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Is This Natural Sugar Alternative Actually Healthy? The Truth About Dates

If you’ve ever been to Palm Springs, you may have noticed that dates are everywhere. The shriveled little fruits are the star ingredient in the city’s famed date shakes and sticky date cakes; in fact, there are so many date farms in the area that touring one is regularly listed as one of the area’s many “things to do.” But dates aren’t just a Palm Springs thing—they’ve long been a staple in traditional Middle Eastern and North African cuisine. They’re an extremely important part of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, when they are traditionally eaten each day at sunset to break the day’s fast.

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 The Sweet and Sticky History of the Date

Throughout the Middle East, the versatile fruit has been revered since antiquity. How will it fare in a changing world? Long before refrigeration, dried dates could keep for years, making them invaluable for travelers across seas and deserts. They can be turned into honey by boiling and straining the fruit; in fact, the biblical phrase “land of milk and honey” refers to honey from dates, not bees. They can also be fermented into liquor, like the date wine enjoyed by ancient Babylonians, according to the historian Herodotus.

Articles of Interest

Dates: The Sticky History of a Sweet Fruit

Up until the last century, Americans did not think too highly of dates. So what caused them to change their minds? Marketing, baby. For date growers in the early 20th century, the connection with the Middle East was too much to resist.

A date to remember

I suspect that one reason for the date's growing popularity is its sweet nature. More than half the weight of this fruit is sugar, and they therefore tend to do a good job of sating the sweet tooth that can bite some of us from time to time. However, nutritional analysis reveals that dates are a good degree healthier than other sugar-charged foods that we may be tempted to consume. Dates are rich in a range of nutritional goodies you'd be hard pressed to find in a handful of Ferrero Rocher or a slice of yule log.

Afternoon Snack: Dates! (They're Nature's Candy)

I recently bought a pack of organic Medjool dates, and I have been loving every single bite. Yes, they're a bit sweeter than your average dried fruit, but here's why I think dates are so fantastic ...

Amazing Health Benefits of Dates: A Nutrient-Rich Superfood

Did you know the nutritional value of dates? Well, these tasty 100 g dates contain an average of 314 kcal. Dates are nature's sweet gift, known as "nature's candy." In fact, dates have a rich history and are known to have been eaten for thousands of years—these delicious fruits are packed with both flavor and nutrition. But dates aren't just a tasty treat; they are also a powerhouse of health benefits.

Are Dates Actually That Good for You?

All of a sudden, it feels like everyone is obsessed with dates: the brown, shriveled fruits from tropical date palm trees that resemble large raisins. Dates are the subject of countless, gushing social-media posts proclaiming that the sweet fruits improve digestion and blood sugar, give you more energy, and benefit various organs. Plus, they’re a natural way to sweeten baked goods, smoothies, and desserts.

Dates are the superfood you should consider adding to your diet

Have you ever wondered why a lot of ‘healthy’ recipes recommend substituting added sugars like granulated sugar and honey for dates for sweetness. Well, that is because dates, which come from the Date Palm tree, are an underrated super food with a lot of nutritional benefits. High in calories and with a sweet caramelly taste and sticky texture, they are a significant part of the Middle Eastern/Mediterranean diet. And they could work wonders for you.

Dates Debunked: Are They Actually Healthy?

What are dates? And are they actually as healthy as we’re led to believe? Here’s everything you need to know about this delicious Middle Eastern fruit, from the different varieties to storage tips to nutritional information.

Dates truly are the fruit of paradise

Biting through the paper-thin skin of a medjool to the juicy sweetness of the flesh beneath, it seems impossible that anyone could not appreciate the wonders of dates. One of the "fruits of paradise" in Islamic tradition, they can be used for everything from omelettes to dips, and are pretty nutritious to boot.

During Ramadan, Dates Are a Unifying Staple

During Ramadan, the far-flung Muslim communities of the world are unified by one food: the date, one of the earliest cultivated crops and an ancient icon of the Middle East, where the thick-trunked date palm is a symbol of hospitality, rest and peace.

Forbidding Fruit: How America Got Turned On To The Date

Gardens of date palms stretch mile after mile through the Coachella Valley. More than 90 percent of the dates harvested in the U.S. are grown here. One of the most popular varieties is the Medjool date. "All the Medjool dates can be traced back to a single oasis in Morocco," says Doug Adair. Nine offshoots taken from the Oasis of Boudenib, Morocco, are the source of all the present trees.

Health Benefits of Dates: A Sweet Superfood for a Healthy Life

There are numerous health benefits associated with eating dates. These include improved digestion, strengthened bones, and improved vision. Dates are rich in soluble fiber, which helps promote healthy digestion by helping food move through your digestive tract more quickly. The high levels of calcium and phosphorus in dates can also help strengthen your bones and teeth. Dates are also known to be beneficial for your eyesight. They contain two key carotenoids – lutein and zeaxanthin – which are known to help protect your eyes from age-related degeneration. Studies have shown that consuming dates regularly can help reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration……

Medjool: A Date to Remember

Ancient cultures called the date palm "the tree of life," and used all parts of the tree, from the trunk to the leaves. Dates are still a staple source of nutrition for nomadic peoples because of their high carbohydrate content, high potassium levels and easy portability.

Nutritional and functional properties of dates: a review

Date flesh is found to be low in fat and protein but rich in sugars, mainly fructose and glucose. It is a high source of energy, as 100 g of flesh can provide an average of 314 kcal.

Sugar rush: how dates went from rare luxury to healthfood sensation

This boom is a product of consumer demand for alternatives to refined sugar. Dates may be 80% sugar themselves, but because they are high in fibre, your body absorbs it more gradually, so your blood sugar levels won’t spike as much as they would if you ate a chocolate bar. Handily, the fibre in dates can also aid in easing constipation. With the rise of wellness culture, dates have become a sort of cure-all, the glue in everything from cookies to cake.

The Benefits of Dates, One of Nature’s Sweetest Superfoods

If you're searching for a fuss-free, sweet snack that's also good for you, consider the benefits of dates. The fruit of the date palm tree, with Middle Eastern roots dating back thousands of years, these satisfying treats are beloved by home cooks and health professionals alike, for ample reason.

The Sweet Health Benefits of Dates

Move over raisins and prunes! There’s a trendier dried fruit in town. Dates come from date palm trees, which grow in tropical climates. While dates can be eaten fresh off the tree, they’re easier to find in their dehydrated (dried) form. “Dates are loaded with natural sugars, so drying them only intensifies their sweet, caramel-like flavor,” says registered dietitian Gillian Culbertson, RD, LD. “But just because they’re sugary doesn’t mean they’re bad for you. Dates have a lot of benefits and are packed with nutrients your body needs.”

Therapeutic effects of date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera) in the prevention of diseases via modulation of anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-tumour activity

The current treatment approach for the diseases prevention such as cancer and diabetes based on synthetic drugs is expensive, shows unwanted adverse effects; alter the genetic and metabolic pathways. Thus, a safe, effective, affordable approach is needed to control the disease development and progression. Dates and their constituents are a good remedy as they are inexpensive, effective and easy to access

These Are the Dates You Should Be Stocking in Your Kitchen

The fruit of the date palm is eaten fresh, semi-dried and dried. In the Middle East, ancient nomads relied on it as a highly portable source of concentrated flavor and nutrients (potassium and magnesium, among others). Today, hosts offer a platter of dates, with small cups of Arabic coffee, to welcome guests in homes, offices, even gyms. Varieties number in the dozens, from the small, chewy Ajwa to the cone-shaped Sukkari, also known as the Royal Date.

What's in a date? History, health and sweetness

Dates have long been a snack full of sweetness and significance. Cultivated for at least 6,000 years, the palm date tree plays a role in several religious faiths. Among Muslims, a taste of date is given to infants as a ceremonial first meal, and the fruit is prominent during Ramadan, a month for fasting from sunrise to sunset. "It's customary for Muslims all around the world to break their fast with dates and water, or dates and milk," said Sara Elnakib, chair of the department of family and community health sciences at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She has a doctorate in public health education.

Why the Scrumptious Date Is So Important to the Muslim World

The Prophet Muhammed said that Ajwah dates—grown in the Madinah region of Saudi Arabia—are from paradise

Resources

10 Health Benefits of Dates—and Delicious Ways to Eat Them, According to RDs

These sweet, gooey treats are packed with nutritious goodness. If you're overlooking dates—those wrinkly little fruits nestled between raisins and prunes at the grocery store—you're sleeping on an amazing addition to your healthy-food repertoire. Dates are oval-shaped fruits consisting of a single seed (or stone) surrounded by sticky, edible flesh similar to cherries, mangoes, and peaches.

Five Ways to Eat Dates

According to the Islamic calendar, which is based on a lunar cycle, this is the month of Ramadan, when Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset. Following the tradition of Prophet Muhammad, Muslims often break their fast, in an evening meal called iftar, with dates. Rich in vitamins and minerals, dates are known to help energize the body and pacify hunger—perfect nourishment after 15 hours or so without food and water.