Dates

Properties

The date is a fruit derived from the date palm. There are several varieties of dates, but one of the best known are the Medjoul date and the Deglet Nour date. Dates are drupes and contain a large hard seed that is not edible. They grow in clusters, like bananas and only grow on female trees. Dates have been around for centuries. They originate in the Middle East and are grown mainly in North Africa and Arab countries. But you can also find date trees in Israel, California and Australia. In particular, countries like Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan and Algeria export dates.

 

Application

You can eat the fruit fresh or dried, but the variety the kind we know here in the Netherlands is the dried (often sugared) variety. Dates combine well with nuts, cheese, cream cheese. Or process them in a tagine dish, for example. In Islam, the date is an important fruit and also has a special meaning. Eating dates regularly is said to repair and cleanse the liver. During Ramadan, dates also play an important role and are standard on the table. They are eaten at sunset at the iftar meal. The lore says that breaking the fast with a date makes the iftar 1,000 times more ‘sawab’ (reward for good deeds). (*source)

Dates are a good snack, as they are high in fibre they make you feel satiated and less hungry. Don’t eat too many of them as they also contain a lot of carbohydrates due to the naturally occurring sugars. Be careful when buying dates, as there are some that have been candied and thus have had an extra sugar bath before they hit the shops. This is done not only for the sweet taste, but also to extend the shelf life.

 

 

Did you know.

• Dates contain more fibre per 100g than unpolished rice and wholemeal bread.
• Dates are relatively low in calories and low in fat. A 6g date contains about 19 kcal (nutrition centre)
• Dates are high in iron, copper and potassium
• Dates are a source of vitamin C

Tasty recipes with dates?

Try this tagine, or make this delicious sticky toffee cake, finger-licking good!