Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Yummy fresh dates!! + recipes

Hello again !

I can't stop munching on fresh dates today, so I decided to make a quick post about them!

One word - yummy!!

Dates grow on the palm tree belonging to the family of Arecaceae in the genus: Phoenix and scientifically named as Phoenix dactylifera. The tree is believed to originate in the lands on the banks of Nile and Euphrates Rivers of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Date palm is now grown extensively for its edible fruits under warmer climates across all the continents.

There are many varieties of date palm cultivated: 

Choose your date!


Health benefits of dates

  • Wonderfully delicious, dates are one of the most popular fruits packed with an impressive list of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are required for normal growth, development and overall well-being.
  • Fresh dates compose of soft, easily digestible flesh and simple sugars like fructose and dextrose. When eaten, they replenish energy and revitalize the body instantly. For these qualities, they are being used to break the fast during Ramadan month since ancient times.
  • The fruit is rich in dietary fiber, which prevents LDL cholesterol absorption in the gut. Additionally, the fiber works as a bulk laxative. It, thus, helps to protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time and as well as binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon.
  • They contain health benefiting flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants known as tannins. Tannins are known to possess anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hemorrhagic (prevent easy bleeding tendencies) properties.
  • They are moderate sources of vitamin-A (contains 149 IU per 100 g), which is known to have antioxidant properties and essential for vision. Additionally, it is also required maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin A is known to help to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
  • They compose antioxidant flavonoids such as B- carotene, lutein, and zea-xanthin. These antioxidants found to have the ability to protect cells and other structures in the body from harmful effects of oxygen-free radicals. Thus, eating dates found to offer some protection from colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers.

  • Zea-xanthin is an important dietary carotenoid that selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea, where it thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions. It thus offers protection against age-related macular degeneration, especially in elderly populations.
  • Dates are an excellent source of iron, contains 0.90 mg/100 g of fruits (about 11% of RDI). Iron, being a component of hemoglobin inside the red blood cells, determines the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
  • Further, they are very good in potassium. 100 g contains 696 mg or 16% of daily-recommended levels of this electrolyte. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that help controlling heart rate and blood pressure. They, thus, offers protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases.
  • They are also rich in minerals like calcium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Calcium is an important mineral that is an essential constituent of bone and teeth, and required by the body for muscle contraction, blood clotting, and nerve impulse conduction. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required for the production of red blood cells. Magnesium is essential for bone growth.
  • Further, the fruit has adequate levels of B-complex group of vitamins as well as vitamin K. It contains very good amounts of pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), niacin, pantothenic acid, and riboflavin. These vitamins are acting as cofactors help body metabolize carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Vitamin K is essential for many coagulant factors in the blood as well as in bone metabolism.

    Here are some serving tips:

  • Dry and soft dates are usually eaten out-of-hand.
  • They can also be chopped and used with fruit salad and in a range of sweet and savory dishes.
  • Dates are also being used to prepare juice and Jallab (a type of syrup popular in the Middle East and made from dates, grape molasses, and rose water) 
  •  I also love them blended with banana and strawberries! (or any other fruit)
  • Another way of eating them is by rolling them in lettuce to make a roll.
  • I love them tossed in salad. 
  • You can also blend them with bananas (or alone) and you have a salad dressing !
Stuffed dates 



Chickpea and date tagine : http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/chickpea-and-date-tagine/
Espresso-mascarpone stuffed dates - http://www.dinnersanddreams.net/2010/06/espresso-mascarpone-stuffed-dates.html

Maple date bars - http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/maple-date-bars-10000001120394/
Orange date nut bread - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/canned-orange-date-nut-bread-recipe/index.html


No bake date nut energy bars - http://www.ingredientsinc.net/2012/04/no-bake-date-nut-energy-bars/#.UP_kUPL4_uR


Fettucine with dates, feta cheese and spinach - http://www.theculinarychase.com/2011/06/fettuccine-with-dates-feta-cheese.html



Videos that show you how to use dates! :


Creamy datorade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzibGb1SMKU
Vegan Strudel :  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwwvHz1ELb0

If all this didn't make you hungry and run off to buy some dates, I don't know what can :)

love,

Denise o.b.o The Fabulous Team XOX










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