Dates are the fruit of the date palm tree, scientifically known as Phoenix dactylifera. Nutrition and You notes that date palms are believed to have originated on the banks of the Nile and Euphrates rivers; today, they are cultivated in warm-weather climates worldwide. Dates' easily digestible flesh and content of simple sugars allows them to deliver a quick energy boost. Luscious, satisfying, and packed with vitamins, minerals and nutrients, dates are a healthy choice for a snack.
Date Calories and Basic Nutrients
Dates are rich in fiber. Nutrition and You says that a 100 g serving -- about four or five medium-sized fruits -- contain 6.7 g of dietary fiber, providing 18 percent of your daily Recommended Value. The website adds that fiber can help to prevent the absorption of harmful LDL cholesterol, as well as helping to alleviate constipation. Dates have the healthful attribute of being a low-fat, low-sodium food, containing a scanty .15 g of total fat and a single milligram of sodium; they are also cholesterol-free. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, the same 100 g serving of dates provides 74.97 g of carbohydrates, 1.81 g of protein and 248 calories. With all the nutritional benefits dates provide, this relatively modest amount of calories makes them a bargain for dieters.
Minerals
Dates are an excellent source of potassium. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, this essential mineral is necessary for muscle contractions and helps to control heart rate and blood pressure. With 696 mg of potassium per 100 g, four or five dates provide 16 percent of the RV. Dates are also rich in iron, providing .90 mg per 100 g -- or 11 percent of the RV -- as well as magnesium, an essential mineral needed for bone growth; Nutrition and You says that 100 g of dates contains 13 percent of the RV. The website adds that copper -- essential for the production of red blood cells -- is found in ample amounts in dates, with 100 g providing .362 mg, or 40 percent of the RV.
B-complex Vitamins
Dates are a good source of B-complex vitamins, described by The American Cancer Society as essential for breaking down proteins and carbohydrates, producing energy, and maintaining healthy nervous and immune systems. Nutrition and You says that five medium dates, or 100 g, provide 19 percent of the RV of vitamin B-6, 16 percent of the RV of vitamin B-5 -- also called pantothenic acid -- and 10 percent of the RV of vitamin B-3, also called niacin. Vitamin B-2 -- or riboflavin -- and vitamin B-1 -- or thiamine -- are also present in modest quantities, offering, respectively, 4.5 percent and 4 percent of the RV.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
Dates also contain substances with potent antioxidant qualities. According to the USDA, dates are rich in antioxidant vitamin A, providing 149 IU per 100 g. Nutrition and You states that dates are also high in antioxidant flavonoids such as beta-carotene and lutein, which scavenge harmful free radicals and provide chemoprotective effects.
Common Date Misconception
Although dates are often categorized as a dried fruit, Produce News asserts that this is inaccurate, and that dates found in whole form in the supermarket are actually fresh, not dehydrated. The misconception probably arises from the fact that dates -- with 30 percent moisture -- have the lowest moisture content of any fresh fruit, a natural consequence of growing in the desert
Member Comments