Date

Also known asMedjool · Deglet Noor · Phoenix dactylifera · Kurma · 枣椰 · 椰枣

Name: Date, the fruit of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera). Common types include Medjool, a large, soft, caramel-like date, and Deglet Noor, a firmer, drier, lighter-tasting variety. Dates are sold fresh, semi-dried and fully dried; dried dates are also covered under Dried Fruits.

Description

The date palm is native to the hot, dry regions of the Middle East and North Africa, and has been cultivated for around six thousand years, making it one of the oldest cultivated tree crops. Dates were a staple for desert peoples, as the fruit is energy-dense, keeps well and the palm tolerates heat and poor soil. Dates are also central to Islamic tradition, where it is customary to break the daily fast during Ramadan with dates.

Today the largest producers include Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Algeria and Iraq. The Medjool variety is said to have come from Morocco and was brought to California in the 1920s, where it became a major crop. Dates are botanically a single-seeded drupe, like a plum or cherry, with a hard central stone.

Main nutrition value

Dates are a concentrated source of natural sugars and energy, and they provide dietary fibre, potassium and smaller amounts of magnesium and B vitamins.

How best to be consumed

Dates are naturally very sweet, so a small portion goes a long way.

1. Eat a few as a snack, or pair with nuts or cheese for a more balanced bite.
2. Stuff pitted dates with almonds, soft cheese or nut butter.
3. Blend into smoothies, energy balls and baking as a natural sweetener in place of sugar.
4. Chop into porridge, salads, tagines or stews for sweetness.
5. Remove the stone before eating, and check for any remaining pieces in pitted dates.

Overconsumption could cause…

Dates are healthy in sensible portions, but they are energy-dense and very sweet.

1. Weight gain from eating handfuls regularly, since dates are high in calories and natural sugar.
2. Blood sugar spikes in people managing diabetes if portions are large.
3. Tooth decay, since dates are sticky and cling to teeth.
4. Digestive upset such as bloating or loose stools from a large amount of fibre and sugar, and sulphite sensitivity with some dried, treated dates.

GroupsStone FruitsPalm family (Arecaceae)Rose family (Rosaceae)High fibreLow fatLow sodiumRich in potassiumMiddle Eastern and North AfricanFresh

Made intoDate SyrupDried Dates

Related foodsCoconutOliveJujubeLycheeCherrySweet Cherry

Wikipedia — Date palm, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Date_palm