What Are Dates ?
What Are Dates? Dates are an organic product made from the fruit of the date palm tree, native to the Middle East but now popular throughout Europe, Asia, North America and Mexico.
Dates are harvested either manually by climbing up palm trees or with mechanical harvesters. As they age, their skins darken and wrinkle as more moisture leaves their natural product – usually signalling when harvesting begins. This usually requires someone climbing up the palm tree or using mechanical lift.
Dates can appear to resemble large, wilted raisins when harvested; despite their outward appearance, however, they actually contain moisture. Whole dates contain a stone at their core that should be taken out prior to consumption while pitted dates don’t.
Dates are widely available year round, yet their fresh form is particularly good between November and January.
Medjool dates stand out as being an impressive variety, featuring superior taste and surface characteristics compared to others.
Check out our comprehensive selection of health benefit guides or browse some of our most delicious date plans; begin your day right with date-tahini porridge, and end it off right with mackerel, date aubergine and protected lemon relish for a satisfying day’s meal plan!
Nutritional benefits of dates
A 30g Serving of dates (dried) gives:
- 81 kcal/345KJ
- 1.0g Protein
- 0.1g Fat
- 20.4g Carbohydrates
- 20.4g Sugar
- 1.6g Fiber
- 210mg Potassium
A serving of 30g of dates considers one of your five-a-day. Find more in our five-a-day infographic.
Top 5 health benefits of dates
1. Rich In Protective Antioxidants
Dates are an abundant source of protective plant compounds with antioxidant properties, including polyphenols, carotenoids and lignans which have been demonstrated to assist in managing risk of chronic disease.
2. May Support Gut Health
Research continues to substantiate fiber’s vital role in health, from maintaining an ideal gut microbiome balance and decreasing risks associated with chronic health conditions, such as cancer or heart disease.
A small 2015 investigation discovered that date consumption may help decrease colon cancer due to their high fiber and polyphenol contents, the latter also having antimicrobial benefits.
3. May Support Bone Health
Dates are an excellent source of nourishing minerals essential for strong bones, such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium. In addition, dates provide vitamin K – an essential nutrient needed for strong and healthy bones.
4. May Facilitate A Natural Birth
Include dates in your diet during the final weeks of gestation to increase cervical dilation and reduce the need for inducing labor. They have also been found useful in shortening labor times as compounds found in them mimic oxytocin’s effects, which is known to induce labor contractions.
5. May Be A Useful Sugar Replacement
Date syrup is a paste made by blending dates with water and has an extremely low Glycaemic Index (GI) score and lower fructose content than most sugar-containing products.
