Eating dates in Iftar has many benefits. During Iftar time, people include dates in their diet chart.
This well-known and delicious fruit has been cultivated since many years.
This fruit is available to people in different parts of the world, especially in the Middle East and South Asia. People break their fast by eating dates.
The nutritional and health benefits of dates:
Dates contain calories without fat and most of the calories come from carbohydrates. A very small amount of protein comes from it. An 8 gm date provides about 23 calories. A 24-gm large Medjool date contains 66.5 calories.
Dates are also rich in vitamins and minerals along with sufficient fiber.
According to USDA (US Department of Agriculture), dates contain sodium 0.2 mg, carbohydrates 6 gm, fiber 0.6 gm, sugar 5 gm, protein 0.2 gm, potassium 53 mg, magnesium 3.4 mg, and iron 0.1 mg.
One date contains 6 gm of carbohydrates, most of which come from sugar. The sweet taste of dates is because of their high fructose element, which is twice as sweet as glucose. As the fruit ripens, the sugar element increases and the fiber decreases.
Dates contain the glycemic index in between 43 and 55. And this range depends on the variation and level of maturity in the dates.
Generally sweet fruits contain high glycemic. But it is different in the case of dates. Surprisingly dates contain low glycemic.
Dates are a good source of potassium, magnesium and iron. Dates provide six essential B vitamins, including folate and pantothenic acid. Dates contain high levels of polyphenol, which is a type of antioxidant. It protects the body from cellular damage.
Fiber contains in dates can balance the digestion system of our body. It can help digestion by preventing constipation. It balances regular bowel movements by keeping the digestive system free from disturbances.
Additionally, the fiber in dates may be beneficial for blood sugar control.
The various antioxidants consist in dates play an important role in reducing the risk of various diseases. Antioxidants basically protect body cells from free radicals. These radicals are a type of unstable molecules, which can cause harmful reactions and diseases in the body.
Flavonoid, Carotenoid, Phenolic acid, the three most powerful antioxidant consist in dates, which help to reduce inflammation, the risk of heart disease and macular degeneration or similar eye disorders, the risk of cancer and heart disease.
Magnesium deficiency can lead to serious bone diseases like osteoporosis. Dates are a source of magnesium. Eating dates is better than getting magnesium through supplements. It reduces the risk of toxicity.
Additionally, the iron found in dates helps to maintain bone marrow health.
