Fruit facts - Dates health benefits - Dates nutritional values

Dates fruit nutrition facts → Facts about dates fruit and palm → Health benefits of dates fruit

Dates fruit have been the staple food for centuries in the West Asian, Mediterranean and North African regions of the world, giving health benefits to the populations in the region.This fruit is a good food source having high nutritional value contributing immense health benefits. Dates are easily assimilated producing energy in a short span of time.

Dates fruit uses and benefits

It is consumed as such and also used in various culinary preparations enhancing their nutritional values.
Dates fruit is chopped or made into paste or syrup and used in candy bars, cookies, cakes, jams, jellies, breads, puddings and cereals enriching their nutritional value.

a bunch of raw dates (enlarge)

Nutritional values and medicinal and health benefits of dates fruit

The high content of sugars like fructose, glucose and sucrose makes it a power house giving instant energy.
This fruit is rich in essential minerals like, potassium, calcium, iron, sulphur, phosphorus, copper and manganese.
It contains fairly high amounts of vitamin B complex, giving health benefits by helping in the regulation of metabolism, boosting of immunity, maintenance of blood glucose levels and cell regeneration.
The high fiber content improves health by giving a laxative effect in the intestine.
The soluble fiber in dates fruit helps in the control of diabetes by regulating the blood sugar levels.
The soluble fiber gives health benefits of lowering LDL ( low density lipoprotein - bad cholesterol).
The high potassium and low sodium content in them helps in the reducing hyper-tension and blood pressure.
Dates are found to have high levels of antioxidants and polyphenols, which give health benefits like protection from cancer and heart ailments.
The high tannin content make them useful in the intestinal troubles, functioning as astringent and detersive.
Continuous use of them has been found to help in building up of friendly bacteria in the digestive tract and in keeping the intestinal pathogens in check.
Dates help in weight reduction, weight gain and in the getting relief from constipation due to its high fiber content.
In various forms like decoction, syrup and paste gives health benefits controlling cough and throat ailments.
It is found to relieve fever, edema and abdominal health problems.
The gum from the trunk is used to treat urino-genital ailments and diarrhea.
For both adults and children, taking this fruit helps in the speedy convalescence.
They are believed to give health benefits like strengthening the uterine-wall during pregnancy.
Dates fruit has been found to give health benefits to pregnant women by helping in easy delivery and in reducing bleeding after delivery.

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Fruit facts: Dates nutrition facts

Dates nutrition facts → Dates tree and fruit facts → Facts about health benefits of dates

One of the important facts is that sugars are the most prevalent nutrient in the fruit and are mainly composed of sucrose, fructose and glucose. Instant energy available in this fruit contribute to its nutrition value.

Though proteins occur in small amounts, the amino acid composition is favourable to human needs and nutrition.

Crude fibre in dates fruit, ranges between 2-6% of the flesh and is useful as dietary fibre in human nutrition. Vitamin A, B1, B2 and niacin are available in this fruit in reasonable amounts. Dates are good sources of iron, calcium and potassium. Considerable amounts of copper, magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur and chlorine are present.

Polyphenols as tannins are present to the extent of 3% weight of the dates fruit and add antioxidant nutrition properties to the fruit.

(Facts on nutrition and values are calculated for the edible parts.)

Dates (enlarge)

Fruit facts: Dates nutrition

Nutrients	Units	Value per 100g	One cup chopped 147g	One pitted
Water	g	20.53	30.18	1.46
Energy	kcal	282	415	20
Protein	g	2.45	3.60	0.17
Total lipid (fat)	g	0.39	0.57	0.03
Ash	g	1.60	2.35	0.11
Carbohydrate	g	75.03	110.29	5.33
Dietary Fiber	g	8.0	11.8	0.6

Fruit facts: Sugars in dates nutrition

Sugars	Units	Value per 100g	One cup chopped 147g	One pitted
Sugars	g	63.35	93.12	4.50
Sucrose	g	23.84	35.04	1.69
Glucose(Dextrose)	g	19.87	29.21	1.41
Fructose	g	19.56	28.75	1.39
Maltose	g	0.12	0.18	0.01

Fruit facts: Minerals in dates nutrition

Minerals	Units	Value per 100g	One cup chopped 147g	One pitted
Calcium	mg	39	57	3
Iron	mg	1.02	1.50	0.07
Magnesium	mg	43	63	3
Phosphorus	mg	62	91	4
Potassium	mg	656	964	47
Sodium	mg	2	3	0
Zinc	mg	0.29	0.43	0.02
Copper	mg	0.206	0.303	0.015
Manganese	mg	0.262	0.385	0.019
Selenium	mcg	3.0	4.4	0.2

Fruit facts: Vitamins in dates nutrition

Vitamins nutrition facts	Units	Value per 100g	One cup chopped 147g	One pitted
Vitamin C	mg	0.4	0.6	0.0
Thiamin	mg	0.052	0.076	0.004
Riboflavin	mg	0.066	0.097	0.005
Niacin	mg	1.274	1.873	0.090
Pantothenic acid	mg	0.589	0.866	0.042
Vitamin B-6	mg	0.165	0.243	0.012
Folate	mcg	19	28	1
Choline	mg	6.3	9.3	0.4
Betaine	mg	0.4	0.6	0.0
Carotene, beta	mcg	6	9	0
Vitamin A	IU	10	15	1
Lutein + zeaxanthin	mcg	75	110	5
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)	mg	0.05	0.07	0.00
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)	mcg	2.7	4.0	0.2

Fruit facts: Lipids in dates nutrition

Fatty acids	Units	Value per 100g	One cup chopped147g	One pitted
Saturated	g	0.032	0.002	0.00
Monounsaturated	g	0.036	0.053	0.003
Polyunsaturated	g	0.019	0.028	0.001

Fruit facts: Amino acids in dates nutrition

Amino acids	Units	Value per 100g	One cup chopped 147g	One pitted
Tryptophan	g	0.012	0.018	0.001
Threonine	g	0.043	0.063	0.003
Isoleucine	g	0.049	0.072	0.003
Leucine	g	0.084	0.123	0.006
Lysine	g	0.066	0.097	0.005
Methionine	g	0.022	0.032	0.002
Cystine	g	0.067	0.098	0.005
Phenylalanine	g	0.050	0.074	0.004
Tyrosine	g	0.015	0.022	0.001
Valine	g	0.071	0.104	0.005
Arginine	g	0.136	0.200	0.010
Histidine	g	0.032	0.047	0.002
Alanine	g	0.083	0.122	0.006
Aspartic acid	g	0.213	0.313	0.015
Glutamic acid	g	0.359	0.528	0.025
Glycine	g	0.101	0.148	0.007
Proline	g	0.130	0.191	0.009
Serine	g	0.057	0.084	0.004

Source: USDA National Nutrient Database (2009)