Healthy sweetener with dates

Healthy sweetener with dates

In healthy cooking, dates are a healthy alternative to industrial sugar. Dates not only taste very sweet and contain calories, but are also rich in fiber, vitamins and antioxidants.

What are Dates?

Dates are becoming increasingly popular. In the Arab and North African regions, native cultivated dates have long been a staple food and are widely used as an alternative to refined sugar. Dates are elongated oval in shape, light or dark brown in color and taste like honey or caramel, depending on the variety.

What are the Types of Dates?

About one hundred million date palms grow around the world, most of them in the dry regions of the Middle East. Drupes are rich in nutrients and vitamins, contain healthy fiber and minerals. Wild dates and cultivated dates differ in their nutritional composition; cultivated fruit is sweeter. The most famous varieties include Medjool Gattel, also known as “king date”, and Deglet Nour, called “finger of light” – there are hundreds of other varieties that differ in appearance, taste and ingredients.

What is the difference between fresh dates and dried dates?

In dried fruits, the amount of all ingredients per unit weight is higher due to their low water content. Therefore, they are usually a little sweeter and more nutritious. However, the content of vitamins such as vitamin C is higher in fresh dates than in dried dates.

Sugar-rich dates can be dried for at least a year.

Nutritional Value and Calories: Are Dates Healthy?

A look at the nutritional value of dates reveals: Exotic fruits have something special. The Deglet Nour variety, for example, provides a lot of energy with 282 calories per 100 grams, mainly in the form of carbohydrates, namely mostly sugar. Softer, water-rich dates contain less sugar than dry dates. It has a fructose (fruit sugar) content of 24.92 grams per 100 grams and a glucose (dextrose) content of 25.02 grams.

Depending on the variety and degree of ripeness, dates contain between 6.5 and 11.5 percent fiber, important minerals such as calcium, iron and magnesium, and only a small amount of fat. They provide the body with vitamin A, vitamins B1 and B2 as well as antioxidants that can slow down the aging process in the body. The sweet fruit is rich in essential minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc and manganese. They also provide the body with copper, fluorine, and selenium, which are important for nervous system function, cell growth, and cell repair, among other things.

What are Dates used for?

Dates are an important element of food in the Arab world. High-calorie fruits are satisfying in fresh or dried form. They sweeten many dishes, for example in the form of date puree or syrup. But dates also have religious significance: During the month of Ramadan, dates are traditionally eaten first when breaking the fast - they symbolize inner purification. Additionally, dates are used in the Arab world as a remedy for various health problems.

Dates as medicine?

In the Middle East, people traditionally use dates to treat intestinal problems and bronchitis, and are also used for fevers and healing wounds. Pregnant women consume dates to speed up the labor process and increase breast milk production because dates can affect certain hormone receptors in the uterus. Medical research shows that dates have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects and may even have anti-tumor properties.

How can dates complement a balanced diet?

If you want to get the health benefits of dates, store-bought date puree is a good alternative to regular industrial sugar. On the one hand, dates have many healthy ingredients even though they have a high sugar content, and on the other hand, sugar enters the blood more slowly because of the fiber. Switching to natural sweetness is the first step. Basically, sugar should be avoided as much as possible.

You can simply crush the dried dates yourself with a fork or puree them with a hand blender. You should choose dates that do not contain sulfur. If the fruit is too hard, it can be processed better by soaking it in water. Homemade pasta adds a pleasant sweetness to dishes and replaces white sugar when baking. For example, bake brownies or prepare healthy ice cream with dates instead of sugar.

Dried dates are also a healthy sweet treat that tastes as good as gummy bears and chocolate. Just try it! Moderate enjoyment is also important here. Because dates are quite sticky, they can increase the risk of tooth decay if your teeth are not cared for properly.


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