Don't Miss Your Date With This Dried Fruit Loaded With Nutrients

Traditionally considered a staple in the Middle East, dates have now become extremely popular worldwide not just for their deliciously sweet taste but also for their many health benefits.

As per research published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), “Dates and their constituents show a role in diseases prevention through anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial activity.”

So, include dates in your everyday diet for good health.

The health quotient

Dates are a rich source of carbohydrates as well as fibre with little fat content. Increasingly, studies suggest that dates are packed with natural antioxidants that fight free radicals—excess accumulation of free radicals in the body leads to oxidative stress that may cause chronic illnesses.

Dates also contain minerals such as calcium, magnesium and selenium along with vitamins B and K. Dates can be your post-workout snack as they can provide you a burst of energy.

Using dates in daily diet

While you can have the dried fruit in its natural form as a snack, there are a number of wonderful ways in which you can use it in your everyday cooking. It makes for a yummy natural sweetener—you can soak some dates, make a puree and use it in place of white sugar in your cakes and cookies. You can also make laddoos and snack bars with dates.

Add them to your salads or oats for a healthy breakfast on the go.