Know Health Benefits and Nutritional Facts of Dates

Whether you are looking for a sweet treat with natural goodness or a nutritionally packed snack to fight fatigue, dates easily qualify as the perfect choice for most health enthusiasts. High in carbohydrates and fibre, and rich in exotic taste and essential minerals, dates can be a healthy addition to any diet.

 Originally dates came from the Middle East and South Asia. It was prominently so around the Persian Gulf and River Nile. Today they are grown extensively in the warm climate zones across Africa, Europe and Asia. The date fruit belongs to the ‘drupe’ category having a fleshy outer layer and an inner hardened pit with a seed.

Date variants are available either as the soft ‘Medjool’ and ‘Khadrawy’, the semi dry ‘Deglet Noor’ or the dry form ‘Thoory’. The popular and revered cultivars include ‘Medjool’, ‘Khadrawy’, ‘Amer Haji’, ‘Khalasah’, ‘Kenta’ and ‘Khajoor’.

Weighty Affair!

Dates are cholesterol free and loaded with dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. These energy-dense delicious fruits are rich in potassium (which helps to check hypertension), calcium (which is useful for skeletal and dental health), selenium (the immunity booster), magnesium and copper.

If the antioxidants in dates are chiefly the powerful carotenoids, the vitamins comprise the entire range of the B complex – B6, niacin, and folic acid. It is also rich in amino acids. About 100 g of fresh dates provide 400 kcal approximately. So, the flip side is you must be careful about nibbling on too many dates! It is especially so if you are trying to watch your weight.

Browse our online health magazine Apollo Life to know more benefits of Dates.