As well as adding dates to your diet to help manage diabetes, learn what other foods are great for controlling blood glucose and insulin levels.
Dates Have Neuro-protective Properties
Consuming dates is good for diabetics because date fruit extract helps to protect against nerve damage (diabetic neuropathy)
Diabetic neuropathy is a complication of diabetes causing damage to the peripheral nerves. The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include pain and numbness or weakness in the hands, feet, and the extremities.
One study involving diabetic animal subjects found that extracts from date fruits protected the nerves from deterioration.
Dates Are Good for Helping to Lose Weight
One of the benefits of eating a few dates in the morning is that the extra fiber and healthy sugars give you energy and can help boost your weight loss efforts.
Dates contain about 80% sugar, but that doesn’t mean that eating a few dates is fattening.
For example, 5 dates contain nearly 1/3 of your daily fiber requirements. Researchers from Harvard Medical School say that getting more fiber in your diet is one of the key ways to lose weight.
Of course, it is good to remember that 1 pitted date contains 66 calories. So, it’s good not to eat too many dates every day if you want to lose weight.
Dates May Make Childbirth Easier
Eating dates are good if you are pregnant because they don’t only give you a great nutritional boost but even make labor easier.
Scientists have discovered that eating dates in pregnancy, especially in the last trimester, can have a positive effect on childbirth.
One study found that women who ate 6 dates a day in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy had higher cervical dilatation before giving birth than women who didn’t consume any dates.
Other studies found that eating 70 grams of dates a day during late pregnancy decreased the length of labor. Doctors also had to give oxytocin to start labor in fewer cases when women regularly ate dates during pregnancy.
Dates Are Important for Good Liver Health
Another good reason to consume dates as part of a healthy, well-balanced diet is that antioxidants in dates protect your liver.
Scientists have found that compounds in Deglet Noor dates helped to repair liver damage that has been caused by toxins.
Other studies have shown that Ajwa date extracts help to promote liver function by decreasing liver enzymes that cause inflammation. In liver cancer, date fruit extract helped to keep the liver functioning better and help inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer.
Date Extracts Have Anticancer Potential
Phytochemicals and other bio-active compounds in dates may help to protect against various types of cancer.
For example, scientists have found that eating dried dates helps lower the risk of breast cancer. Other studies have shown that consuming date fruits can prevent colon cancer cells from spreading.
Of course, more research has to be done to see exactly how dates can be used to treat cancer. However, the fact that dates contain high levels of antioxidants as well as vitamins and minerals means that consuming dates is good for boosting your immune system.
How to Store Date
To keep dates tasting delicious, it is important to store them properly so they retain their moisture.
Store dates in a glass container with a sealable lid or place them in a resealable plastic bag. Dates should stay fresh for up to a month in an airtight container.
To extend their shelf life, you can also store dates in the refrigerator or freezer. This way, you can store dried dates for a year or more.
How Many Dates to Eat Each Day? Recommended Dosage
Dates are high in sugar content – coming in at a whopping 66.5 grams per 100 gram serving of the fruit. It is recommended to lessen sugar consumption, even when the sugar is being consumed from fruits, so moderation is a key.
Since dates vary greatly in size, the general recommendation is to consume 2-3 larger dates, or up to 4 smaller dates daily.
Ways to Eat More Dates in Your Diet
Dates are naturally sweet, and fresh or dried dates don’t contain added sugar. There are many different ways you can add dates to your diet.
For example, you can soak dates for 10 minutes in hot water before adding them to sweeten your favorite smoothie. Soaking dates before using them helps to release more sweet flavors and stops sticky date bits sticking to the sides of the blender.
You can also chop pitted dates and sprinkle them on your desserts, oatmeal, or even salads. Or simply eat dried dates as an easy snack. You can also add chopped dates in baking recipes such as breads, muffins, cookies, cakes and savory dishes.
Another way to cut down on refined sugar and use more dates in your diet is to use date paste in baking instead of sugar.
