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Dates, the staple food of the Mideast countries is a sweet dry fruit. Date palms or Phoenix dactylifera (scientific name) produce clusters of oval, dark reddish brown drupes, called dates below their fronds. Around 600-1700 clusters are present in a single cluster. The skin of the dried fruit is wrinkled and covered with a sticky, waxy film. Dates are eaten whole or incorporated in various Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. Served mainly as desserts, these date fruits are generally chopped into tiny slices and scattered across cakes and puddings to ameliorate their flavor. Some people mix date paste with yogurt, milk, bread or butter to enhance their flavor. Dates are also de-seeded and stuffed with several sweet fillings like apricot, etc. Besides the versatility of date preparation and consumption, these dry fruits also feature various nutritional values and date fruit benefits are well known across the globe. Dates are opulent in vitamins and minerals, low in calories (a single date fruit has 23 calories) and are cholesterol free. Moreover, they are loaded with natural fibers and according to a modern medicine survey, they are useful in keeping abdominal cancer at bay. Date Fruit Health BenefitsDates provide several essential nutrients such as calcium, fiber, amino acids, sulfur, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, copper, potassium and fats to the body. They are wonderful sources of dietary fiber and are rich in vitamins A1, B1, B2, B3 and B5. The different benefits of date fruits are as listed below: Assists Digestion: Dates consist of 20 different kinds of amino acids which facilitate the digestive process. This is why dates are easily digestible and furnish the body with required energy for physical activities in about half an hour. Moreover, consuming dates on fasting days before breaking the fast helps avoid overeating after the fast. The factor responsible for human hunger is shortage of sugar in the blood. Consumption of dates, not only pacifies the feeling of hunger with its sugar content, but also all of its nutritional value is absorbed by the body. This prevents people from overeating after a day of fasting. Maintains Healthy Nervous System: Dates are rich in potassium content, which are essential for a healthy nervous system. Research reveals that higher potassium intake of about 400 mg can reduce the risk of strokes by 40%. Moreover, dates are low in sodium content, thereby preventing the blood pressure levels from rising. Treats Anemia: Dates have a high content of iron in them, which makes them great home remedies for reducing iron deficiency. Anemia patients are advised to eat several dates on a daily basis to raise their level of iron in the blood. Prevents Night Blindness Problems: The American Cancer Society states that consumption of one date a day helps maintain healthy eyes for one's lifetime. Dates are effective in keeping night blindness problems at bay. The society recommends intake of 20-35 grams of dietary fiber daily via date consumption. Strengthens Tooth Enamel: Dates contain fluorine, which is an essential mineral to slow down the process of early tooth decay. Fluorine is also known to keep plaque at bay by strengthening the tooth enamel. However, many people are of the misconception that tooth enamel can magically reverse tooth decay. This is not true. Tooth enamel consists of hydroxyapatites, which when brought in contact with fluorine forms hydroxyfluoroapatites, which is resistant to decay. This clearly means that fluorine helps prevent further tooth decay, but cannot reverse the decay process. Alleviates Constipation: Dates also possess laxative properties, and are suitable for people suffering from constipation. In order to get the benefits of laxative properties of dates, one should soak dates overnight in water. The soaked dates should then be ingested in the morning along with the water to gain the actual advantages. The roughage provided by dates increases bowel movement, thereby solving constipation issues. Sexual Weakness: The problem of sexual weakness can be countered by dates, as they are beneficial in increasing the body's sexual stamina. One needs to soak handful of dates in goat's milk overnight. Next morning, grind the dates in the same milk and add a mixture of honey and cardamom powder. This yields a tonic capable of increasing sexual endurance. Energy Booster: Dates are power packed with 29 grams of natural sugars (glucose, sucrose and fructose), 3 grams of dietary fiber and 31 grams of carbohydrates. Therefore, the tiny date fruit can be appropriately described as an energy boosting dry fruit. Besides the above mentioned date fruit benefits, dates are also known to cure intestinal disorders. Their nicotinic content helps keep a check on pathological organism growth. Moreover, dates help strengthen the uterus muscles, enabling it to dilate in a smooth manner during delivery. Dates also enrich the mother's milk by providing it with nutrients beneficial for the baby's health. In a nutshell, date fruit is an ideal food source responsible for furnishing essential nutrients, helps food digestion and is an energy provider.
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