Dates - Fruit

As we all know, dates are the fruits of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), which is believed to have its origin in northern Africa and western Asia. However, this palm is now widely cultivated in many regions of the world. The history of date cultivation can be traced back to the period of ancient Egyptians. It is said that the ancient Egyptians used to prepare wine form date fruits, which were also consumed in the fresh form. Even the Arabs started cultivating date palm from 6000 BCE. It was the Arabs, who introduced this fruit to most of the other regions across the globe. This article deals with the various aspects of dates fruit, including its nutrition and benefits.

Dates Fruit

A date palm can grow to a height of 25 to 30 meters and possesses a crown of green leaves. Fruits are formed in clusters, that develop beneath the leaves. The unripe fruits are found to be bright yellow or bright red in color. There are many different cultivars of dates that are classified as soft, semi dry and dry. While, 'medjool' is one of the popular variety of soft dates, 'dayri', 'zahidi', etc., are classified as semi dry and 'thoory' is a major dry type of dates fruits. The date fruits that are in the early stages of ripening are known in Arabic as 'kimri', whereas, those in the next stage are termed 'khalal', the ripe dates are called 'rutab' and when allowed to sun dry in the palm itself, the dates are called 'tamr'. Kimri is the unripe one, khalal is the soft and crunchy dates, rutab is fully ripe and soft and tamr is the sun dried ones.

Now, dates are one of the widely used fruits across the world. It can be eaten as such or can be pitted and filled. The commonly used fillings are walnuts, cashews, almonds, candied orange, marzipan, cream cheese, tahini, etc. Dates are among the most indispensable ingredients in both Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. It is also processed into various products, like, date syrup, date spread, date cubes, etc. The next paragraph deals with some dates fruit nutrition facts.

Dates Fruit Nutrition

Dates have a sweet taste that can be described as a mixture of honey and sugar syrup. Apart from its sweet taste, the fruit is highly nutritious as it is rich in vitamins A1, B1, B2, B3, B5 and has around twenty essential amino acids. It has high levels of potassium, phosphorous, calcium, etc and also contains dietary fiber in significant amounts. If you are looking for dates fruit calories, then, it is around 500 per cup (178 grams) of pitted dates. A large date of around eight grams may have approximately 23 calories. One cup of date fruits contains around 4.5 grams of protein, 0.7 gram fat, 134 grams carbohydrates, 14 grams dietary fiber, 113 grams sugar, etc. For a detailed view of the nutritional value of dates, have a look at dates nutritional value.

Dates Fruit Benefits

As dates fruits are highly nutritious with a wide range of beneficial compounds, it offers various health benefits too. It is rich in dietary fiber and this makes this fruit effective in preventing cholesterol absorption in the intestine. The high fiber content makes it a laxative too. Dates fruits contains high amounts of vitamin A, which is essential for eye health. Vitamin A also good for the skin and mucous membranes. Another dates health benefit is attributed by the presence of tannins that are antioxidants, which can fight inflammation, infection and hemorrhage. As mentioned above, dates contain around twenty amino acids that help in digestion. The potassium levels in dates is very high and this mineral promotes the health of the nervous system. Dates fruit is also known to boost sexual stamina. Being rich in beta-carotene and other flavonoids, dates protect the cells from the damage that can be caused by free radicals.

Now, you have a basic idea about dates fruits, its nutritional value and health benefits. So, include this fruit in your diet and reap the benefits.