Dates is a fruit that can be consumed directly without addition of any other ingredient. It is also sweet and thus lazy girls like me can just pop one or two anytime we want. There are even seedless dates available that you don’t have to worry about even taking the seed before consuming. I was really surprised to know that such a small fruit has so many useful fibres that my doctor always says that the saying “apple a day keeps the doctor away” holds good for dates too.
One cup of pitted, chopped dates contains 3.6 grams of protein, 415 calories and 11.8 grams of dietary fiber.
Minerals:
Potassium - 964 mg
Phosphorus - 91 mg
Magnesium - 63 mg
Calcium - 57 mg
Sodium - 3 mg
Iron - 1.5 mg
Selenium 4.4 mcg
Manganese - 0.385 mg
Copper - 0.303 mg
Zinc - 0.43 mg
Also contains small amounts of other minerals.
Vitamins:
Vitamin A - 15 IU
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) - 0.076 mg
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - 0.097 mg
Niacin - 1.873 mg
Folate - 28 mcg
Pantothenic Acid - 0.866 mg
Vitamin B6 - 0.243 mg
Vitamin C - 0.6 mg
Vitamin E - 0.07 mg
Vitamin K - 4 mcg
Contains some other vitamins in small amounts.
Promoting Digestive Health, Relieving Constipation – Fiber is essential for promoting colon health and making for regular bowel movements. The insoluble and soluble fiber found in dates help to clean out the gastrointestinal system, allowing the colon to work at greater levels of efficiency. Some other benefits relating to fiber and colon health are reduced risks of colitis, colon cancer, and hemorrhoids. (Dates could even be coupled with other home remedies for hemorrhoids.)
Boosting Heart Health – In addition to promoting colon health, fiber is also known to boost heart health.
Anti-Inflammatory – Dates are rich in magnesium – a mineral known for its anti-inflammatory benefits. One study found that “inflammatory indicators in the body such as CRP (C-reactive protein), TNF (tumor necrosis factor alpha), and IL6 (interleukin 6) were all reduced when magnesium intake was increased.” Further, inflammation in the arterial walls was also reduced with magnesium intake. Based on magnesium’s anti-inflammatory properties and the findings of this study, magnesium can effectively reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and other inflammation-related health ailments.
Reduced Blood Pressure – Magnesium has been shown to help lower blood pressure – and again, dates are full of the mineral. Additionally, potassium is another mineral in dates that has several functions within the body, aiding with the proper workings of the heart and helping to reduce blood pressure.
Reduced Stroke Risk – After evaluating 7 studies published over a 14 year time period, researchers found stroke risk was reduced by 9% for every every 100 milligrams of magnesium a person consumes per day. The research can be found in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
A Healthy Pregnancy and Delivery – Further adding to the health benefits of dates, one study performed by researchers at the University of Science and Technology set out to discover how the date fruit impacted labor parameters and delivery outcomes. After studying 69 women for a year and 1 month, the researchers found that “the consumption of date fruit in the last 4 weeks before labour significantly reduced the need for induction and augmentation of labour, and produced a more favourable, but non-significant, delivery outcome. The results warrant a randomised controlled trial.”
Boosting Brain Health – Some studies, such as one found in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that sufficient vitamin B6 levels are associated with improved brain performance and better test scores.
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