Dates — The Nature Gifted Sweet Fruit
Have you ever thought of something like, “Why are dates so sweet and sticky? Are dates dipped in sugar syrup?
You may wonder how we got so lucky to live in a world where sugar grows naturally on trees. Yes, from now count it in your blessings because dates are a naturally sweet fruit that is highly rich in nutrients.
To understand why dates taste like they’ve been dipped in sugar syrup but aren’t, you have to be a little sweety-sticky (just like dates) until the end, where you will explore not only about this gifted nature sweetener but also about how it is highly good to you even if you are a diabetic patient.
What are the dates?
Phoenix Dactyliferous, also known as a date, belongs to the palm family of flowering plants. Dates are usually cultivated for their sweet fruit. You can get fresh dates from August to December but dry dates are present throughout the year.
The date fruit is originated in Iraq. For thousands of years, the date fruit has been the traditional food in the Middle East and Northern Africa.
Many years ago, the original date was probably not as delicious as it is now. The sweetest dates were picked, planted, harvested, and only the most precious were planted again, as with any other fruit. All of this was going on until a rather lovely date took form. Keep in mind that this occurred thousands of years ago and that since then, various cultivars of sweet dates have been established. Now, dates palm can be found almost globally. Dates are now commercially valuable due to their exotic origin and a variety of health benefits.
Dates are nutritious fruit high in sugar. They can be eaten fresh or dried. Dates tastes like they have been dipped in sugar syrup, but dates are naturally high in sugar, and when they dry leaving the moisture, the sugar becomes more concentrated.100g of dates contain almost 62g of sugar.
Nutritious diet:
Due to the high sugar content in dates, you might be wondering if dates are a healthier option. Undoubtedly, dates contain sugar and are sweet, but as fruit, they also have many beneficial micronutrients and fibers.
The USDA food database states that 100g of seeded dates can provide:
- 2.5g of proteins
- 77.5 g of carbohydrates
- 7.5 g of fiber
- 50 mg calcium
- 600 mg potassium
Some Health Benefits Of Dates
A high energy source
Natural sugars like glucose, sucrose, and fructose all are present in I Dates. According to research, 100g of dates can provide 310 kilocalories of energy,
Improves Brain Wellness
As dates contain antioxidants. The antioxidants help to reduce stress and inflammation that are the main cause of Alzheimer’s disease.
Alleviate Anemia
Anemia is a disease that occurs due to the deficiency of iron. Dates contain iron and Vitamin C (which helps in absorbing iron). Adding dates as part of your diet can help you to maintain your iron level.
Keep Your Heart Healthy
Dates contain Potassium that is highly effective in reducing heart attacks. According to an article in ACS, publications dates reduce triglycerides in the body. Triglycerides with cholesterol can cause heart attacks.
Strengthen your bones
Dates contain minerals like Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium. All these minerals have a significant role in strengthening the bones. Hence consuming dates reduces the chance of bone diseases like osteoporosis
Beneficial for diabetic patient
It’s an interesting fact that although dates contain a lot of sugar intake in moderation can help a diabetic patient. As dates contain many fibers these fibers help in the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.
Helps in the immune system regulation
Dates contain vitamins that help in the growth of immune cells and stimulate immune systems.
Ensures smooth digestion
Dates contain fibers that are very effective for a healthy digestive system. According to a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition consumption of dates can reduce the risk of colon cancer.
How are dates processed?
Palm trees mature, about 10m high. Trees start producing fruits from 5 years onwards. The fruits will grow into clusters.
To bear fruits, the date farmers pollinate the flowers by taking male flowers and female flowers in 2 different plants. Pollens will be collected and screened for the pollination process.
Fruit will develop after pollination for about one month. Dates fruits can be harvested depending on market demands. Often, when the dates get ripe, the date farmers harvest them.
- They may use a ladder or forklift to reach the dates, and some pickers have trays to collect dates in trays. The entire trays full of dates will be dumped into a larger-screened tray before being transported to the sorting area.
- Most of the dates are ripened if some dates are still yellow, they leave them out in the heat to finish ripening.
- After that, the dates are poured from the trays and placed on a shaker table that gently vibrates back and forth. Wet terry fabric towels have been used to cover the table. The moist towels wipe the dates as they slowly roll down the table. (Of course, the towels are changed regularly during the day.)
- The dates are then placed on a conveyor belt and sorted by size and quality.
- The dates are packed and placed in cold storage until they are sold.
- Most manufacturing or retailing units use paperboard packaging to store and transport dates.
Are Dates dipped in sugar syrup?
No, It doesn’t work that way. Dates are high in sugar because they are grown in a desert climate with sunshine and little water. When these two ingredients are mixed, you get a natural product with a high fructose content.
Dates are naturally high in sugar, and when they dry, the sugars become much more concentrated. These fruits do not need any extra sugar to add to them. When dates get dry, their moisture evaporates, and that’s why the sugar concentration rises as the fruits dry. They’re frequently marketed dried but not dehydrated, giving them a soft, sticky feel.
Conclusions:
Although it gets clear that dates are not dipped in any sugar syrup and contain their natural sweetness with many nutrients, it gives you many health benefits. Still, it would help if you consumed dates in moderation, although they are far from being calorie-free food. So, keep the Dates intake in moderation and enjoy it as a part of a well-balanced diet to get the most out of the potential health benefits.
