Date palms are among the oldest cultivated trees; they have been grown in the North Africa for at least 8,000 years. Date tree are extraordinarily fruitful, producing up to 200 dates in a cluster. Dates are extremely nutritious as they contain important nutrients like iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, folic acid and others. About 60 to 70% of the date's weight comes from sugar that is why it is one of the sweetest of all fruits. Fresh dates are classified according to their moisture content, falling into three categories: soft, semisoft, and dry. Most varieties in the USA are semisoft, which are marketed fresh as well as dried after part of their moisture has evaporated.

Nutrient Content: ½ cup (about 12 medium dates)

• Potassium: 650mg (several times more than a comparable amount of other high-potassium foods such as bananas and oranges.
• Fiber: 2g
• Calories: 275
• It also contain 6% or more of the adult RDA for iron, niacin and B6

Benefits:

• Dates are a great source of dietary fiber which is beneficial for the digestive system.
• Dates are fat and cholesterol free.
• Dates have the highest concentration of polyphenols among dried fruits.
• Dates are a perfect energy boosting snacks because it contains naturally occurring sugars such as fructose, glucose and sucrose which are easily digested by the body therefore providing instant energy.
• Date is an excellent source of potassium. Potassium is an essential mineral your body needs to maintain muscle contractions including the vital heart muscle. It is therefore beneficial in strengthening the heart.

• Dates contain a variety of B-complex vitamins which function to metabolize carbohydrates and maintain blood sugar levels, and fatty acids for energy.
• Dates contain Magnesium which is essential for healthy bone development and for energy metabolism.
• Dates also contain Iron which is essential to red blood cell production. Red blood cells carry all the nutrients to cells throughout the body. Dates can help to prevent and treat anemia.
• Date is a mild laxative fruit, it is therefore highly beneficial in the treatment of constipation as the roughage provided by it stimulates sluggish bowels.
• Dates are very useful tonic for improving sex stamina and sterility due to functional disorders.
• Pregnant women can benefit from the consumption of dates because it helps in strengthening the uterine wall and also helps in reducing bleeding after delivery.
• Dates are also beneficial for lactating mothers as they help in enriching the breast milk. In addition, according to research, it has been found that children of breast feeding mothers who consume dates on regular basis are less prone to infections and diseases in their life.

Buying tip: It is important to select dates carefully because the sticky surface of the date attracts dust it therefore advisable to purchase the best varieties in good packing condition and to wash them thoroughly before use.

Caution:

• Dates contain tyramine, an organic compound found in aged cheese, certain processed meats, red wine, and other products. Anyone taking monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors to treat depression or high blood pressure should avoid dates, because tyramine can interact with these drugs to produce as life-threatening rise in blood pressure. In some people, tyramine can also trigger migraine headaches.
• It's important to brush your teeth after eating dates. Both the dried and fresh fruits are very sticky, and because of their high sugar content, they can lead to dental decay if bits are allowed to adhere to the teeth.