Friday, August 12, 2011

The Benefits of Dates

The Benefits of Date Palm

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is a palm in the genus Phoenix, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its place of origin is unknown because of long cultivation, it probably originated from lands around the Persian Gulf. A full grown date palm, or Phoenix dactylifera can reach 82 feet (25 meters) in height, with a spreading crown of greenish leaves.

The date fruit grows in heavy clusters suspended under the leaves, and they are yellow in the early ripening stage, or kimri, the Arabic word for unripe. Some consumers enjoy date fruit in the next stage, khalal, meaning full sized but crunchy, while others wait for dates to reach rutab, ripe and soft. When the date fruit is allowed to sun dry on the tree, it is considered to be in the final tamr stage of ripening.

Dates Fruit Nutrition
Dates have a sweet taste that can be described as a mixture of honey and sugar syrup. Apart from its sweet taste, the fruit is highly nutritious as it is rich in vitamins A1, B1, B2, B3, B5 and has around twenty essential amino acids. It has high levels of potassium, phosphorous, calcium, etc and also contains dietary fiber in significant amounts. If you are looking for dates fruit calories, then, it is around 500 per cup (178 grams) of pitted dates. A large date of around eight grams may have approximately 23 calories. One cup of date fruits contains around 4.5 grams of protein, 0.7 gram fat, 134 grams carbohydrates, 14 grams dietary fiber, 113 grams sugar, etc. For a detailed view of the nutritional value of dates, have a look at dates nutritional value.

The Benefits of Date Palm
As dates fruits are highly nutritious with a wide range of beneficial compounds, it offers various health benefits too. It is rich in dietary fiber and this makes this fruit effective in preventing cholesterol absorption in the intestine. The high fiber content makes it a laxative too. Dates fruits contains high amounts of vitamin A, which is essential for eye health. Vitamin A also good for the skin and mucous membranes. Another dates health benefit is attributed by the presence of tannins that are antioxidants, which can fight inflammation, infection and hemorrhage. As mentioned above, dates contain around twenty amino acids that help in digestion. The potassium levels in dates is very high and this mineral promotes the health of the nervous system.

Dates fruits is also known to boost sexual stamina. Being rich in beta-carotene and other flavonoids, dates protect the cells from the damage that can be caused by free radicals. There are various other health benefits of this fruit and if you want to learn more about it, go through date fruit benefits.


Sources:
http://www.wisegeek.com/
http://www.buzzle.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/


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