Dates, Big Benefits In Small Fruits

Dates, a fruit obtained from date palms, are grown mainly in arid regions such as the Middle East and parts of California. They can be consumed fresh or dry, and they represent an important nutritional contribution, since they do not contain fat or cholesterol.

In addition, these fruits provide the body with nutrients that help increase energy and calm hunger. So, next, we talk about the properties that contribute to health.

Nutritional content of dates

Cardiovascular health

Dates are cholesterol-free and contain very little fat. In addition, as already mentioned, they are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, so they could  help regulate bad cholesterol levels.

Consuming these fruits can be beneficial to combat or prevent heart disease because the fiber they contain is insoluble, binds to fat and cholesterol and carries them out of the body. And so this study published in the International Journal of Pharmacolog and carried out in animals points out, so, for the moment, more research is necessary in this regard.

Digestive system

They take care of the digestive system due to its  soluble and insoluble fiber content and different types of amino acids. Dates have fiber, about 6% of the recommended daily intake per cup.

Thus, thanks to their properties, they help relieve constipation, as this article published in the Journal of medicinal food points out , which confirms its use in traditional Tunisian medicine. You can leave them to soak in water overnight, and in the morning you should drink the water and the soaked dates.

Power source

Dates are great energy boosters as they contain natural sugars like glucose, fructose and sucrose, but they  don’t raise blood sugar levels due to their low glycemic index.

Likewise, they have a high iron content and are useful in reducing anemia, as it helps to increase the level of hemoglobin in the blood, as evidenced by this research published in the Bali Medicinal Journal . This is important to keep in mind because one of the common symptoms of anemia is tiredness.

Nervous system

Since this fruit is rich in potassium and low in sodium, it can help regulate the nervous system. In addition, adequate potassium intake can reduce the risk of stroke.

Consuming one to three dates a day could help prevent nervous disturbances such as anxiety or mild depression. In this way, certain more serious mood disorders could be prevented in the long term.

Other benefits

Also, dates can be effective for other health problems:

• They are antioxidant foods that help prevent aging  and stress states.
• They have anti-inflammatory properties in the body that can improve some types of pain. And so this study published in the International journal of clinical and experimental medicine shows .
• Due to their flavonoid content, as the study just mentioned, dates could help reduce the risk of diabetes.
• Thanks to their fiber content, they are a very satiating food.

How to incorporate dates in the diet?

Another great advantage of dates is that they are very versatile and can be included in the diet in many ways. They are usually eaten for breakfast or as a snack.

Their texture also makes them an ideal food to improve the flavor of baked goods or cereal bars. They can even be used in making sauces, salad dressings, and smoothies.

In short, as you have seen, dates are a tasty and healthy fruit,  and they provide a good dose of energy thanks to their many beneficial properties for the body. What are you waiting for to try them and include them in your diet?