Dates – Food of Our Future

They are sweet, they are exotic, they are filled with nutrients. For thousands of years, dates were an amazing source of energy for the people living in dry and desert areas. Let’s listen to what tradition and culture have to say and let’s reinvent and revitalise the way we can add certain food like dates to our daily eating habits.

It is believed that the palm date was cultivated some 3000-6000 years BC and its origin could be the Arabic peninsula. The true date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is widespread on Canary island, in North Africa, Middle East, Pakistan, India, Mexico and California (US). What’s interesting, sweet and fragrant fruits known as dates evolve only from the female flowers that grow on the top of the 20 meters high palm tree under the tufted canopy. 

Did you know? It is certain that the date palm was cultivated as early as 4000 B.C. since it was used for the construction of the temple of the moon god near Ur in Southern Iraq – Mesopotamia (Popenoe, 1913; 1973).

The date palm was not just a good source of food for the population living in the desert areas. The wood of the palm was (and is) used for lumber and fuel, leaves for covering roofs, brooms and ropes. From fruits (dates), that were used as food and as an important export product, alcoholic beverages, syrups and even coffee substitutes are produced.

Dates as a food

For centuries dates were the main food and a source of wealth in the irrigable deserts of North Africa and the Middle East. This fruit is usually sold dried and processed (deglet noor type), but they can also be eaten fresh (medjool type). Dates are high in sugar. In 100 gr of dried dates, there are about 280 calories, most of it comes from carbs (75g) which are 63g of sugar. Dates are a good source of vitamins A, B6, K, niacin, riboflavin, folate, pantothenic acid… As well as minerals such as potassium (20% DV), copper (18%DV), manganese (15% DV), magnesium (14% DV), calcium, phosphorus (6% DV), iron (5%DV), zinc…

Although the dates are high in sugar they have a low glycemic index. There are some differences in the glycemic index between some date varieties as well between fresh and dried fruit. Some studies even show that the consumption of the dates may be of benefit in glycemic and lipid control.

Did you know? It is estimated that the total number of date palms is about 100 million producing. The world’s largest producer of dates is Egypt, followed by Saudi Arabia, Iran, Algeria, Iraq, Pakistan (2018)

Dates in every B!TE ME bar

Sweet, tasty, healthy and completely natural. Dates follow our mission to provide you the best raw product filled with good energy for any occasion. Especially when you need a quick bite and you don’t want to eat junk. 

If you like what you have read about dates then take a bite of our B!TE ME raw bars – Lemon Crush, Cocoa Jazz, Mediterraneo or Salty Brunch.

Source data: FDC Food Details