We're cautioned against sweet foods when trying to tlose weight or get healthier in general.
But if you’re on a health kick and still have cravings for something sweet, we have
some good news.
There’s one delicious treat that might be the key to a wide range of health benefits
- Dates!
Hi viewers and welcome back to Bestie!
Grown natively in tropical climates, dates are fruits that come from date palm trees.
You’ll mostly find dates — usually Medjool or Deglet Noor varieties — for sale in the
US in their dried form.
They have a sweet flavor and slightly chewy texture and are often used as an all-natural
sugar substitute in baking and other recipes.
But the best part about them isn’t even their sweet taste.
These fruits are super nutritious providing you a range of health benefits.
And in today’s video, we will tell you what eating 3 dates everyday for a week would do
to your body.
From strengthening your bones, lowering blood pressure, improving heart health, promoting
brain health to improving your eyesight and more, watch till the end to learn about all
of them.
Lower Blood Pressure: Dates are an excellent source of potassium - a mineral that plays
a significant role in maintaining normal blood pressure.
It also relieves muscular pain and overall fatigue.
Fortunately, potassium is present in many healthy foods, such as bananas, peas, salmon
and broccoli as well.
In fact, one Majhoul date can contain close to 160 milligram of potassium.
The fact that dates, in general, are high in fiber also makes eating them beneficial
for blood pressure.
The effectiveness of high blood pressure treatment with natural foods is so high that Harvard
also published a series of recommendations to treat the phenomenon drug-free.
And it included a recommendation to eat dates and similar dried fruits.
What type of situations increase your blood pressure?
Drop your answers in the comments section below!
Good for anemia: If you’re trying to battle anemia, you would be glad to know that one
of the health benefits of dates is due to its high iron content.
Although you might not be able to tell this at first because the fruit is so sweet and
it doesn’t taste bad.
Usually, fruits and vegetables which are rich in iron don’t taste so good.
For example, the bitter gourd lives up to its name because it’s bitter.
Dates may be sweet but they can provide just as much iron.
Beneficial For Pregnant Women: It is a common belief among pregnant women that dates can
induce labor naturally and prevent complications during delivery.
Studies have tied eating dates to benefits for pregnant women.
A prospective study found that pregnant women who ate dates daily prior to their due date
were more likely to go into labor without artificial induction than women who didn't
eat dates.
What's more, the first stage of labor was shorter in those who ate dates in the weeks
leading up to labor compared with those who didn't eat them.
Another study found that cervical dilation was generally higher in women who consumed
dates in the weeks leading up to labor, compared with those who didn't eat any dates.
Cervical dilation before the onset of labor is an important factor for the prediction
of delivery mode, and a high level of cervical dilation lowers the risk of a cesarean delivery.
Healthy Hair: Your hair follicles require adequate nutrition for their proper growth
and maintenance.
Regularly eating dates can help in this regard.
Dates are abundant in vitamins, particularly vitamin B5, which is vital for the maintenance
of healthy hair.
Deficiency of this vitamin can cause hair problems like hair loss, brittle hair and
split ends.
Eating dates regularly can help minimize these problems.
Constipation Relief: Whether you go for Medjool dates or regular Deglet Noor dates, you can
be sure your body will get a good dose of fiber when you eat dates.
Medjool dates provide 6.7 grams of fiber per 100 grams, and a 100-gram serving of Deglet
Noor dates provides a whopping 8 grams of roughage.
Most of the fiber present in dates is insoluble fiber which is helpful in relieving constipation.
The use of dates as a natural remedy for constipation is also supported by an animal study that
linked date consumption to reduced gastric transit time.
It is important to keep in mind, however, that chronic constipation can sometimes be
a sign of a more serious digestive disease.
Provides Energy Boost: We all know the exhaustion and fatigue that hits us at the middle of
a day of work.
And all you yearn for at that time is a comfortable bed or a huge cup of coffee instead of a few
more hours of work.
While these two options have certain advantages, it is advisable to consider a third and far
more logical option - eating a handful of dates.
They contain natural sugars like glucose, fructose, and sucrose which are a great snack
to improve energy levels very quickly.
There are also many athletes who eat dates after exercising or prolonged effort to speed
up their bodies’ recovery process.
Dates contain very low amounts of fat and even a few proteins, about 2.5 grams per 100
grams of dates.
This makes them perfect afternoon snack to give you a quick energy boost in a healthy
way.
Improves Heart Health: Dates contain very high amounts of flavonoids.
These are plant compounds with the proven ability to reduce the risk of heart diseases.
Eating a few dates each day is a sweet and easy way to keep your heart healthy.
It is also considered a natural preventive treatment for atherosclerosis, a general name
for several diseases that cause thickening and stiffening of the artery wall.
The sweetness of dates also makes them a healthy snack that replaces high-fat foods and sugars.So,
they indirectly contribute to weight loss, a significant risk factor that increases the
risk of heart problems.
Regulates Blood Sugar Levels: Dates are naturally low on the glycemic index.
Although it is sweet, it contains natural sugars that don’t spike insulin the same
way processed or refined sugar does.
This means you can enjoy these sweet little fruits without causing a spike to your blood
sugar levels.
Dates can even be eaten by diabetics who are actively monitoring their blood sugar levels,
allowing them to reap the health benefits.
The fiber content in dates slows down digestion, and this gives you a steady level of blood
sugar and energy to power you up throughout the day.
Promotes Brain Health: Research has suggested that eating dates can help improve brain function.
Studies have found dates to be helpful for lowering inflammatory markers in the brain,
such as IL-6.
High levels of IL-6 are associated with a higher risk of brain diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Additionally, animal studies have shown dates to be helpful for reducing the activity of
certain proteins, which can form plaques in the brain.
When plaques accumulate in the brain, they may disturb communication between brain cells,
which can ultimately lead to brain cell death and Alzheimer’s disease.
Helps you feel full: Dates are rich in insoluble dietary fibers, especially pectin.
So how does this prolong satiety?
Well, these fibers, which attract water, increase the fluidity of stomach content, hence prolonging
the time it spends in the stomach and provides a feeling of fullness.
By including food high in fiber, such as dates in your overall diet, and supporting this
fiber intake by drinking plenty of water, you will have greater control over your appetite
and be fuller for longer periods of time.
Protects You Against Eye Diseases: Dates also contain compounds that help stop age-related
eye diseases from developing.
Studies have shown that dates are a strong source of carotenoids which help repair eye
tissue and have antioxidant properties.
Dates are also very useful in preventing the development of cataract and macular degeneration
in elderly individuals.
Improves bone health: Not getting enough vitamin D from sunlight can deteriorate your bone
health.
You can surely prevent this by having dates in your diet.
They are an excellent source of calcium that helps to keep your bones and teeth strong.
They contain minerals like magnesium, copper, phosphorus, potassium which play an important
role in preventing bone-related conditions like osteoporosis and arthritis.
Dates also help in easing the stiffness and pain in joints.
Looking for ways to improve your bone health?
Then definitely check out this video titled “11 Ways For You To Build Healthier Bones”
Now back to Why You Should Eat dates everyday
Maintains Healthy Nervous System: Your nervous system includes both the central nervous system
and the peripheral nervous system.
Dates are a good source of vitamins which boost the health and functionality of both
of these systems.
The abundant potassium content of dates also works to increase the speed and alertness
of your brain.
Potassium, which is a vital element of your cells and body fluids, also controls the heart
rate and blood pressure level of your body.
This prevents coronary heart disease and heart stroke.
Good For Your Skin: Dates are loaded with vitamin C and flavonoids, which can improve
the elasticity of your skin and enrich the subcutaneous tissues.
This makes your skin tender and smoother.
Dates also contain vitamin B5 which helps in preventing skin problems like stretch marks.
Being a rich source of antioxidants, can effectively counter the harmful free radicals in your
body.
This prevents premature ageing of skin.
Vitamin C, also present in dates helps to decrease the occurrence of wrinkles by resisting
oxidation.
How often do you eat dates?
How do you make dates a part of your diet?
Let us know in the comments section below!