When you hear the word “date,” your first thought may not be of that sweet, chewy, slightly wrinkled fruit, but maybe it should. Incorporating more dates into your diet can benefit your health, and it may be easier than you think!
Benefits
Dates are extremely nutritious. According to Cleveland Clinic, just four pieces of this fruit is packed with high levels of copper (40% of the daily value), magnesium (15% of the daily value), manganese (14% of the daily value), potassium (23% of the daily value), vitamin B6 (17% of the daily value) and fiber. Eating fresh dates as opposed to dried ones can also provide you with 3.6g of protein. They also contain many antioxidants good for preventing “diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, certain types of cancer, heart disease and inflammation” and may promote brain health, according to Healthline. If you are pregnant, dates may also help promote natural labor!
How to Use Dates
Dates are versatile in the kitchen. Using this fruit as a sweetener is one way to add them to your diet and cut down on excess sugar intake, according to Forbes. When baking or sweetening drinks, you can replace the sugar with date paste (1.5 to 2 times the amount of sugar). To make the paste, soak fresh, pitted dates in 3/4 cup hot water for 10 minutes, then blend them and water until smooth, according to Vancouver with Love, a vegan recipe website. You can also eat this fruit whole, stuffed with nuts or nut butter or as a topping on other foods.
Choosing the Best Dates
When purchasing dates, they should be “plump and shiny” and can have some wrinkles, but they shouldn’t be hard to the touch, according to Epicurious, a cooking and food resource website. You should also stay away from any with sugar crystals and white areas. These are still fine to eat, but you should avoid purchasing them because crystallization and discoloration are signs of fruit aging. Dates should be stored in an airtight container either in the fridge or in the freezer, according to Epicurious.
If you’re searching for a sweet date this week, look no further. Try incorporating more of this fruit into your diet not only for their health benefits but also because they are a delicious snack. After all, there’s nothing sweeter than doing something for your health
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