Dates are Naturally Sweet
Anyone who has eaten a plump, moist date knows that sweet flavor almost explodes upon your tongue after taking a bite. The natural sweetness of dates comes from a high concentration of fructose, a disaccharide that makes many fruits taste sweet (American Heart Association, 2016). Unlike glucose, the type of sugar found in many processed foods, fructose does not significantly affect blood sugar levels. Thus, eating dates is a good way to enjoy a sweet treat without many of the negative health effects of consuming added sugars (American Heart Association, 2016).
Dates are a Good Source of Fiber
Each date provides 1.6 grams of dietary fiber (Self Nutrition Data, 2015). Men should aim to get 38 grams of fiber every day, while women need at least 25 grams (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Eating a small handful of dates (six or seven whole dates) gives you 11.2 grams of dietary fiber, putting you well on your way to your recommended daily intake.
Getting enough dietary fiber is associated with better cardiovascular health, lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, improved gastrointestinal regularity, better control of blood sugar, and maintenance of a healthy weight (Mayo Clinic, 2015).
Dates are a Versatile Food
The versatility of dates is one of their biggest advantages. Dates make the perfect mid-afternoon snack, providing an energy boost when you feel sluggish. However, they are also sweet enough to enjoy for dessert. Try eating dates plain, making oatmeal date bars, adding dates to a pork dish for a hint of sweetness, or blending dates into a smoothie for a rich, creamy final product. Finely chopped or pureed dates can also be swapped for table sugar in many dessert recipes.
Eating Dates Is an Excellent Way to Boost Your Potassium Levels
Potassium is a dietary mineral, needed in trace amounts to support a variety of physiological processes. One of the most important roles for potassium in the human body that it acts as an electrolyte (Lin, 2010). Thus, eating dates can be a good way to replenish your electrolyte levels after engaging in a strenuous workout.
Potassium is also necessary for maintenance of the membrane potential of neurons, allowing your neurons to communicate with one another. Furthermore, getting enough potassium has been associated with lower risk of stroke, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and kidney stones (Lin, 2010). Each date you eat contains 167 milligrams of potassium, approximately 5% of your recommended daily intake (Self Nutrition Data, 2015).
Dates Contain Beneficial Antioxidants
Dates are a great source of vitamins A and K, which act as antioxidants in the body. Antioxidants are compounds that reduce the amount of oxidative damage in the cell. Accumulating too much oxidative damage can harm the DNA of the cell, providing a possible mechanism for cancer formation (Reuter, Gupta, Chaturvedi, & Aggarwal, 2010). One of the most beneficial compounds in dates is tannins, a type of polyphenolic antioxidants. Tannins can reduce inflammation and boost your immune system functioning. Meanwhile, vitamin K is essential for the blood coagulation response. Together, these vitamins and antioxidants support cellular health.
Dates are a Good Source of the Trace Mineral Selenium
Our bodies rely on dozens of trace minerals that can only be acquired through the foods we eat. One of these, selenium, is needed in small amounts- with adults needing 55 micrograms per day (Tsuji, 2015). Perhaps the most important role of selenium is to form part of an amino acid required to create proteins used for enzymatic reactions. Selenium deficiency is associated with higher physiological stress that can, in turn, impair tissue health.
In several large-scale scientific studies, getting enough selenium has been associated with lower risk of bladder cancer and prostate cancer (Tsuji, 2015). Increasing your selenium consumption may also reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and immune system problems. Although dates contain small amounts of selenium, your body only uses trace amounts of this mineral to support health. Thus, a handful of dates every day is enough to reap the benefits of this essential mineral.
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