Dates are not only a delicious and versatile fruit, but they also pack a powerful nutritional punch, providing numerous benefits for your skin, hair, and overall health. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, dates have been enjoyed for centuries for their natural goodness. In this article, we will explore 17 amazing benefits of dates that can help you achieve a radiant complexion, luscious hair, and improved well-being.
Dates Health Benefits
1. Cholesterol and fat:
Dates are free from any
cholesterol content and do not contain fat in excess amounts. You can
easily avoid food that makes you obese and start having dates.
2. Proteins:
Proteins are required by the body in
a readily assimilated manner and they are the main building blocks for
muscles. They are very essential for regular functioning of the body and
hence getting them from a protein rich source such as dates is a very
fine idea.
3. Vitamins:
Dates are also rich in various forms
of Vitamins associated with its consumption. Vitamins such as B1, B2,
B3 and B5 are very common with others such as A1 and C making the effort
of obtaining Vitamins even easier.
4. Energy:
This is one of the top benefits of
eating dates. Energy is very important in our busy schedules these days.
Hence carrying dates for a quick bite is a very good option as the
natural sugars in it boost the energy in the body instantly and gives
you immediate results. It avoids the need for you to have a snack or a
low calorie energy meal.
5. Potassium and Sodium:
Dates are rich in
potassium and have very less sodium which is a good combination for a
healthy nervous system. The potassium intake has the capability to solve
the risk of a stroke in the body and it also helps in reducing
cholesterol.
6. Iron:
Iron is an important element for the
human body but often people fail to consumer the adequate amounts due to
the difference in the ingredients in their meals. Dates are rich
sources for iron which can be very helpful for iron deficiency. The
fluorine content in dates also helps from tooth decaying.
7. Constipation:
People suffering from
constipation have dates soaked in the water for better results. Having
this helps in some serious issues with constipation to quite an extent.
8. Weight gain and intoxication:
Dates are good
supplements for weight gain and should be consumed by the under
nourished or people who want to lose weight. The way of consuming dates
might differ though. They are also used for detoxifying the body after
over consumption of alcohol.
9. Sexual advantage:
Dates are known to increase
one’s sexual stamina for which they have been used even as aphrodisiacs
since ages. It is consumed with goat milk in which it is soaked
overnight.
10. Abdominal cancer cure:
Dates have no side
effects and can be blindly consumed in your daily diet easily. Dates
help in curing abdominal cancer and are also known to improve eyesight
and night blindness.With the above health benefits, one must make it a
habit to include dates in their daily diet.
Dates Skin Benefits
Besides being one of the sweetest fruits in the world, dates are loaded with vitamins A, B1, B2, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron and magnesium. These contribute to the overall health, including the health of the skin. Thus, the benefit of dates for your skin are the following ways:
11. Improves Skin Elasticity:
Dates are a good
source of vitamin C and vitamin P. These help enhance the skin’s
elasticity. These also enrich the subcutaneous tissues, thus making your
skin tender and smooth. Hence, proper intake of dates can combat
various skin problems, as well as strengthen the elasticity of your
skin.
12. Anti-ageing Benefits:
Free radicals damage
your skin cells, causing premature ageing of skin. Vitamin C present in
dates helps resist oxidation. It also prevents the accumulation of
melanin inside your body, thus decreasing fine lines and wrinkles. Red
dates have been considered as an herbal elixir of life. They are
renowned for enriching and replenishing blood, thus providing you with a
youthful looking skin.
13. Treatment of Skin Problems:
Vitamin B
contained in dates is beneficial for your skin. Deficiency of this
vitamin can lead to several skin problems. Being a natural source of
vitamin B, dates can help remove skin problems like stretch marks.
14. Benefits of Dates Oil:
The oil extracted from
dates is loaded with the nutritional value of dates. They also contain
anti-microbial properties which make it a perfect massage oil to treat
skin problems. In fact, it is a popular age-old remedy for regenerating
and rejuvenating ageing skin, cuts and scars.
Dates Hair Benefits
The health of your hair
depends upon your overall health. Hair follicles require adequate supply
of nutrients for optimal growth and maintenance. Being packed with
these nutrients, dates offer the following benefits to your hair:
15. Strengthens the Hair Follicles:
Dates are
excellent for your hair. Consuming 2 to 3 dates every day will
strengthen your hair follicles and make your hair strands stronger and
healthier.
16. Combats Hair Loss:
Vitamin B contained in
dates is beneficial for your hair. Deficiency of this vitamin can lead
to weak and brittle hair. Anaemia is also one of the causes of hair
loss, especially among women. Dates contain iron which can effectively
cure anaemia caused during menstruation and delivery. Thus, eating dates
is a natural way of treating hair loss problems. In case of
excessivehair fall, dry dates can nourish your hair roots, thus making
your hair stronger. This is one of the most popular benefits of dry
dates.
17. Dates Oil for Healthy Hair:
Being packed with nutrients, dates oil is excellent for your hair as it strengthens the hair follicles and helps combat hair problems.
How to Select and Store?
Selection:
- Dates are generally sold whole and packaged in narrow boxes or pressed into blocks.
- While buying fresh dates, look for plump, moist and unbruised fruits that are soft with glossy skins.
- Fresh dates can be slightly wrinkled but they should not feel hard and should not have crystallized sugar on their skins.
- Fresh and dried dates have a similar appearance except that dried dates are a little wrinkly.
- They should not look emaciated and should be plump and glossy with an even colour.
Storage:
- Fresh dates should be kept in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
- Dried dates, having a longer shelf life, can be stored in the same manner for up to 1 year.
- Freezing the dates extends their lifespan when kept in an airtight plastic bag or container.
Tips for Usage (Cooking/Eating)
Due to their sweet and chewy texture, dates can be consumed directly without any additions. Before proceeding to consume dates or use them in cooking, make sure you wash them thoroughly. Moreover, you should buy and eat only those dates which have been properly packed and processed. Dates are, indeed, one of the quickest and easiest fruits that can be eaten. Given below are a few tips to enjoy these delicious fruits.
1. Good Snacks & Also Flavour Enhancers:
Dried dates can be eaten directly as snacks. They can also be soaked in liquids like tea or various types of alcohol to boost their flavour and moisture.
2. Tips to Remove the Seed from Flesh:
To remove the seed from a fresh date, push it out with your fingers by slitting it open lengthways. Remove and push the flesh closed again. Its flesh can be removed by pulling off the stem and then pinching at one end to push the flesh out.
3. Perfect for Stuffing:
Dates can be stuffed with fillings like almonds, walnuts, candied orange and cream cheese. Dates are perfect for stuffing. They can be stuffed with almonds or pecans and rolled in powdered sugar. Place them on greased wax paper in the refrigerator until ready to serve. They can be served with tea or coffee.
4. Perfect Ingredient for Fruit Salads:
They can be chopped and added to fruit salads as well as a range of sweet and savoury dishes.
- Stir together shallot and lime juice in a small bowl and allow it to stand for 5 minutes.
- Whisk in olive oil, sugar and salt.
- Cut and peel the white pith from grapefruit with a sharp knife and cut the sections free from membranes.
- Toss some dates with mustard greens in a large bowl.
- Toss the mustard greens with dressing and salt to taste.
- This salad can be topped with grapefruit sections and garnished with pomegranate seeds.
5. Used to Prepare ‘Jallab’:
Dates are also used to prepare juice. This is combined with grape molasses and rose water to prepare the syrup called “Jallab” which is popular in the Middle East.
6. As Chocolate Dips:
Chocolate covered dates are a perfect dessert choice.
- Dip your dates in chocolates and place them on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- You can stuff these dates with a nut of your choice.
- Melt some chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for about 3 minutes, stirring while cooking.
- With the help of a skewer, dip each date in chocolate
- Allow the excess chocolate to fall by carefully rotating the skewer.
- These dipped dates can be placed in the parchment and sprinkled with coconut flakes.
- Refrigerate them for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
7. Used in Preparation of Sandwich:
You can prepare a delicious sandwich by combining dates with peanut butter and bananas.
- Lightly toast whole wheat pita bread and cut each in halves.
- Open the pita pockets
- Spread 2 tablespoons peanut butter on one side of the inside of each pita pocket.
- Sprinkle some chopped dates over peanut butter and drizzle with honey.
- Divide banana slices among pita pockets and close the sandwiches, pressing slightly.
8. For Candies & Decorating Buns:
In the Middle East, dates are made into a paste which is eaten with fruits, or turned into candies or even used for decorating buns.
With so many options of having dates, we are absolutely sure that you will include this healthy fruit in your diet.
| Principle | Nutrient Value | Percentage of RDA |
| Energy | 277 Kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 74.97 g | 58% |
| Protein | 1.81g | 3% |
| Total Fat | 0.15 g | <1% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 6.7 g | 18% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folates | 15 µg | 4% |
| Niacin | 1.610 mg | 10% |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.805 mg | 16% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.249 mg | 19% |
| Riboflavin | 0.060 mg | 4.5% |
| Thiamin | 0.050 mg | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 149 IU | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0% |
| Vitamin K | 2.7 µg | 2% |
| Electrolytes | ||
| Sodium | 1 mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 696 mg | 16% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 64 mg | 6.5% |
| Copper | 0.362 mg | 40% |
| Iron | 0.90 mg | 11% |
| Magnesium | 54 mg | 13% |
| Manganese | 0.296 mg | 13% |
| Phosphorus | 62 mg | 9% |
| Zinc | 0.44 mg | 4% |
| Phyto-nutrients | ||
| Carotene-ß | 89 µg | – |
| Crypto-xanthin-ß | 0 µg | – |
| Lutein-zeaxanthin | 23 µg | – |
