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Article about are dates good for you
Food Revolution Network
Dates are often used as a whole food sugar substitute. But are dates good for you? And what about their environmental impact?
Are Dates Good For You, or the Planet? Dates are among the world’s sweetest fruits. But they’re surprisingly healthy and can even be good for the planet! Here’s what to know about dates and how to best enjoy them. In the US, dates hardly register in most people’s “fruit consciousness,” at least compared to dozens of other fruits like apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, peaches, melons, and so on. But in other parts of the world, particularly the Middle East, dates are not only popular snacks, they’re also celebrated and revered. Evidence suggests that people in the Middle East and North Africa have been eating dates for over 6,000 years. They’re such a central part of some cultures that dates are offered at important social events and sometimes referred to as “the fruit of heaven.” The Prophet Muhammad urged his followers to eat dates to avoid poison and witchcraft. And across the world’s Muslim population, worshippers consume the fruits to break their fast each evening during the holy month of Ramadan. Dates are also known as “the fruit of kings,” as they were originally eaten by royalty and thought to fend off fatigue. Today, many plant-based eaters think of dates as a whole food sweetener. Their sticky consistency and high sugar content make them an effective sugar substitute. But when something tastes that good, is there a catch? Are dates actually good for us and the environment? And if so, what are some delicious and healthy ways to add them to your diet? What Are Dates? Dates are the fruit of the date palm or Phoenix dactylifera . The scientific name refers to the plant’s ability to spring to life from the searing heat of the desert like its mythological namesake bird, the phoenix, that rises from the ashes to live again. The date is a one-seeded fruit, or drupe, like a peach or nectarine. Typically oblong, dates can vary significantly in shape, size, color, quality, and consistency of flesh. Dates that are ready to eat are generally brownish in color, and their taste depends on their ripeness. Date palms are native to the Persian Gulf area of the Middle East, but they are also grown in many other warm or tropical climates. Egypt is the world’s largest producer of dates, although Iran, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates are major producers as well. The US produces a small amount in comparison (roughly 4% of Egypt’s crop), with most of the US harvest coming from California. Types of Dates. While it’s not obvious by looking at the options in most western grocery stores, there are more than 2,000 different varieties of fresh dates . The two most widely grown in the United States are the Deglet Noor and the Medjool. Other types of dates enjoyed around the world include the following: Safawi/Kalmi are darker-colored dates with a potent taste. They’re more resistant to damage than other varieties. Ajwa are small, black dates with a sweet, fruity taste. They’re considered luxury dates and are among the most expensive date varieties. Sukkary are “sugary” dates with a blonde color and a fresh, sweet pulp. Mabroom dates have a subtler, less sweet flavor than other varieties. They also have a slender, firmer shape. Khudri dates tend to have a uniform dark brown color and fewer wrinkles than other varieties. Sagai are very soft dates with a unique combination of crunchiness and softness. Barhi dates are soft, creamy, and known to have a flavor similar to butterscotch candy. Thoori dates are also called “bread dates” and are considered one of the oldest foods in history, if not the first food ever cultivated by humans. They have a peanut-like flavor and a firm, pastry-like texture. Looking to taste some of these varieties for yourself? Most are available with online searches. And Oasis Date Gardens offers a selection of 16 different organic varieties grown in the US. Dates Nutrition. Are dates healthy? Generally, yes! And far more so than most people think. Doubt me? Read on… (I think you’ll be amazed.) Dates of all varieties boast a compelling nutritional profile. For starters, dates are a good source of several micronutrients, including vitamin A, iron, potassium, calcium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. They’re also high in dietary fiber and carbohydrates, with a single date containing nearly two grams and 18 grams, respectively. They’re also very energy-dense, providing around 70 calories each. Dates are also rich in antioxidants. They contain many classes of bioactive plant compounds, including carotenoids, polyphenols, isoflavones, lignans, flavonoids, tannins, and sterols. Given how incredibly sweet they are (even to folks who consume a lot of refined sugar), you might expect eating a date to send your blood sugar through the roof. But surprise: dates have a relatively low glycemic load. Depending on the variety, their glycemic index (GI) generally falls between 29-50 per 60g serving, depending on the variety of date and its stage of ripeness. (For reference, GI below 55 is considered low, 56-69 medium, and 70+ high.) This means that dates probably won’t spike your blood sugar after you eat them because of their fiber content, and can, in moderation, be an appropriate food for most people with type 2 diabetes. Benefits of Dates. In addition to being naturally sweet and full of nutrition, dates also offer an array of benefits to your health and the environment. If you’re on the fence about including dates in your diet, consider what the following research says about their positive impacts. Health Benefits of Dates. 1. Dates can support faster labor and delivery during pregnancy. I’m not sure how they came up with the idea, but apparently, some researchers woke up one day and thought, “Can dates speed up labor?” Actually, the question makes sense when you consider that giving birth is pretty much the most grueling endurance sport there is. Triathletes consume energy gels, bars, and drinks during their races, but so far, nobody has marketed “Birth Bars” to someone in labor. In their 2017 study, Iranian researchers found that 91 women who consumed dates late in their pregnancy, beginning in the 37th week, experienced shorter labor duration and a reduced need for oxytocin to accelerate the labor process. The benefits were seen after eating the equivalent of eight to nine dates daily. A similar study found that women who consumed dates daily for four weeks toward the end of their pregnancy were much more likely to experience spontaneous labor.
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