These are the health benefits of dates, try to take some today. A product of the date palm and cultivated since approximately 6000 B.C, the date fruit is one of thesweetestfruits around and also happens to come in many different varieties. Although dates can be eaten fresh, the fruit is very often dried, resembling raisins or plums. But whether fresh or dry, thehealth benefits of dates are still just as plentiful. Nutritional Content of Dates If you’re looking for fiber, potassium, or copper, look no further than dates. While dates are rich in many vital nutrientsand therefore offer many health benefits, the fruit is so small that you’ll need to consume a larger quantity to intake the necessary amount. The following nutritional data outlines some of the key nutrients found indates, and isbased on a 100g servingof the fruit. Fiber– 6.7 grams. 27% RDA. Potassium– 696 milligrams. 20% RDA. Copper– 0.4 milligrams. 18% RDA. Manganese– 0.3 milligrams. 15% RDA. Magnesium– 54 milligrams. 14% RDA. Vitamin B6– 0.2 milligrams. 12% RDA. Note: Dates are high insugar content– coming in at a whopping66.5 gramsper 100 gram serving of the fruit. It is recommended to lessen sugar consumption as much as possible, even when the sugar is being consumed from fruit. Check out the USDA Nutrient Database for a full nutritional profile of dates. The Known Health Benefits of Dates – What the Date Fruit Has to Offer Dates aren’t exactly anutritional powerhouse when compared to some other foods like kiwi or sesame seeds, butthe fruit does still offer numerous healthbenefits along with great taste. Here are some health benefits of dates. 1. PromotingDigestive Health, Relieving Constipation– Fiber isessential for promoting colon healthand making for regular bowel movements. The insoluble andsoluble fiber found in dates help toclean out thegastrointestinal system, allowing the colon to work at greater levels of efficiency. Some other benefits relating to fiber and colon health are reduced risks of colitis, colon cancer, and hemorrhoids.(Dates could even be coupled with other home remedies for hemorrhoids.) 2. Boosting Heart Health– In addition to promoting colon health,fiber is also known to boost heart health. 3. Anti-Inflammatory–Dates are rich in magnesium –a mineral known for itsanti-inflammatory benefits. One study found that ”inflammatory indicators in the body such as CRP (C-reactive protein), TNF (tumor necrosis factor alpha), and IL6 (interleukin 6) were all reduced when magnesium intake was increased.” Further, inflammation in the arterial wallswas also reduced withmagnesium intake. Based on magnesium’santi-inflammatory properties and the findings of this study, magnesium can effectively reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, andother inflammation-related health ailments. 4. Reduced Blood Pressure–Magnesium has been shown to help lower blood pressure – and again, dates are full of the mineral. Additionally, potassium is another mineral in dates that has several functions within the body, aiding with the proper workings of the heart and helping to reduce blood pressure. 5. Reduced Stroke Risk– Afterevaluating 7 studies published over a 14 year time period, researchers found strokerisk was reduced by 9% for everyevery 100 milligrams of magnesium aperson consumes per day. Theresearch canbe found in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 6. A Healthy Pregnancyand Delivery– Further adding to thehealth benefits of dates, one study performed byresearchers at the University ofScience and Technology set out to discover how the datefruit impacted labor parameters and deliveryoutcomes. After studying 69 women for a year and 1 month, the researchers found that“the consumption of date fruit in the last 4 weeks before labour significantly reduced the need for induction andaugmentationof labour, and produced a more favourable, but non-significant, delivery outcome. Theresults warrant a randomised controlled trial.” 7. Boosting Brain Health– Some studies, such as one found in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that sufficient vitamin B6 levels are associated with improved brain performance and better test scores. A Summary of Dates Health Benefits: Dates are Great for: Weight loss Relieving c
Posted on: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 09:55:51 +0000
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