Dates may be a popular fruit of choice during Ramadan, but not so much for the rest of the year. The numerous health benefits of dates has made the delicious fruit the most sought after food in the world of health and nutrition. Dates possess a rich nutritional profile having high-calorie content than other fresh fruits. These fruits arise from date palm trees grown in tropical regions of the world. Dates can be either fresh or dried. You can identify them based on their appearance as dried dates will look wrinkled. They are sweet in flavor with a chewy texture. Besides being tasty, there are also many health benefits of dates. They are considered a superfood as well.
Fruits contain natural sugar, which does not cause any harm to the body if eaten in the right amounts. Dates are one of them; they contain plenty of natural sugar in them loaded with nutrition. This combination makes them a highly consumable snack.
Here are the 5 benefits of dates:
1) Rich in fibre content
Consuming dates is one of the best ways to enhance your fibre intake and accomplish its need. Fibre present in dates is known to control blood sugar levels by slowing down digestion. This process prevents the levels from rising immediately after eating food. Due to this reason, the glycemic index is low in dates.
2) Fights of diseases
Dates, with the help of antioxidants, fight off disease-causing agents. Antioxidants’ presence prevents the body from free radicals, reactive oxygen species molecules, that may cause life-threatening reactions in our bodies. The three most important antioxidants are –
- Flavonoids: Their primary role is the reduction of inflammation to reduce the possibilities of diseases like Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and some cancer.
- Carotenoids: They function to reduce the chances of macular degeneration or other eye-related disorders.
- Phenolic acid: They also contain anti-inflammatory properties. They function to reduce the likelihood of heart diseases and cancer.
3) Good for pregnancy
Dates can support a healthy pregnancy by helping the women in their calorie intake and promote natural labor by cervical dilation in the last few weeks. It reduces the need for induced labor and can decrease labor time. Some doctors believe that the compounds present in dates bind to the hormone oxytocin, which is known to cause labor contractions. It appears to imitate the functions of oxytocin during childbirth. The presence of tannins in dates facilitates the contractions during childbirth. The natural sugar and calories present in them are useful in maintaining high energy levels during labor as well.
4) Regulates cholesterol level
Dates are a good source of soluble fiber, which can help to reduce LDL cholesterol, which is a major factor contributing to heart problems. Also, dates being rich in potassium reduces the risk of stroke and other heart related problems.
5) Promote skin health
Vitamin C and vitamin D present in dates is good enough to promote skin elasticity properties. It fights from other skin conditions like rashes, itching, and acne. It provides the skin with anti-ageing benefits with the help of phytohormones and prevents melanin accumulation. The incorporation of dates in diet can produce long-term effects.
Dates can be consumed in whichever way you want. You can directly chew them, blend them, or add them as your natural sweetener. You can try this delicious and popular date recipe.
# Dates Milkshake
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Cow’s milk or Nut milk
- 2-3 soaked Dates, pitted
- 4-5 Almonds/ 3-4 halves Walnuts
- A pinch Cardamom powder
Method:
- Add all ingredients in a blender along with ice cubes.
- Blend it till smooth and serve.
