Are you looking for healthy food items to add to your daily diet? Why not try dates?

Dates are enriched in nutritional contents and help to protect health in various ways. The fruit of the date palm tree is available in fresh or dried form. The Medjool and Deglet Noor are the most commonly consumed variants of dates.

Read on to know about the benefits of eating dates!

The top health benefits of dates are discussed in detail below -

1. Fights Diseases

Dates have a high amount of antioxidants that reduce the risk of various diseases. Antioxidants protect cells from unstable molecules, which can cause harmful reactions in the body and lead to disease.

The most potent antioxidants in dates include Flavonoids, Phenolic Acid, and Carotenoids. Flavonoids reduce inflammation, risk of diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and specific kinds of cancer. Phenolic Acid lower the risk of heart disease and cancer. Lastly, Carotenoid minimizes eye-related disorders, including macular degeneration.

2. Supports Digestive Health

Consumption of dates aids in bowel movement due to the high presence of fibre content. Individuals who take dates for a week can ensure significant improvement in regular bowel movements.

In addition, consumption of dates on a regular basis lowers the concentration of Ammonia in the stool. Thus, it is clear that individuals can guarantee improved digestive health by eating dates.

3. Promotes Brain Health

Dates help in reducing inflammatory markers, including Interleukin 6 in the brain. High levels of these markers can increase the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer's. Many studies and researches have been conducted regarding the health benefits of dates.

Some animal studies show that dates can lower the effects of amyloid beta protein which leads to plaque formation in the head. Dates have brain-boosting properties (thanks to the presence of a high level of antioxidants), which help to lower inflammation. However, further human studies are required to prove these statements.

4. Improves Bone Heath

Dates contain minerals including potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. All these minerals have the power to eliminate the chances of developing bone-related diseases such as Osteoporosis.

Now that individuals know the health benefits of dates, let's learn about the nutritional value of this food item.

The nutritional value of a 100 gm serving of dates (3.5 ounces) is as follows:

• Calories: 282
• Protein: 2 grams
• Carbohydrate: 75 grams
• Fibre: 7 grams
• Vitamin B6: 15% of the RDI
• Copper: 40% of the RDI
• Iron: 5% of the RDI
• Manganese: 13% of the RDI
• Potassium: 15% of the RDI
• Magnesium: 13% of the RDI

Note: Individuals can eat 100 gm or a handful of dates per day.

Individuals willing to add the nutritional values of dates in their daily meals can do so in certain ways mentioned in the next section.

Here are explained different ways to include dates in meals:

• Add Baked Dates to Cakes: You can chop dates and bake them in cakes, cookies, bread, or muffins.
• Put Dates in Stuffing: Make a stuffing of dates along with almond or cream cheese or goat cheese. If you are using cream cheese, you can add walnut to the whole mixture or herbs and some garlic to goat cheese.
• Make a Wrap: You can stuff dates with almonds and make a wrap with half a piece of bacon or prosciutto. Then, you can secure the wrap with a toothpick.
• Add Dates to Salads: It is one of the easiest ways to add dates to your meal. All you have to do is to add chopped dates to a salad.
• Prepare a Smoothie: You can easily prepare a smoothie by adding dates along with other fruits such as mango, orange, banana, coconut milk, kiwi, and walnuts.

As individuals are aware of the advantages of eating dates, they must also know the risks associated with date consumption. Read on!

There are several side effects or risks of eating dates in excess.

• Increased Blood Sugar: Dates contain a high amount of natural sugar. Hence, excessive eating of dates can increase blood sugar levels.
• Weight Gain: Dates are calorie dense food items. Therefore, when individuals start taking a high amount of dates, it can result in weight gain.
• Allergies: Dried dates can contain sulfites that can lead to allergic reactions among individuals. Though the symptoms can vary, usually individuals experience skin allergies.

Below are discussed certain conditions during which individuals must not eat dates.

• Individuals suffering from diarrhoea should not eat dates. Dates contain a high amount of sugar alcohol named sorbitol which increases bowel movement. Hence, consuming dates during this time can prove to be harmful.
• Individuals with IBS or sensitivities can avoid dates due to the presence of high fructose.
• Persons suffering from kidney disease must avoid or limit date consumption due to the presence of a high amount of potassium.

From the above sections, one can clearly understand the benefits of eating dates. Consume the required amount of dates and improve bone and gut health.