One of the dry fruits which we generally use to make delicious sweet dishes is none other than dates. Even if you consume it like that, it will taste delicious. This is also added by the bakers while making fruit cake. It is also really good for your health with its wide range of health benefits.
Many people consume this fruit on a regular basis as they know its nutritional value. The fruit rich in vitamins and minerals are consumed by people around the world. Even if you belong to such place where dates are not available, today the super markets have imported products. Along those imported range, you can easily get it.
Dates are one type of dry fruit which is really tasty. It has natural nutritional benefits that make an individual stay healthy for a long time. It is also used as one of the items as Prasad in many deity worship venues. There are different categories of dates each growth with different types of climatic conditions. Some are with thick flesh and little sticky from outside. But there are dates which have a smooth polish from outside with thin layer and a seed inside. Each types of dates have different nutritional factor and benefits. Let us find out some of the nutritional benefits of dates.
Health and nutrition benefits of dates
- Wonderfully delicious, dates are one of the most popular fruits packed with an loads of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are needed for usual growth, development and general well-being.
- Fresh dates are supple, effortlessly digestible and simple sugars like fructose and dextrose. When consumed, they replenish energy and revitalize the body instantly.
- The dates is rich in dietary fiber, which stops LDL cholesterol absorption in the gut. Additionally, fiber works as a bulk laxative. It, therefore, assists in protecting the colon by cleansing it from any cancer-causing chemicals.
- They comprise of health benefiting flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants known as tannins. Tannins are known to own anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hemorrhagic (prevent easy bleeding tendencies) properties.
- They are moderate causes of vitamin-A (contains 149 IU per 100 g), which is known to have antioxidant properties and absolutely vital for vision. Additionally, it is also needed for sustaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of fruits rich in vitamin A is known to help to defend from lung and oral cavity cancers.
- They create antioxidant flavonoids such as ß-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants are found to have the proficiency to defend cells and other structures in the body from harmful consequences of oxygen-free radicals. Thus, consuming dates is fond to offer some protection from colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers.
- Zeaxanthin is an important dietary carotenoid that selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea, where it thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions. It therefore boasts defense against age-related macular degeneration, particularly in aged populations.
- Dates are an excellent source of iron, contains 0.90 mg/100 g of fruits (about 11% of RDI). Iron, being a constituent of hemoglobin in the red blood cells, works out the oxygen-carrying capacity of the body-fluid.
- Further, they are very good in potassium. 100 g contains 696 mg or 16% of daily-recommended levels of this electrolyte. Potassium is an important constituent of cell and body fluids that help controlling heart rate and body-fluid force. They, thus, boasts defense against stroke and coronary heart diseases.
- They are furthermore rich in minerals like calcium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Calcium is an significant mineral that is an absolutely vital constituent of bone and teeth, and needed by the body for muscle contraction, blood clotting, and cheek impulse conduction. Manganese is utilized by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required for the output of red blood cells. Magnesium is essential for bone development.
- Dates has ample levels of B-complex group of vitamins as well as vitamin K. It contains very good amounts of pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), niacin, pantothenic acid, and riboflavin. These vitamins are acting as cofactors help body metabolize carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Vitamin K is absolutely vital for numerous coagulant components in the blood as well as in skeletal part metabolism.
Health benefits of dates
Constipation
Dates are often categorized as a laxative food. The laxative is enhanced when dates are soaked in water overnight and eaten with the syrup in the morning. The high level of soluble fiber in dates promotes healthy bowel movement and smooth passage of food in the intestines.
Bone health and strength
Dates is a super food for strengthening bones and preventing diseases like osteoporosis. They give boost to the weak bones and promote healthy development of the bones.
Intestinal disorders
Dates are rich in nicotine which is thought to be beneficial for curing many kinds of intestinal disorders. Regular intake of dates helps stimulate the growth of friendly bacteria in the intestines. The insoluble and soluble fibers and many beneficial amino acids in dates can stimulate the digestion of food and make it more efficient.
Anemia
Dates have a high mineral content, which is beneficial for many different health conditions, but they are most effective for people suffering from anemia. The high level of iron present in date’s balances out the inherent lack of iron in anemic patients by increasing energy and strength and decreasing the feelings of fatigue and lethargy in an anemic person.
Allergies
The rare content of sulfur present in dates helps in reducing allergic reactions and seasonal allergies.
Weight gain
Dates should be included as a part of a healthy diet. Dates consist of proteins, sugar and many essential proteins. Dates can be consumed with cucumber paste to keep the body weight at a normal, balanced level.
Energy booster
Dates are high in natural sugars like glucose, fructose, and sucrose and so it is a perfect snack for an immediate burst of energy
Nervous system health
Potassium content in dates is one of the basic ingredients in promoting a healthy and responsive nervous system. It also improves the speed and alertness of brain activity
Healthy heart
Dates are very helpful in keeping the heart healthy. Soaked for the night, crushed then consumed in the morning have shown to have a positive effect on weak hearts. Dates are a rich source of potassium, which helps to reduce the risk of stroke and other heart related diseases. It also helps to reduce the levels of cholesterol in the body in a healthy and delicious way.
Sexual weakness
Studies show that dates are beneficial for increasing sexual stamina. Soak some dates in goat’s milk overnight. In the morning grind them in the same milk and add cardamom powder and honey. This mixture becomes a useful tonic for increasing sexual endurance and reducing sterility that can be caused by various sexual disorders
Night blindness
The benefits of dates are commonly employed to fight off various problems affecting the ear, nose, and throat. It has been found that night blindness can be reduced when the leaves of the date palm are ground into a paste and rubbed on and around the eyes, or when dates are taken orally.
Intoxication
Dates are commonly used as a remedy for alcoholic intoxication. They provide quick relief and give a sobering effect when one feels uncomfortable after a large amount of alcohol. They can be used to prevent severe hangovers in the morning after excessive drinking at night.
Diarrhea
Ripe dates contain potassium, which is an effective way of controlling diarrhea. They are also easy to digest, and the soluble fiber in dates can also help relieve diarrhea, by providing bulk to the bowel movements and promoting a normal, healthy functioning of the excretory system.
Abdominal cancer
Dates have been found to reduce the risk and impact of abdominal cancer. They work as a useful tonic for all age groups and can be quickly and easily digested for a quick boost of energy.
Boost up energy
These days’ people are really getting tired after doing day long mental and physical work. After they come back home, they become totally exhausted. But, if you consume dates on a regular basis, it will help you boost up your energy. You don’t need to have high calorie meal as the date will substitute everything within your body.
Rich in iron
Dates are also really rich in iron which makes you get away from blood less variation. If you wish to stay away from anemic disease, iron rich food items must be consumed regularly. There is variety of iron rich vegetables and fruits that can be consumed to stay fit in all seasons. Dates are also very good for the pregnant ladies as this is the time when they would require maximum iron rich food.
Increasing sexual stamina
Both males and females are observed to avail less frequency of sex as they have widely reduced their sexual stamina. But, dates work in a wonderful way in increasing sexual stamina. Dates have been used as an aphrodisiac for decades. But, in order to get this remedy, you have to soak dates in goat milk for a night and have it in the next morning.
Beauty benefits of dates
Fights aging
Dates have wonderful remedy of fighting with aging. If you consume it on a regular basis, wrinkles forming over your skin will be removed. Since they fights against free radicals, premature damage to your skin cells can be restricted. You can also get well toned and firm skin.
Hair nourishment
Your hair can be ideally nourished with the help of dates. If your hair has become really dry and unattractive, consuming dry dates on a regular basis will be a remedy. Since it strengthens hair root, hair fall will become comparatively less with dates.
Skin glow
Your skin can absolutely glow with the help of dates. You need to consume dates on a regular basis in order to have glow on skin. You can easily consume it on a regular basis and get glowing skin all over. It will remove dry and dead skin cells from your body and help your skin get extraordinary glow. Health of the skin will be worth viewing for a longer period of time.
Elasticity of skin
How do you know that your skin has a good quality? Did you see how elastic your skin is? Even if your skin color is not fair, if the elasticity is maintain you can get healthy skin throughout your life. Now this elasticity gets messed up from the skin texture of many individuals. This invariably gives rise to the issue of wrinkles and fine lines over your skin. Dates are one of the wonderful variety of fruit that will maintain skin elasticity.
Cure for hair loss
These days people are invariably suffering from the issue of hair loss. Even after using the expensive cosmetics and shampoos this is not going to mend. Thus, the natural way to get the cure from hair damage or hair fall will be consumption of date fruit. Since dates have vitamin B, it will be really beneficial for holding the hair follicles well right from the roots.
Purification of blood
The toxins present in our body are going to harm us in a variety of ways. With adulteration and pollution your blood is also getting polluted. This gives rise to number of diseases. Now, it is really important to get our blood stream get purified once again. This is actually done with the help of blood purification. Now dates is one of the wonderful fruit that will help purify your blood stream and make you stay healthy throughout your life.
