Food Focus: DATES

Food Focus: DATES

Dates are fruits that grow on date palms. They have been used since the times of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. Dates are very sweet and nutritionally packed essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Dates are rich in dietary fiber and contain tannins (flavonoid antioxidants that are thought to have anti-inflammatory properties). In terms of percentage of RDA, 100g of dates contains:

• Vitamins
  • Folates – 4%
  • Niacin – 10%
  • Pantothenic acid – 16%
  • Pyridoxine – 19%
  • Riboflavin – 4.5%
  • Thiamin – 4%
  • Vitamin A – 5%
  • Vitamin K – 2%
• Electrolytes
  • Potassium – 16%
• Minerals
  • Calcium – 6.5%
  • Copper – 40%
  • Iron – 11%
  • Magnesium – 13%
  • Manganese – 13%
  • Phosphorous – 9%
  • Zinc – 4%

Dates are usually eaten raw and are often used in desserts. Be careful because even pitted dates can sometimes contain pits or pit fragments.