Date

Date – a fruit of a date palm tree. Wild dates were used by ancestors of modern Arabs more than five-seven thousand years ago. Saudi Arabia – the world leader in cultivation and sale of these fruits. Grow up fruit in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia. Date palm trees were also delivered to California, Mexico, the Republic of South Africa, Australia and other countries.

Crude fruits of dates have the ovate-cylindrical form. Length makes them three-seven centimeters, diameter – two-three centimeters. In a fruit the stone contains. Thickness of a stone of a fruit from 6 to 8 mm. Depending on softness degree dates divide on soft, semi-soft and dry.

In a ripe look color of fruit varies from bright red color to red-yellow. Ripe dates - brown, slightly wrinkled fruit with juicy pulp.

In the world about 450 kinds of dates are known. Part of them is eaten by the person, a part is suitable for a cattle forage, and a part is used for production of fertilizers and medicines.

The following grades of dates are most often eaten:

• Sharka – one of widespread grades of fruit. Dates of this grade can be stored for years;
• Boughs – very popular grade. Fruits of this grade very large;
• Maktumi – fruits of bright yellow color, very juicy and gentle;
• Raziz – very soft grade of dates;
• Shisha – fruits of golden color;
• Anbar – a grade of large and soft dates. It is grown up in limited quantity that affects the cost of this grade of fruit;
• Barney – yellow moist large dates.

Nutrition value and caloric content of dates

2,5 g of proteins, 0,5 g of fats, 69,2 g of carbohydrates, 20 g of water, 6 g of food fibers, 69 g of saccharites, 0,1 g of unsaturated fatty acids, 0,3 g of organic acids, 1,5 g of ashes are a part of these fruit.

Potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus and iron is a part of fruits.

Hundred grams of dates contain 0,05 mg of B1 vitamin, 0,05 mg of B2 vitamin, 0,8 mg of B3 vitamin, 0,1 mg of B6 vitamin, 0,3 mg of vitamin C and 0,8 mg of vitamin P.

Caloric content of dates – 274 kcal on 100 g of fruit.

Useful properties of dates

Dates were famous for the curative properties for a long time. On medicinal, nutritious and dietary properties dates are comparable with the most useful cereal cultures.

The advantage of dates is that these fruits fill an organism with vital forces, strengthen kidneys, heart, a liver, promote reproduction in intestines of useful microorganisms, support equilibrium balance of an organism, and also sate blood with useful components and stir up brain activity. These fruit contain a significant amount of protein when it is not in other fruit, as a rule.

It is considered that the regular use of these fruit in a dried look promotes increase in productivity of a brain by 25% and more.

It is useful to use these fruit for acceleration of recovery at various infectious diseases, and also at a hypertension, anemia.

The regular use of dates reduces risk of development of osteoporosis and fragility of bones.

Dates bring important benefit in treatment of bronchitis – they accelerate removal of a phlegm and calm cough.

However harm from dates can be very powerful at stones in kidneys or migraine.

Food fibers of dates reduce risk of developing of oncological diseases.

Nutritionists recommend to use 100-150 g of dates daily.

Caloric content of dates is high, however in these fruit there is no cholesterol.

Harm of dates for teeth is that dried fruits contain 60-65% of sugar. And sugar, as we know, destroys an adamantine substance of tooth. In these fruits it contains in a type of glucose and fructose therefore the organism acquires it much easier, than sucrose. Date sugar is much more useful to an organism, than beet or reed. And if after the use of dates to rinse an oral cavity water at once, then harm from dates to teeth will not be any more.

Quite recently scientists proved huge advantage of dates for a fruit and an organism of pregnant women, for simplification of childbirth and in a puerperal period.

It is proved that dates contain the special stimulators strengthening the uterus muscles during pregnancy facilitating childbirth and reducing the period of puerperal bleeding.

These fruits saturate mother's milk with useful substances and vitamins. Besides, as a part of these fruit the special components helping to get rid of prenatal and puerperal depressions contain.

Important useful properties of dates – the stimulating and easy somnolent action. Tryptophane in dates in a human body turns into melatonin – sleep hormone and serotonin – hormone of good mood. These fruit work selectively – stir up brain activity at fatigue, and at sleeplessness help to fall asleep.

Routes of administration of dates

Dates use for preparation of confectionery, muesli, kissels, compotes, alcohol, flour, sugar. Culinary specialists add fresh fruit to rolls, pies, cakes, cookies, fruit salads.

Fresh and dried fruits can be filled with almonds, the candied candied fruits, walnuts, butter and marzipan.

Arabs from these fruit prepare special paste, cookies and puddings.

The Libyan culinary specialists prepare analogs of icing sugar, vinegar and honey from fruits.

In some Islamic countries on the basis of these fruit cook nonalcoholic champagne.

Storage conditions of dates

As the degree of wetness at dates very low (30%), this fruit can keep the useful properties long time. At the room temperature date can be stored in an air-tight container within several months. For longer storage they should be placed in the refrigerator.