Dates – most certainly one of the most commonly known fruits in Bangladesh.Though originally this sub tropical country is not a good place for growing or cultivating dates. Still for many reason, date is popular in many ways especially during the month of Ramadan.

When Muslim’s fasting hours are ended up by dates. So, more religious and physiological belief makes dates’ a seasonal (at least) choice for many of us. But our journey through Date gave us amazing information and truth about this small-tiny unnoticed fruit. Here is the analogy of dates!Dates have been esteemed by Middle Eastern cultures for thousands of years, with references to them in the Koran and the Bible. Dates are believed to have originated around the Persian Gulf, and have been cultivated since ancient times from Mesopotamia to prehistoric Egypt, possibly as early as in 6000 BC. In later times, Arabs spread dates to the north. The palm trees have been grown in grove plantings, since the ancients understood the food value of the dates and the exotic appearance and shading on the landscape of the desert sands. Palm trees were often planted near an oasis as a source of water, shade and food.

When people consider buying dates, it is mainly for use in a fruit cake or cookies or especially during the month of Ramadan it is widely used for Iftar, but dates are also a wonderful alternative to a fruit snack. While many people don’t often consider eating a couple of dates for a snack, if they only knew what was packed inside these small fruits, they would probably begin adding them to their diet. In fact, researchers at the Department of Health and Human Services in London referred to them as an “Almost Perfect Food,” based upon their nutritional content and possible health benefits.The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, reports that dates are an excellent source of antioxidants, primarily carotenoids.

There are many types of carotenoids, so there is no current RDA for them. Carotenoids are listed by the World’s Healthiest Foods Encyclopedia as pigment compounds that help produce vitamin A in the body, build the immune system, and protect the cells from damage. Antioxidants are continually being studied for their positive effects on cancer protection. The antioxidant capacity of a food product is measured by the USDA’s ORAC scale. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. This judges how the antioxidants in the food fight the free radical damage in the body.


Tit-bits of datesENERGY BOOSTER. The easily digestible date is the ideal snack to fuel activity. A serving of power-packed dates contains 31 grams of carbohydrates, which include 3 grams of dietary fiber and 29 grams of naturally occurring sugars such as fructose, glucose and sucrose. Dates provide quick energy to a tired human body, making them a great choice for a pre-workout snack.GOOD SOURCE OF FIBER. Dates are a saturated source of dietary fiber. The American Cancer Society recommends people consume 20 to 35 grams of dietary fiber a day. Consuming just seven dates a day gets you there!Dietary fiber comes in two forms – soluble and insoluble. Each serves a valuable function. Insoluble fiber increases the rate at which food moves through the digestive system. Soluble fiber may help control diabetes by decreasing elevated blood glucose levels. Fiber is needed for elimination of toxins from the body and to help lower the risk of many digestive disorders, even colon cancer. The Mayo Clinic also lists fiber as being necessary to control weight, blood sugar and cholesterol. Dates are also high in sugar, but it is natural sugar which makes them an excellent sweet treat, which is what has earned them the right to be referred to by many as “nature’s candy.”

CHRISTIANITY
Fruit production and references to fruit are more prevalent than vegetables in the Bible. Ever since man ate fruit from the forbidden tree, he has been having horticultural problems. Of course, fruit plants have been very useful throughout the ages, i.e., the first skivvies owe their existence to a fig bush (Genesis 3:7). Hence, the brand name Fruit of the Loom! Since the fig played such as important role in man’s first wardrobe, it was obviously considered to the one of the most important fruits. It is mentioned in at least 25 books of the Bible. The medicinal value of figs is described in several passages such as Isaiah 28:29, “For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover.” Yet fig culture had problems then just as it does now. Such problems were emphasized in Christ’s parable of the fig tree in Luke 13:6 – 9, He spake also this parable; “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.


ISLAM
The date palm, mentioned more than any other fruit-bearing plant in the Qur’an, is a symbol often associated with Islam and Muslims. Throughout the month of Ramadan, dates are a common ingredient in the Muslim diet.The Prophet said: “Break your fast by eating dates as it is purifying,” (Ahmad).On the basis of this Hadith, Muslims insist on breaking their fasts with dates. However, in another Hadith, the Prophet said, “If you have a date, break your fast with it, if you don’t have it, break the fast with water as it is purifying.” (Abu Dawood) According to another Hadith, “The Messenger said: Ajwah dates are from Paradise.” (Al-Tirmidhi)Ajwah is one of the excellent varieties of dates grown in the Madinah region.

JUDAISM
The Seven Species (Shivat Haminim in Hebrew) are the seven types of fruits and grains named in the Torah (Deuteronomy 8:8) as the main produce of the land of Israel. In ancient times these foods were staples of the Israelite diet. They were also important in the ancient Jewish religion because one of the Temple tithes derived from these seven foods. The tithe was called the bikkurim, which meant “first fruits.”Today the seven species are still important agricultural items in modern Israel but they no longer dominate the produce of the country as they once did. On the holiday of Tu B’Shvat it has become traditional for Jews to eat from the seven species.Deuteronomy 8:8 tells us that Israel was “a land of wheat, barley, grapevines, figs, and pomegranates; a land of oil olives and date honey.”The seven species are:Wheat (chitah in Hebrew), Barley (se’orah in Hebrew), Grapes (gefen in Hebrew) usually consumed as wine, Figs (te’enah in Hebrew), Pomegranates (rimon in Hebrew), Olives (zayit in Hebrew)usually consumed in oil form, Dates (tamar or d’vash in Hebrew)

HIGH IN POTASSIUM
Dates are opulent in vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C, B1, B2, B3, B5 A1, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese and phosphorous. They are also one of the best natural sources of potassium. One tiny date has more potassium than a big ol’ banana!Potassium is an essential mineral your body needs to maintain muscle contractions including the vital heart muscle. Potassium is needed to maintain a healthy nervous system and to balance the body’s metabolism as well. As you consume potassium, you excrete sodium, helping to keep blood pressure down.As people age, their kidneys become less efficient at eliminating sodium. Research has recommended that a higher intake of potassium (about 400 mg) can cut the risk of stroke by 40 percent.


One of the top notations made by the London Researchers is the mineral content of dates. A minimum of 15 were listed, with the highest concentrations being the minerals potassium, magnesium, selenium and calcium. Potassium is needed by the body to help fight high blood pressure which can lead to heart disease, and to assist kidney function and one cup of chopped dates contains 964 mg of potassium, which is 28 percent of the RDA. Of the minerals listed, one cup of chopped dates contains 4.4 mcg of selenium (6 percent of the RDA); 63 mg magnesium (16 percent RDA); 0.3 mcg. Copper (15 percent RDA= Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs); and 57 mg calcium (6 percent RDA).

HELPS TOUGHEN TOOTH ENAMEL
This fruit has mineral fluorine that protects teeth, by empowering tooth enamel. Tooth enamel’s hydroxyapatites (when in touch with fluorine to make hydroxyfluoroapatites) help improve the tooth’s resistance to decay.

SEXUAL STIMULANT
Build your endurance with this love potion: a handful of dates soaked overnight in goat’s milk with some cardamom powder and honey. It’s an old mantra of making love. Try this today as it has been tried since last thousands of years.

REDUCES RISK OF HEART DISEASE
Dates have the highest concentration of polyphenols among all dried fruits; according to researchers at the University of Scranton (Penn.) suggest that dried fruits should be a greater part of the diet as they are dense in phenol antioxidants and nutrients, most notably fiber. Polyphenols may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

SATISFIES YOUR SWEET TOOTH
Dates have a low calorie count: around 23 calories for a single fruit. That makes dates important both for what they offer and for what they don’t offer. Dates have no cholesterol, fat or sodium – making them suitable for health conscious people. Truth is, dates provide more calories than most fruits, but they make a great substitute for processed sweets, like candy. That provides a healthy alternative to help stick to your weight-loss routine.

A CROWN OF SWEETS
Dates work well in salads, oatmeal and yogurt. Chopped or slivered, dates can even be sprinkled on side dishes like rice, couscous or vegetables. To slice or chop dates, chill them first. The colder they are, the easier they are to slice.

WON’T RAISE BLOOD SUGAR
One of the main reasons people avoid eating dates is the belief that they will raise their blood sugar levels, but studies have shown that belief to be erroneous. The May 28, 2011, issue of the “Nutrition Journal” reports a study in which consumption of dates was tested on diabetics. The study shows that while dates contain high amounts of natural sugars, they are actually a low-glycemic index food and did not significantly raise blood sugar levels after they were eaten. If you are diabetic, speak to your doctor before adding dates to your diet so that you can monitor your blood sugar levels and determine how dates affect you personally.

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