Health Benefits of Dates
Dates come from the date palm tree. It is thought they originated somewhere around Egypt and are now cultivated in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. After having been exported, the date palm now also grows naturally in some subtropical and tropical parts of the world.
Dates have long been eaten in North Africa and the Middle East, and they have since grown in popularity around the world. They are known for their sweet, sticky flesh and they are often used in desserts. Not only do they taste great, but eating dates also provides us with a number of health benefits.
1. Nutritious
Not only are dates very delicious, but they are also very nutritious. Dates are full of carbs and this is good for people who want a high-energy diet. In addition to packing the calories, dates are also packed full of vitamins and minerals, along with a decent amount of protein and a high amount of fiber. Around 100 grams of dates will give you around 20% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of potassium. They will also provide around 18% of the RDI of copper, 15% the RDI of manganese, and 14% the RDI of magnesium. In addition, there is around 7 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein.
2. Weight Gain
All around the world, people are trying to lose weight. There is quite a lot of social pressure to do so, and people who are obese are often not happy with their appearance, and it is also not good for your health. While some people are trying to lose weight, however, others are trying to put it on.
Some people have eating disorders that cause them to struggle to gain weight, while others simply have a metabolism that causes them to burn off calories faster than others. Other people might want to gain weight after having been ill, while some sports people will want to gain weight for performance.
3. Healthy Skeleton
Hidden well away beneath our skin is a frame that is very important to us: our skeleton. The skeleton is strong enough to help support the weight of our body, while it is also jointed, which gives us flexibility. It is easy to take our skeleton for granted but it is very important that we look after it.
Fortunately, giving our skeleton what it needs to remain strong and healthy is fairly straightforward. It is well known that our skeleton needs plenty of calcium, while it also needs selenium, manganese, magnesium, and copper, all of which are found in dates.
4. Protein
Human beings have evolved to need quite a lot of protein in our diets. This is one reason we are omnivores, which means that we usually eat both meat and vegetables. An increasing number of people are turning away from meat, however, and these people will need to replace the protein they would otherwise get from meat.
There are some very good non-meat sources of protein, and dates are one of them. They are often used by sports people to help give them the protein they need for growth and repair of muscles. Their high calorie content also helps make them suitable for gym goers.
5. Iron
Our bodies need iron. This is because oxygen is attracted to iron, and iron in our blood means that the oxygen is able to attach to our red blood cells. This then allows our cells to transport the oxygen around the body to where it is needed. We get the iron that we need from our food and, thankfully, there is a lot of food that contains iron. One type of food that is a source of iron is dates.
This means that including dates in your diet helps prevent conditions like anemia. If you are showing symptoms of anemia then you should speak with your doctor to find out why.
6. Healthy Skin
Beautiful, healthy skin is important for a lot of people for aesthetic reasons. What a lot of people don’t realize is that good skin is also important for our health. For example, our skin helps to generate certain vitamins when sunlight is shone on it. Keeping our skin beautiful and healthy is not easy for some people though, and many will spend a great deal of money on creams and lotions.
What you eat can also make a difference, and dates contain vitamins C and D, that helps to keep our skin in good condition. They also help to prevent melanin, a type of pigment, from accumulating in the skin.
7. Helps Diabetics
Diabetics are unable to regulate their blood sugar levels. This means that if they are not careful, they can experience dangerous peaks and troughs in the levels of sugar in their blood. Some people are born with diabetes, while other people develop it later in life due to their lifestyle choices.
Dates have a low glycemic index, and this means they are not prone to causing sugar level fluctuation in diabetics. Up to around 8 dates can be eaten at once without having a significant rise in blood sugar levels, and dates can also be used as a part of a main meal.
8. Constipation Relief
Constipation can be very uncomfortable and, in some instances, it can even be potentially dangerous for the patient. The good news is that if you are suffering from constipation then you should be able to find medication that will help, while some foods will also help to clear the blockage. One of these foods is dates.
Dates are high in soluble fiber, and this helps to ensure a healthy digestive system, while it can also help to deal with constipation problems. Including dates in your diet will also help to prevent problems like constipation from developing in the first place.
9. Reduce Inflammation
There are numerous types of inflammation that affect people. They range from seborrheic dermatitis, which is unsightly but often harmless, to inflammation of the vital organs, which can be dangerous to the patient. There is also arthritis, a condition that can leave the patient in pain and unable to move their joints freely.
Studies have shown that dates can be effective in helping to reduce inflammation, which could be a godsend to some people. This could be down to their high magnesium content, which itself is known to have anti-inflammatory properties. You should speak to your doctor if you do suffer from inflammation of any type.
10. Hangover Prevention
The potential negative impacts of alcohol are well-known. It can devastate families and cause severe long-term health complications. Fortunately, the vast majority don’t have problems with alcohol to that extent. The worst that most of us will experience is a mean hangover.
Hangovers can be very unpleasant and there has been a hunt for a cure for as long as we have been drinking. It is thought that dates might have the answer because they are a good source of fructose, and this can help to accelerate the metabolism of alcohol. Try having some at night before you sleep and you should hopefully be feeling quite fresh the following day.
