Dates: Nutritional benefits, health benefits ... what you need to know about this special fruit!

Today we are going to discuss a special, healthy and nutritional fruit, it is dates! This fruit resistant, to the conditions in which grow, full of nutritional facts with health virtues, which we will discover through this article.


Dates: botany and origin

Botanically speaking, the date is a berry, which is colloquially called the "core" of the date.
The botanical name for the date is Phoenix Dactylifera, the date palmsgenerally reach a height of around 25 m.

Dates are small, oval-shaped fruits varying in size between 3 and 6 centimeters, with an elongated core that grows on palm trees in clusters and their color may be slightly reddish yellow or white and black.

Dates cultivated for 8,000 years are called "desert bread", rare plant capable of surviving in the extreme climate of desert areas, the date palm has always been an important source of energy for the nomadic peoples who live there.

The date is a traditional crop widely used and cultivated in Iraq, in the Arabian golf country, in North Africa, in Morocco, in India and more recently in California, Egypt is considered the largest producer of dates in the world and the majority of dates produced in North America grow in California.

Over the years, dates have been beneficial for health, so they are become more and more popular, dates have indeed a certain nutritional richness, making them very interesting for our health!

Dates Nutrition Facts

Dates are mainly sold in the market and eaten after being dried, which means they are partially dehydrated. They contain only 15% to 20% water, while the water of fresh dates is 65% to 70%. 

In a fairly small volume, dates provide an energy contribution important, by consuming a small portion of 100 g net of dates (i.e. from 12 to 16 fruits, depending on their size), we obtain nearly 300 kcal, mainly from carbohydrates. 

Dates, depending on the variety, contain 50 to 82 g of carbohydrate (as sugar) per 100 g. The sugars present in dates, in different proportions depending on the variety, are glucose, fructose (found in large quantities in dates), sucrose and to a lesser extent maltose and galactose. 

It is also a good source of iron with a content of 0.91 per serving. of 100g, of magnesium and are made up of 57% of insoluble fiber, keep in mind that consuming 6 dates per day (50 g) provides the body with 4 g of fiber, or 15% of the intake recommended daily, on the other hand, dates are reliable in lipids with a content which represents less than 1%. 

Dates are rich in antioxidants including carotenoids and compounds phenolic as well as potassium with a content of 675mg for a portion of 100g and not containing sodium. 

Dates are an excellent source of nearly magnesium with a content of 50 mg for a portion of 100 g. As for vitamins, the date contains various forms such as: vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, vitamin A1 and vitamin C.

Note that dates are a good source of protein with a content of 2.5g for a portion of 100g.


Dates and its benefit for health

Dates with their nutritional benefits, offer several health benefits, here are 8 health benefits of dates :

Promote heart health: Source of potassium, this mineral regulates muscle contractions, and therefore the heart muscle. Potassium also supports a healthy nervous system, soluble fiber help reduce "bad" cholesterol. Again, thanks to potassium they contain, dates are very useful for a healthy heart. 
Soaked overnight, crushed and consumed the next day, they reduce the risk of stroke and other heart disease. 

Regulate Cholesterol: Dates help prevent the blood from forming clots, cleanse blood vessels and regulate cholesterol or bad cholesterol. 

Regulate blood sugar: dates are rich in sugars, but promote healthy blood sugar levels by gradually releasing their carbohydrates. Its soluble fiber also helps regulate blood sugar. 

Facilitate digestion: Rich in soluble and insoluble fibers, they help transit and promote digestion, generally classified as a laxative natural, dates can relieve constipation, they will indeed promote the stool and will facilitate the development of food (then waste). Dates also fight intestinal diseases by inhibiting the growth of pathogens. Then they will stimulate the growth of good bacteria which will make you forget about digestive diseases!

Promote brain health: Laboratory studies have shown that dates help reduce markers of inflammation in the brain, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6). High levels of IL-6 are associated with a higher risk of disease neurodegeneratives such as Alzheimer's disease. 
Potential brain-stimulating properties of dates have been attributed their content of antioxidants known to reduce inflammation, including flavonoids. 

Fight anemia: because dates are rich in trace elements and minerals including a large amount of iron, they are recommended for those who suffer from anemia. 

Maintains bone health: dates contain several minerals, including phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium. All of them have been tested for their potential to prevent bone diseases such than osteoporosis. 

Beneficial for pregnant women: the consumption of dates is safe during pregnancy, (mainly over the past few weeks), this is what some studies on pregnant women, the latter who ate dates were much less likely to be induced than those who did not eat it.

Most popular varieties of dates

There are several varieties of dates in the world, we have chosen 4 varieties the most popular. 

  • Bahri dates: Are small to medium in size with flesh and skin firm which, when dried, change color from amber to golden brown. Bahri dates are the sweetest, rich in syrup and tender, they are harvested from August to October. Bahri dates are grown mainly in Saudi Arabia. 
  • Deglet Noor (light date): Semi-dry dates with a soft and delicate taste; known for its "real" date flavor. Medium to large fruit, the skin of which changes from amber to brown dark as it matures, good for culinary use. Algeria is the country of origin of the deglet noor. 
  • Medjool: A rich, wonderfully smooth and creamy date with a texture slightly fibrous. Medjool dates are large with an amber skin to reddish brown as they mature and harden, Perfect for snacking! 
  • Thoory: Sweet dry dates with a nutty flavor. Called the date of bread because it is suitable for baking. They are medium to large, with golden brown flesh.

Dates: which goods to choose and how to store them 


In order to make a better choice, opt for well-formed, chewy dates and fragrant. The date is presented in clusters, when it is very fresh, and its fruits are draped in a light white veil. 
Remember to choose dates decorated with a beautiful amber color and above all, that they are without spots. 

Fresh dates should be stored in the refrigerator in a container hermetic. Dried dates can be stored for several months (up to 1 year), although packaged and protected from light and humidity. 

To keep them for a week, you can put them in the refrigerator, make sure you take them out at least 30 minutes before consumption so that they regain their sweetness and flavor. It is better to buy them in small quantities and enjoy them in a fairly short period of time. 

Most dates will need to be pitted before they can be used for cook or eat by hand. When you're about to crush them, sprinkle the blade of the knife with flour so that the dates do not stick with a knife.

Dates are very rarely cooked, because cooking destroys their flavor and texture. you can use dates to sweeten sauces such as salad dressings and pickles, or add them to smoothies and oatmeal.