Health Benefits of Dates – A Perfect Source of Vitamins & Minerals

Dates are very popular and known for their health benefits worldwide. Hip foodies promote them as a healthy sugar substitute and we see them more and more in all kinds of products in the supermarket. Most of the people use them myself in recipes, to make energy balls or snack bars or just to eat as a tasty snack. Okay, so dates are tasty, but do they deserve that healthy image?

Why are dates healthy?

Like other dried fruits, dates are high in fruit sugar. That may scare some people off, but I think it’s healthier than the refined sugars used to make candy, for example. In addition, dates are full of healthy nutrients and fiber and that makes me excited! Let’s find out what this sticky energy bomb brings us.

What’s in a date?

There are 19 kilo-calories in 1 date of 6 grams. 100 grams of dates contain the following nutritional value:

• 316 calories
• 75 grams of carbohydrates, of which
• 7 grams of fiber
• 66 grams of sugars
• 2 grams of protein
• 0 grams of fat

Vitamins and minerals:

• Vitamin A: 3% RDA
• Vitamin B1: 3% RDA
• Vitamin B2: 4% RDA
• Vitamin B3: 8% RDA
• Vitamin B5: 8% RDA
• Vitamin B6: 12% RDA
• Vitamin K: 3% RDA
• Folic acid: 4% RDA
• Magnesium: 14% RDA
• Potassium: 20% RDA
• Copper: 18% RDI
• Manganese: 15% RDA

In addition to these vitamins and minerals, dates contain small amounts of calcium, iron, phosphorus and zinc.

Vitamins

In addition to fiber, which is very important for your digestion, the vitamin B complex in particular is amply represented in the dates. The vitamin B complex is important for many bodily functions. For example, you have vitamin B6, which is important for brain functions such as memory. Vitamins B2, B3 and B5 help build and break down proteins and fats, which are very important for your energy supply. Vitamin B11, known to most as folic acid, contributes to the production of red and white blood cells. This is important, because a lack of folic acid can lead to anemia. Vitamin B1 ensures the proper functioning of your heart and nervous system. So that’s a long list of important nutrients that dates can give you!

Minerals

Dates are also small power bombs in the field of minerals. For example, there is a lot of copper in dates. Copper contributes, among other things, to the functioning of your immune system (we can use that with this autumn weather!) Dates also contain potassium, good for your blood pressure and fluid balance, manganese and magnesium.

Eating unlimited dates?

Despite all these great nutrients and minerals, eating huge amounts of dates is not a good idea. In addition to many fruit sugars, they also have a laxative effect. Too bad if you spend the rest of your day on the toilet! In addition, you have to be careful which dates you buy. Some brands (especially the cheaper ones) have extra sugar added to make them even sweeter than they already are. So check the label before you buy your dates. The pure version, with no added ingredients, is by far the healthiest. These dates are an ideal replacement for regular sugars and are packed with healthy nutrients!

Simple snack recipe

Enough science and facts, now we know: dates are healthy. But how can you add them to your diet in a tasty and easy way? For that I would like to share my favorite date snack recipe with you. Ideal right before you hit the gym or when the hunger pains set in halfway through your lecture. You can keep them in the fridge for 3 to 5 days and they are easy to take with you, so don’t hesitate to stock up so you have a healthy snack on the go!

Recipes with dates

Finally, you can also easily use dates as a ‘sticky agent’ in cakes, cookies or breakfast bars. They are used a lot by raw vegans in particular. The internet is full of easy recipes, great fun and delicious to Google and try out such a recipe!