If you like a little sweetness in your diet that’s not unhealthy, something that will give you energy and perhaps a little skip in your step, then you are likely someone who likes a good date or even several. Healthy for the body and mind and iftar and sehri favorite during Ramzan, dates are considered to be a healthy indulgence.
The fruit of the date palm is grown in many tropical regions of the world and is a delectable snack for any time of day. Moreover, if you eat three of these soft, squishy fruit every day for one week, you may consider making dates a more regular occurrence, reported Food Prevent. Here’s how.
Khoon Banane kee Machine hain ye daane
Reduced risk of colon cancer:
Along with ensuring that food moves through the digestive system at a healthy rate, dates also make sure the gut itself is healthy and free from harmful bacteria. When the digestive system and gut are working well then so is the colon, resulting in a reduced risk of colon cancer.
A study conducted by the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences found that those who consumed dates had enhanced colon health because dates increased the growth of good bacteria, inhibiting the growth of colon cancer cells.
Long-lasting energy:
Dates contain natural sugars, glucose, fructose, and sucrose that will give you a quick burst of energy when you need it. Unlike energy bars or drinks, dates contain other healthy components like fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamins, and antioxidants that will keep those levels up.
Improved digestive health:
If you want to keep things in your digestive system moving along nice and regularly, dates are just the thing to do. In just a one-cup serving or dates, you will get 12 grams of fiber. That’s 48 percent of your recommended daily intake. The right amounts of fiber can benefit your digestive health by preventing constipation and promoting regular bowel movements.
Dates are the right kind of fiber to do the job. In fact, a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that people who consumed seven dates per day for 21 days showed improvements in stool frequency and an increase in bowel movements compared to when they did not eat dates.
You could be smarter:
Dates contain Vitamin B6 that has been shown to improve the performance of the brain by helping the body make serotonin and norepinephrine. Serotonin, in turn, regulates mood and norepinephrine helps your body cope with stress. Conversely, research has shown that low levels of Vitamin B6 are linked to depression. When your brain is clear from stress, and in a good mood, then it is sharp and ready to learn and retain information.
Are dates high in sugar?
Yes – one date contains at least 6g of sugar. However, dates are also high in fiber, which helps to slow down digestion and may prevent blood sugar level spikes. Eating dates with some protein, such as whole nuts or nut butter, will slow down this increase in blood sugar levels further.
Research into fiber is increasingly revealing its important role in health, from helping to maintain a healthy gut microbiome to reduce the risk of certain long-term health conditions.
