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Dates: An Ancient Treat for Modern Times

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Oddly wrinkled, with a single pit in the center, dates (Phoenix dactylifera) have been a sweet treat for more than 5,000 years.

An old time favorite, dates are full of nutrients such as vitamin K & minerals such as magnesium. And dates are the perfect date night snack! | KalenaSpire

 

DATES ARE AN OLD TIME FAVORITE

A modern day favorite, the Medjool date made its way from Mesopotamia and, in the 1920’s, was introduced into the U.S. when 11 roots were quarantined in Nevada for seven years.

Nine plants survived, were relocated, and grown in Southern California in 1935.

Medjool dates, which come in three sizes (jumbo, large and fancy/small), can be picked and eaten fresh.

 

DATES ARE PACKED WITH NUTRIENTS

The health benefits of dates are plentiful.

A rich source of carbohydrates, mostly from natural sugars (66 g per 100g / 3.5 oz. serving), they contain vitamins A and K, as well as many of the B vitamins.

The minerals copper, selenium, magnesium and manganese contribute to their preventive health benefits, too.

Just one serving provides seven grams of dietary fiber, which supports healthy gut function.

Eating dates in moderation can protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, and that’s good for the whole body.

Dates are the perfect date night snack! | KalenaSpire

DATES ARE CULINARY TREATS

Dates are used in vinegars, chutneys, butters, paste, and as a natural sweetener. Dates satisfy a sweet tooth without adding fat to your diet.

When eating raw dates, mix them with raw nuts and seeds or add to a dairy-free cream cheese – spread it on gluten-free or grain-free crackers for a yummy, nutritious snack.

They’re the perfect snack to take on a long hike or for one of those days when you’re on the run and might need a quick pick-me-up.

 

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. KalenaSpire only joins affiliate programs for products that Christine believes in and sincerely endorses for quality and efficacy.

 

Do you like dates? Share in the comments below!

 

Resources:
  • Medjool Dates – Nutrition Data. Accessed 2 Dec 2016: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/7348/2
  • University of California-Davis, Plant Sciences. Accessed 2 Dec 2016: http://www.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/GEPTS/pb143/CROP/DATE/date.htm
  • Chao, C. & Krueger, R. ‘The Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.): Overview of Biology, Uses, and Cultivation.’ HortScience (August 2007) 42:5. 1077-1082. Accessed 4 Jan 2017: http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/42/5/1077.full (see section within this article: uses of dates and date palms)
  • Al-Shahib, W. & Marshall, R.J., ‘The fruit of the date palm: its possible use as the best food for the future?’ Int J. Food Scie Nutri. (2003, Jul), 54:4, 247-59. Accessed 2 Dec 2016: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09637480120091982 (full text)
  • Types of Dates (with photos, descriptions). Accessed 4 Jan 2016: http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/pm_date.html
  • Trabzuni, D.M., Ahmed, S.E.B. and Abu-Tarboush, H.M. ‘Chemical Composition, Minerals and Antioxidants of the Heart of Date Palm from Three Saudi Cultivars.’ Food and Nutrition Sciences (2014) 5, 1379-1386. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/fns.2014.514150
  • Yasin, B.R., El-Fawal, H.A.N., Mousa, S.A. ‘Date (Phoenix dactylifera) Polyphenolics and Other Bioactive Compounds: A Traditional Islamic Remedy’s Potential in Prevention of Cell Damage, Cancer Therapeutics and Beyond.’ Int. J. Mol. Sci. (2015), 16, 30075-30090. Accessed 2 Dec 2016: http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/16/12/26210 (full text)
  • Eid, N., Enani, S., et al., ‘The impact of date palm fruits and their component polyphenols, on gut microbial ecology, bacterial metabolites and colon cancer cell proliferation.’ (2014) J. Nutr Sci. 3:e46. DOI: 10.1017/jns.2014.16 Accessed 2 Dec 2016: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4473134/ (full text)
  • Additional citations on date palm and date: bioactive compounds, cancer therapeutics, preventions of cellular damage found here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Phoenix%20dactylifera%20cancer
  • Imperial Date Gardens provides assorted raw dates and healthy date treats. http://www.imperialdategardens.com/about_us.html
Photo Credit:
  • dionisvera​​/bigstockphoto.com

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Alexandria Z., M.S.

Christine is my wellness goddess. Her amazing support, extraordinary expertise, and undeniable compassion invited me to a world of freedom from digestive discomfort that I didn’t know was possible. The whirlwind of bloating, constipation, brain fog, and digestive upheaval was consuming my life. Exhaustion and frustration were becoming my very existence. And then I met my health goddess! Christine’s astute listening and meticulously tailored guidance, transformed my thinking and whirlwind of digestive discomfort. She helped me achieve a state of equilibrium. The balance I now experience is the center of my wellness existence—the core of my life with digestive happiness.

 

Christine instilled in me the power to embrace the grace and strength of my very own body! She has taught me to internalize the boundless evidence of my body’s functionality to heal digestively. While working with Christine, my exhaustion, pain, and bloating were overshadowed with energy, digestive comfort, glowing skin, and knowledge. Her coaching raised my awareness of food sensitivities, and promoted better food choices, which led to better sleep, a stronger link to overall wellness, clarity in my thinking, and ultimately, more joy in my life.  Christine’s remarkable spirit of wellness will forever echo in my digestive wellness journey. I bestow upon Christine the well-deserved exceptional title, “my wellness goddess.”
2015-07-27T17:47:59-04:00
Christine is my wellness goddess. Her amazing support, extraordinary expertise, and undeniable compassion invited me to a world of freedom from digestive discomfort that I didn’t know was possible. The whirlwind of bloating, constipation, brain fog, and digestive upheaval was consuming my life. Exhaustion and frustration were becoming my very existence. And then I met my health goddess! Christine’s astute listening and meticulously tailored guidance, transformed my thinking and whirlwind of digestive discomfort. She helped me achieve a state of equilibrium. The balance I now experience is the center of my wellness existence—the core of my life with digestive happiness.   Christine instilled in me the power to embrace the grace and strength of my very own body! She has taught me to internalize the boundless evidence of my body’s functionality to heal digestively. While working with Christine, my exhaustion, pain, and bloating were overshadowed with energy, digestive comfort, glowing skin, and knowledge. Her coaching raised my awareness of food sensitivities, and promoted better food choices, which led to better sleep, a stronger link to overall wellness, clarity in my thinking, and ultimately, more joy in my life.  Christine’s remarkable spirit of wellness will forever echo in my digestive wellness journey. I bestow upon Christine the well-deserved exceptional title, “my wellness goddess.”