Dates fruit health benefits

Dates fruit benefits are worthy of discussing in that they relieve cough and also soothe the bronchial passages. Arabians in the desert regions consider the date palm trees as “the life source”.

This date palm fruit provides nutritious fruits, dates and also beverages that are seemingly sugary when the tree trunk is tapped. The date palm tree also makes available textile fibers for making ropes and garments and a shade which provides refreshing moments.

Discussing about the dates fruit benefits, they have served as a staple food for families in various Middle East countries. And this has been on for millennia. However, some folks in the Western parts of the globe only consider them a dessert or sweet thereby neglecting their nutritional and health benefits.

The name “ date” comes from the Greek word “dactylos”, meaning; “ finger”, because of the shape of the fruit which similar to the fingers.

Other names

Date palm, Deglet Noor date, Bahri date

German:     Dattel

French:       Datte

Spanish:      Dátil, támara

Dates are the fruits of the date palm tree (Phoenix dactylifera’ L). It is a tree belonging to the botanical family Palmaceae, which reaches up a height of 20  – 25 meters.

In the Mesopotamian region, dates have been cultivated for over thousands of years precisely between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Arabians introduced the date palm tree to other hot regions of east and south of the Iberian Peninsula. Spaniards made their way with it to the American continent and today, California is one the primary producers of dates.

 

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Dates Fruit composition

This is based on 100 grams of dates

Energy                           =       275 kcal = 1,151 kj

Carbohydrates               =       66.0 g

Protein                           =       1.97 g

Fiber                               =       7.50 g

Vitamin A                         =       5.00 µg  RE

Vitamin B₁                            =       0.090 mg

Vitamin B₂                             =       0.100 mg

Vitamin B₆                         =       0.192 mg

Vitamin B₁₂                       =       ____

Niacin                             =       3.03 mg NE

Folate                             =       12.6 µg

Vitamin C                      =       3.00 mg

Vitamin E                      =       0.100 mg α-TE

Calcium                         =       32.0 mg

Phosphorus                   =       40.0 mg

Iron                                =       1.15 mg

Potassium                      =       652 mg

Zinc                                =       0.290 mg

Total Fat                        =       0.450 g

Saturated Fat                 =       0.191 g

Cholesterol                    =       ___

Sodium                          =       3.00 g

This is based on % daily value on a 2, 000 calorie diet

Dates fruit percentage Composition

Water                   =                 22.5%

Fat                        =                0.450%

Protein                 =                 1.97%

Carbohydrates     =                66.0%

Minerals               =                1.58%

Fiber                     =                 7.50%

Dates fruit benefits are quite enormous because dates are one of the foods for the respiratory system. This is because dates are capable providing relief from cough and also promotes the soothing of the bronchial passages as stated earlier.

Some Properties and Indications on Date fruit

Records have it that dates are one of the energy-giving fruits since they are a good source of energy. While in Nigeria, there are some stories that have been told regarding dates fruits.

We learnt that people in the northern Nigeria always resort this energy-rich fruit for immediate energy since they have a long trekking to do; mostly the herders, travelers within and around the sub-Sahara.

With dates fruits and some water, you are good to go. Dates provide enormous strength and to add to it, it’s quite tasty and can be used to prepare other kinds of drinkables.

100 grams of dates which is about 10 dates makes available 275 calories and this actually represents 11% of the daily energy needs of an adult male. The following are some of the dates fruit nutrients:

B group vitamins

B1, B2, B6 and niacin in particular. These vitamins foster the use of sugars by the cells of the body. Dates make available these important nutrients which profit the body system with their invigorating properties.

Sugars

About 66% are made of fructose and glucose. Therefore, dates are highly rich in sugars

 

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Minerals

Dates are also among the richest fruits that provide minerals. Among those with significant amount are; potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and also calcium. In order of their importance, potassium and iron comes first, then followed by magnesium and phosphorus. Other trace elements such as manganese, copper and zinc are also present in some significant amounts.

Vegetable Fiber

100 grams of dates fruits can make available the one- third of Recommended Diary Allowance (RDA) of vegetable fiber. They are soluble fibers which come in form of pectin and gums. However, insoluble fiber and cellulose fiber are also present

Dates are highly energy-producing foods, although dates have low protein content which is barely 2%.

This is quite compared to other fresh fruits except the avocado. The good thing is that their protein is easily assimilated by the body. Fat content relatively low, about 0.5%.

The following are the dietary and therapeutic applications of dates.

Respiratory Disorders

As one of health benefits of dates, they have been used to treat and relieve excessively dry cough and also to combat bronchial colds. Their soothing effect is all felt in the bronchial passages. This may be as a result of richness in sugars and probably other components that may not have been identified yet.

The effective method for the respiratory disorder is to boil them in a milk.

Low Protein

Health benefits of dates fruit are also seen in their low protein content and this recommended and useful in cases of renal failure or when there is need to reduce protein intake.

High-Energy Diets

Dates are recommended in cases of weakness or fatigue at any age. This is because they hold invigorating effects and also rich in sugars, minerals and vitamins. In essence, they exert enormous beneficial effects on lactating mother, adolescents and athletes.

Among other health benefits of dates is that when stuffed with oil-bearing nuts such as hazelnut, walnuts and almond they tend to provide enormous strength for the young and athletes.

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Preparation and Use of Dates fruits

1. Fresh: when they are fresh, they seem softer and quite pleasant than when dried. Fresh dates are somewhat better but very expensive. Some dates are frozen in the originating countries before they thawed as soon as they are to be exported to market. The freezing doesn’t affect big time.
2. Dry dates: The traditional way of preserving dates is to dry them and to avoid them having tough texture, you will have to soak them in milk or water before consumption.
3. Boiled: it is recommended to boil 100 grams of dates inside a a half liter of soymilk or cow’s milk. The boiling should be for few minutes. A spoonful of honey may be introduced. This is the recommended method when treating respiratory disorders.

 Note

Diabetics and the obese must be cautious when consuming dates. This is because they are extraordinarily rich in sugars. It is recommended to avoid dates if one is diabetic or obese.

 

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