The Date Fruit has been around for a very long time but yet it is not very popular as not so many people know it or even eat it.
In Nigeria, the fruit is more popular in the Northern part of the country, in fact I got to know it for the very first time when I went for my Youth Service Corps programme in the North, and ever since then I don't fail to look for people traveling to the Northern part of the country just to give them money to buy Date fruits for me as they are very tasty.
WHAT IS A DATE FRUIT?
The Phoenix dactylifera otherwise called Date palm tree belongs to the Arecaceae family, and it's majorly cultivated for its sweet sugary fruit known as Date Fruit.
The history of this sweet sugary fruit can be traced back to Ancient Mesopotamia, where it was believed to have been first cultivated.
NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION OF DATE FRUITS:
Date fruits contains very high percentage of carbohydrates (over 50 per cent sugar by weight)
Low in fat (0.3 per cent)
Contains about 3% protein.
No cholesterol, but high in soluble dietary fiber.
Has a high concentrate of minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, cobalt, copper, zinc, selenium, elemental fluorine, boron and Sulphur.
It also contains over six vitamins, including Vitamins A, C, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), nicotinic acid (niacin), etc.
Date fruits also contain phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, glycosides, sterols, cinnamic acids, tannin, saponins, etc.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF DATE FRUIT
The Date Fruit has a lot of health benefits which includes:
Relief from constipation and intestinal disorders.
Relief from heart problems and anemia.
Aids in reducing sexual dysfunctions and also acts as a libido booster.
Prevents and also acts as a cure to abdominal cancer.
Dates are good for gaining weight as they are rich fiber and minerals.
. They are a quick source of energy as they significantly boost energy levels in people within half an hour of consumption.
Date fruits are easily ingested, it doesn't need much preparation:
- It can be eaten dry (ie after sundrying the fruit)
- The fresh fruit can also be ground into a paste, and the paste mixed with milk, yogurt, or any other food you want to add it to like tea, etc.
It is said that one apple a day keeps the doctor away, I believe that one date a day is necessary for a balanced and healthy diet.
Materials for this article was researched from here, and here