I love dates. They’re the perfect soft, succulent, and sweet snack. I’m a bit of a chocoholic (dark organic chocolate is pure bliss!) but unfortunately, I can’t eat chocolate all day long. Dates have become a go-to substitution when I need a little something sweet. Lucky for me, they’re packed with nutrients.
Here’s a lil’ list of what dates could potentially do for you:
Give you an energy boost.
Dates are comprised mainly of simple sugars, which are easily broken down and burned for energy. The next time you reach for that mid-afternoon chocolate bar/donut/coffee, try 1-2 dates instead. Also, dates are a great fuel source for athletes, especially during endurance-based activities.
Get those bowels moving.
Dates are loaded with fibre! As we all know, fibre is important for bowel health. But fibre also helps in lowering cholesterol, balancing blood sugar, and even losing weight.
Strengthen your bones.
It may surprise you, but dates are a powerhouse of minerals – calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and most notably, potassium (1 medjool date contains a whopping 167mg of potassium!). Getting plenty of minerals is crucial for maintaining bone mass. Dates also contain iron, zinc, copper, and manganese.
Lower your blood pressure.
This is due to the magnesium content, which gently dilates blood vessels. Magnesium is a great muscle relaxant!
Help you recover.
The incredible amount of potassium in dates makes it a beneficial addition to your post-workout snack. Any time you’ve been sweating or losing a lot of fluids, it’s important to increase potassium intake – it’s crucial for maintaining fluid balance and for nervous system function.
Jump start your memory.
This is what I think is the coolest – dates are a great source of choline! Choline is a B vitamin, and a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine…involved in memory, learning, and general brain health.
Protect your heart, vision, and more.
Dates are packed full of antioxidants and phytonutrients, especially vitamin A, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthine. We’ve all heard of antioxidants – but if you need a refresher, they disarm toxic substances called free radicals. They prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the blood, which lowers your risk for heart disease. Lutein and zeaxanthine have the additional benefit of protecting the eyes from age-related degeneration.
Wow – that’s a whole lot of goodness in one small package! Over the many thousands of years that dates have been cultivated, they’ve been used in remedies for nearly everything, from impotence to night blindness to hangovers. Some sources quote research that indicates eating dates can reduce the risk of stomach cancer.
Seriously, for such a small thing, the date fruit sure packs a potent punch.
How can this decadent little fruit be consumed? They are delicious enough to eat on their own, but I usually stuff a nut inside (after removing the pit). Walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts…all nuts pair well with dates. The protein and fat content of the nut complements the carb content of the date quite nicely! Chopped up dates make a great addition to salads. Dates can also be used to sweeten homemade nut milks. Or try throwing one in your smoothie. And finally, desserts – there are so many delicious (often raw) dessert recipes that feature dates as a central ingredient. Check out this one here.
Fun Random Fact: Dates are mentioned more than 50 times in the Bible and more than 20 times in the Qur’an!
Time to hear from you – how do you feel about dates? Like ’em? Love ’em? Or are you sweet enough already? 😉 If you learned a little something from this article, share it with all your friends using the social media links below!
Woohoo! The Naked Label loves Alex James. We love her passion for food, her sense of humour, and her awesome ability to undress food! If you haven’t done so yet, definitely check her out on her facebook page to see what daily inspiration she is sharing today.
Image courtesy of Suat Eman/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Sources:
http://naturalsociety.com/
http://www.herbcyclopedia.com/
http://www.chatelaine.com/
http://www.organicfacts.net/
