All About Dates | Know Your Khajoor (Phoenix dactylifera)

Health benefits of dates, benefits of khajur

All About Health Benefits of Dates | Know Your Dates or Benefits of Khajoor (Phoenix dactylifera) – Dates or khajoor are often associated with dessert; their natural sweetness and rich flavor are really decadent.

However, there are some pretty impressive health benefits of dates too.

Dates are cultivated all over the world today especially across tropical regions. Khajoor are sweet and chewy, and are available as soft, semi-dry and dry varieties.

Dates produce heat in the body so they are highly recommended during winters.

Indian names for Dates are Khajur or Khajoor in Hindi. States like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat, and Rajasthan are the major date producing lands in India.

The varieties of dates majorly cultivated in India are Medjool, Ajwa, Safawi, Barhee, Khudri & Kimia.

Greek mythology connects the dates or date palm to the immortal Phoenix. In Natural History, Pliny the Elder describes the phoenix bird, who would build its next at the top of a date palm.

After 500 years, the bird would catch fire from the flames of the sun and would be reborn from its own ashes. Some legends say that the date palm would die and come back to life along with the famous bird.

In fact, the word date can be traced back to the Greek word daktylos, which means “finger” and “toe.”

Considered the oldest cultivated fruit in the world, there is fossil evidence indicates that dates go back at least 50 million years ago.

The ancient Hebrews made wine & vinegar from dates. They also used dates for making bread, and cakes. Date fruit stones were used to fatten livestock and the wood to make utensils.

Dates have been a staple food of the Middle East and the Indus Valley for thousands of years. They are believed to have originated around what is now Iraq.

The ancient Egyptians used the fruits to make date wine, and ate them at harvest. It is believed, the palm fronds used in Roman triumphal processions to symbolise victory were most likely those of date palms.

Throughout history dates have been recognised as an energising staple food and are sometimes referred to as the “bread of the desert” or “cake of the poor” or “fruit of the palm“.

Dates have been the staple food and chief source of wealth in the irrigable deserts of North Africa and the Middle East.

All parts of the date palm yield products of economic value. The date palm trunk furnishes timber; the midribs of the leaves supply material for crates and furniture; the leaflets, for basketry; the leaf bases, for fuel.

The fruit stalks of date palm are used for rope and fuel; the fibre, for cordage and packing material; and the seeds are sometimes ground and used as stock feed.

Syrup, alcohol, vinegar, and a strong liquor are derived from dates. Date sap is also used as a beverage, either fresh or fermented. When a palm is cut down, its tender terminal bud is eaten as a salad.

The sugar content in dates is extremely high and that makes dates sweet. The sugar gets more and more intense as dates dry and moisture leaves the fruit making them sweeter.

However, eating dates in moderation is unlikely to raise a person’s blood sugar excessively, even if they have diabetes.

Fresh dates may hold for up to two weeks if kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Dried dates can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months or the refrigerator for up to a year.

Though dates  are one of the sweetest fruits, they are also a rich sources of carbohydrates and energy. Diabetics can eat 3-4 dates a day as long as they are maintaining a healthy routine.

If you need a substitute for dates you can use dried figs or dried raisins. You can also pit your own dates. You can also use pomegranate molasses instead of dates paste.

• Eat them raw. But due to high sugar content, moderate consumption is recommended.
• Add 4–5 dates to your banana smoothie for a healthy morning breakfast.
• Add chopped dates to your salads
• Make a raita with dates.
• Stuff dates with almonds, pecans, cream cheese, or pistachios for a snack.
• Dates taste great in Moroccan stews or tagine dishes.
• Blend dates with nuts, cranberries & coconut and roll them into energy balls.
• Make a really nutritious tomato date soup, ideal for winters.

Health Benefits of Dates or Medical Benefits of Khajoor

• Health benefits of dates for improving bone health – Not getting enough vitamin D from sunlight in winters can deteriorate your bone health. You can surely prevent this by including dates in your diet. They are an excellent source of calcium that helps to keep bones and teeth strong.
• Health benefits of khajoor for heart health – Dates are high in both potassium and fiber. They help to reduce bad cholesterol which indirectly helps to lessen the risk of heart diseases. Dates also contain isoflavones that are known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
• Health benefits of dates in providing energy – Dates can boost up your energy levels immediately when you feel lethargic or sluggish in those winter days. They also help in keeping your body warm in winters.
• Health benefits of khajoor for anemia –If you happen to suffer with severe anaemia, which causes tiredness or fatigue, chest pain or shortness of breath, then consume dates and also get your blood purified naturally, with a home remedy.
• Health benefits of dates in skin & hair health – Date palm oil is an important ingredient in many cosmetic products as well as soaps.
• Health benefits of khajoor for digestion – Dates are a natural laxative fruit and rich in dietary fiber that help in curing constipation. It is healthy and regulates your bowel movements. You can soak dates overnight and consume them in the morning like a syrup.
• Health benefits of dates for your nervous system – Dates are rich in vitamins and minerals which boosts the health and functionality of your nervous system. It also controls the heart rate and maintains blood pressure of your body.
• Health benefits of khajoor for digestion –Eating antioxidant-rich foods like Dates can also help you deal with gastritis, a condition in which the stomach lining is inflamed
• Health benefits of dates for treating night blindness – Dates contain Vitamin A which keeps your eyes healthy. It also prevents many eye diseases such as night blindness.
• Health benefits of khajoor as antioxidants –Polyphenols are antioxidant compounds that can protect the body from inflammation. Dates contain more polyphenols than most other fruits and vegetables.
• Health benefits of dates as an anti-aging agent – Dates are a rich source of antioxidants that effectively counters the production of free radicals in your skin. It prevents accumulation of melanin in your skin and wrinkles.