy immune system and can help prevent various diseases and infections.
10- Promotes cardiovascular health
Dates are rich in potassium, which helps maintain heart health by lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease.
11- It improves skin health and gives you younger looking skin
The antioxidants and vitamins in dates promote skin health by reducing oxidative stress, preventing wrinkles, and nourishing the skin from within.
Like human hormones, plant hormones help plants grow and reproduce. It may also have anti-aging benefits for your skin. For this reason, plant hormones are sometimes used in skin care products. Dates are full of plant hormones.
12- Beneficial for pregnant women
Dates are an excellent source of dietary fiber, promote healthy digestion and help prevent constipation, which is a common concern during pregnancy.
Dates are full of essential vitamins and minerals, as they contain iron, potassium, and folic acid, which supports maternal health and fetal growth.
Dates provide a natural boost of energy due to their natural sugars, and offer a quick and healthy snack option for expectant mothers.
While dates offer many benefits, a pregnant woman should consult with her doctor to determine the permissible limit for her particular condition.
When should you not eat dates?
Although your body can digest food whenever you need it, there are some cases where eating dates is not the best idea, such as:
1- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
As an important source of fructose, eating dates can lead to bloating and stomach upset in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.
2- After eating a large meal
Dates contain a high percentage of fibre, which takes longer to digest. As a result, eating a large number of dates after a large meal may make you feel very full and uncomfortable.
3- If you suffer from allergies
Although date allergy is rare, some people may be sensitive or even allergic to dates. If you think this may apply to you, talk to your health care professional first.
4- Diarrhea
Dates contain a sugar alcohol known as sorbitol, which may increase bowel movements in some people. Therefore, it is best to limit or avoid dates until bowel movements return to normal.
Source: Al Jazeera + agencies