On the benefits and dangers of dates – legends are composed in the east, but is it really so? Let’s try to figure out what dates are. Dates are the edible fruits of a date palm. The plant comes from tropical hot countries, and more precisely, from the territory of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.
The fruits of this palm tree reach us already in the form of dried fruit. In the same form it is used in the Muslim world, considering it a useful delicacy and replacing it with sweets.
Where and how do they grow?
The homeland of the date palm tree is considered to be the territory of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco, where evidence of cultivation of this tree for 4 thousand years BC is found. e., although Indians, for example, are convinced that it was their ancestors who first discovered and domesticated this tree. In the countries of the Ancient East, dates were almost the main type of food. This tree has been growing for at least 60 years, and every year brings an abundant harvest. In ancient Egypt, an alcoholic beverage was made from the fruits of this palm.
Currently, the leader in the production and export of dates is Saudi Arabia. Not far behind it were Iraq and Iran, Egypt, Bahrain and Algeria, the United Arab Emirates, Syria and Tunisia. Even in the USA, you can now find date palm trees. For example, in the state of California. This tree is also found in Mexico and Australia.
A full crop with a date palm can be harvested for 5-6 year growth. From each tree you can collect up to 80 kg of fruit. There are also improved varieties that bring 150 kg from a tree.
The benefits and harms of dates
Dates are rightly considered to be exceptionally useful treats. Unlike the sweets we are used to, they strengthen and do not destroy the gums and teeth. It is believed that a person can live for several months, eating only these dried fruits, without depriving himself of the vital vitamins and minerals. No wonder he was given the name “desert bread.” By the way, dates, unlike other dried fruits, are not treated with sulfuric acid, which also speaks in their favor.
If we talk about vitamins, then in these fruits there are a lot of vitamins A, C, B, as well as niacin and pantothenic acid. It is these substances that help strengthen the skin and hair, positively affect vision and liver. And for the heart, dates are also not worthless – due to the content of potassium and magnesium, they are indicated for the prevention of heart diseases.
In addition, these dried fruits are exceptionally rich in dietary fiber, which means that they help digestion, lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar.
We all heard about the benefits of antioxidants. So, in dried dates, the highest concentration of these substances from all dried fruits.
It is clear that without a timely serving of dates, your health will not decline, but even doctors recognize the benefits of these fruits. So, according to health workers, these dried fruits do not serve as transmitters of dangerous bacteria or parasites and, on the contrary, fight harmful microbes, for example, amoeba, especially when taken on an empty stomach. Dates are included in the astronauts menu, as healthy food and medicine.
Dates are shown to pregnant and lactating women as useful health support.
Known mass of medical recipes. Something: to lengthen the eyelashes, it is advised to bring eyes before going to bed with powder from ground and burnt dates. To get rid of dystrophy – often drink a decoction of rice with dates. In case of nervous diseases, it is shown just to eat them, washed down with milk. Before a couple of dates, walnuts, exhaustion and thinness will recede, and poultices made from date sugar are effective for muscle pain.
The optimal daily dose is 10-15 pieces of fruit. And all this apart from the fact that they are simply delicious and this alone is able to cheer up and ward off depression. We also note that fruits with pits are considered the most useful.
About any precautions in the use of dates are still not known, they are useful to absolutely everyone, with the exception of people suffering from diabetes. No wonder people living in the desert call dates as bread, they claim that even if you eat only dates and water for a month, the damage to your body will be minimal.
How to choose
In order not to make a mistake in the choice, it is enough to examine the dried fruit carefully. Its peel should be dry and dark, with wrinkles. If the fruits are light, it means that they are not ripe. There should not be too many wrinkles on the skin – this indicates an overdried product.
There should not be any extraneous deposits or formations – sugar, mold, on the skin. And, of course, the fruit must be whole.
Varieties of dates are extremely many. Let’s say there is a deglet nur variety that comes to us from Algeria, or finger-type – they are also called mejul.
Calorie content
The glycemic index of this fruit is quite high – they can be said to be champions in this regard. For 100 g of product, as much as 300 kcal. Therefore, they are not recommended to be included in the diet of patients with diabetes and struggling with excess weight.
According to many nutritionists, dates normalize the work of the gastrointestinal tract and are useful for the work of the heart. Since this is still a fruit, it also contains vitamin C, which means it is indicated for the prevention of colds.
And, of course, let’s not forget that everything is good in moderation. Uncontrolled consumption can lead to the development of diabetes, since this fruit, as already mentioned, replaces sweets, and therefore contains a lot of sugar.
Do not include dates in the menu for those who suffer from fructose intolerance. The result of taking in this case will be diarrhea, gas and bloating.
But in the diet for losing weight, this useful product can be included only if you can control the number of calories.
So, if you use this healthy product in moderation and wisely, it will bring you only benefits and improve your health and well-being.
