Dates: calorie content, benefits and harm to the body, use for weight loss

Share:

Dates are the fruits of the date palm, which grows in hot tropical countries. In their homeland, berries are popular in fresh, dried, or dried form, but they most often arrive to us dry. These are products that are famous not only for their beneficial, but also for their medicinal properties.

At the same time, you should be aware of the harm dates can cause to health and the body as a whole, and what are the contraindications to their use. Athletes and diet followers are well familiar with these dried fruits.

From the article you will learn the most important information about the composition, benefits and contraindications for eating dates.

History of dates

Dates are native to Eastern and African countries. Many scientists are sure that this product was first mentioned in Ancient India and Mesopotamia.

Date palms were grown in Babylonia and Ancient Egypt, where they were used to make food and wine. Dates were popular not only among the simple and poor population, but were also of particular importance for completing the tombs of the pharaohs. There they were not only depicted on the walls, but also jugs of dates were placed for the afterlife of the deceased.

There are mentions of these fruits in religious books, which briefly say that they were convenient to take on long hikes among the deserts.

For the ancient Arabs, the date tree served as a source of life, which saturates with energy, protects the soul from bad thoughts and cures diseases of the body.

In Macedonia, dates were consumed by wars, for whom these fruits replaced part of the meal before a military campaign.

In China and Japan, dates form part of the diet of centenarians, where it is believed that a person can only live on dates and water.

Date palms are now grown in North Africa, parts of the Libyan and Nubian deserts, the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq and southern Iran.

Date diet for weight loss

If you want to lose weight, many people ask the question: is it possible to eat dates when losing weight? The answer is yes, provided you follow the diet plan for a limited time (up to 10 days). Date palm fruits help saturate the body with micronutrients. Getting rid of toxins is an important plus of dietary nutrition.

Approximate diet plan:

Fasting days during the first 4 days. It is recommended to drink green tea without sugar and dates. You can replace the drink with purified water.
By the fifth day, add one orange and one green apple.
On the sixth or seventh day, fruits are introduced according to individual preference. Bananas and grapes are undesirable (they contain a lot of calories).
After ten days of the diet, you need to switch to normal nutrition.

If it is difficult to maintain strict adherence to the regimen, then you can do an unload for a day or two. In general, a short-term diet on dates and purified water is beneficial and gives good results.

Diet: dried fruit and milk

If you want to lose an extra three or four kilograms for a week, you can use dates on a diet with milk. For 7 days you need to eat only dried fruits. Each meal consists of 7 fruits and a glass of milk. For lovers of mono-diet, this method is one of the most effective. But it cannot be continued for more than a week, since the diet is not balanced.

Kefir and date palm fruits

As in the previous example, the duration of the course is no more than 7 days. When you combine fermented milk drink and dates, you get a balance of nutrients. Kefir contains much more potassium and calcium; even allergy sufferers use it. The components of the diet are useful individually and together. Kefir is 1% fat. Daily amount of food for a week: one and a half liters of kefir, dates with a diet in the amount of 250-300 g of fruit.

Way to lose weight with oatmeal

Breakfast, which replenishes vitamin deficiencies and at the same time gives a boost of energy, is simple and straightforward. Dietary experts advise eating oatmeal with dates in the morning and evening. Required ingredients:

a glass of oatmeal;
milk – 2 glasses;
15 seedless fruits;
flax seed flour – 1 tsp;
up to 2 teaspoons of natural honey;
peanuts - to taste.

Step-by-step preparation scheme:

Remove the seeds and cut them.
Mix flour with cereal in a container, add milk.
Place the pan on low heat. Cook with stirring for 9–10 minutes.
Add chopped dates, turn off the heat after a couple of minutes.
Place in a serving cup. Before use, pour honey and add peanuts.

You should eat cooked porridge slowly, in small portions.

How to get out of a diet correctly?

To avoid regaining lost pounds, you need to follow the recommendations:

introduce vegetable dishes and salads, gradually increasing the diet;
add protein (poultry, cottage cheese, steamed fish) at lunchtime;
do not stop eating dates;
complete rejection of sugar and sweet foods;
limit foods high in fat.

The date diet for weight loss requires restrictions that will help maintain weight loss gains.

Types of dates

The very name of the fruit “date” means “palm tree”. Date palms grow exclusively in tropical and subtropical regions where there is plenty of sun.

They are also grown on special plantations, where there are several hundred varieties of this fruit.

They are distinguished not only by variety, but also by degree of maturity:

milky degree of maturity (harak) – the fruits are dry and hard;
medium degree of maturity (rotab) – the fruits are sweet, soft and juicy;
the last degree of ripeness (tamar) is a thick, fleshy fruit with a taste of honey.

The most popular varieties for growing:

Rabi;
Kabkab;
Saer;
Gantar and others.

They can be grown at home using the following varieties:

Canary;
Robelini.

All these species can be characterized by an oblong-ovoid shape of the fruit and a length of 2 to 6 cm, depending on the variety.

Fresh fruits are dark red in color, while dried fruits range in color from brown to chocolate.

Depending on the type, the fruits can be from 6 to 45 g.

Is it possible to get better from dried dates?

You can gain weight from any product, even the healthiest one, if you consume it in excessive quantities. Do those who eat these dried fruits without adjusting their diet get fat from dates? Certainly! If you continue to eat fatty, sweet, a lot of baked goods and add high-calorie fruits to all this, then you will have to forget about a beautiful figure. But it’s difficult to gain weight on dates alone. It just seems great to eat them from morning to evening. The sugary “bread of the desert” gets boring very quickly; you can’t eat a lot of it in its pure form.

Composition and beneficial properties of dates

These fruits are incredibly beneficial for the human body. It is worth eating only a few fruits of this dried fruit available to us and the risk of heart attack and stroke will drop significantly. Most of the dates are carbohydrates and fiber, as well as a full complement of vitamins and minerals. The fruits also contain up to 60% sugars, a lot of protein, tannins and pectin.

Mineral composition of date fruits:

calcium;
copper;
iodine;
fluorine;
chromium;
selenium;
manganese;
iron;
boron;
sodium and much more.

We can say that the full composition of this dried fruit can be used to study the well-known table of chemical elements.

The presence of vitamins PP, C, H, A, E, and group B in dates helps strengthen the immune system and activates the activity of brain receptors.

It is also worth noting that these dried fruits contain a number of important amino acids that ensure the normal functioning of the nervous system. Including tryptophan, an amino acid that is a preventative against various types of tumors.

Possible contraindications

People with diabetes should consume dates with caution. If the disease is insulin-dependent, berries should be completely excluded from the diet, consumed only in consultation with a doctor and under the cover of the required dose of the drug, since blood sugar rapidly increases after eating the fruit.

People with acquired type 2 diabetes are even recommended to eat dates. The fruits will help quickly increase glucose levels during dizziness and hypoglycemia. Diabetics should always have a few berries with them.

Other contraindications:

The presence of a large number of vitamins and microelements in the composition often becomes the cause of individual intolerance.
Systematic overeating is contraindicated for people with kidney, pancreas and stomach diseases.
After suffering from gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers, you should give up delicacies for a long time (at least 3-6 months, until stable remission is achieved).

Dates for weight loss

Eating dates helps improve the absorption of other foods and significantly speeds up metabolism. Moreover, these fruits saturate the body well for a long time due to their chemical composition.

There is a special date diet that involves eating only dates for several days. You can drink unsweetened drinks, such as tea or water. If after three days there is a desire to extend the diet, it is better to introduce freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices into the diet.

Nutrition example:

in the first three days - 250 g of dates per day, while drinking boiled or filtered water (about 2 liters) in small sips throughout the day;
on the fourth day, add apple, orange and grapefruit juice (half a glass each) to your food.

It is better not to follow such a diet for more than five days.

You can also use these fruits to simply relieve the body. Then replace your usual dinner with 200 g of dates.

Or they can replace the consumption of sweet foods (chocolate, candy, baked goods) as follows:

wash and chop the dates;
Peel the peeled walnuts from the bitter skin and also chop into crumbs with a knife or coffee grinder;
mix dates and nuts, add liquid honey;
Mix the sweet pulp thoroughly and consume it once a day, 1 dessert spoon with tea.

When are dates bad for you? Contraindications for use

The optimal amount of consumption is 5-10 berries per day, no more than 300 g.

For children, the portion is halved. In large quantities, the fruits clog the stomach and intestines, causing constipation, heartburn, and heaviness. In addition, high sugar content can cause allergies or diathesis.

The overseas fruit also has contraindications:

It is prohibited to introduce it into the diet of people with ulcers, gastritis, slow metabolism, or intestinal disorders. Low-quality fruits treated with concentrates will aggravate the problem).
With tooth decay (caries, crumbling, exposure of nerves), an increased level of fructose contributes to the development of pulpitis and yellowing of the enamel.
If you are obese or rapidly gaining weight, it is better to discard the product. Dates are a high-calorie delicacy; they are not recommended to be eaten at night.
If there are problems with the kidneys, liver, or urinary system, do not consume date tree fruits.
The combination of citrus fruits and dates causes indigestion and harms the walls of the stomach.
If you have diabetes, you should not eat dates. The fruits are equated to honey or bananas, their glycemic index is 16-22. Each diabetic has their own norm, so it is better to use the product in moderation, after consulting a doctor.
You cannot eat if you have an individual intolerance.

Buyers often face the problem of improper storage and transportation of goods. Dirt with pathogenic microorganisms sticks to the fruit. Thorough washing and heat treatment is required (the fruits are doused with boiling water).

How to select and store

Dates can be bought packaged in regular stores or specialized stores by weight. The main thing you need to pay attention to is the integrity of the packaging and the appearance of the fruits themselves. They must be dry, not wrinkled or damaged by pests.

If the surface of the fruit is slightly sticky, it is covered with sugar syrup. Thus, the shelf life is artificially increased. You definitely need to see if the date has a stalk. Its presence indicates not only the quality, but also the fact that there are no worms in the dried fruits.

Quality dates taste sweet or slightly cloying.

It is better to store them at home in paper packaging and in a plastic bag in a cool room for several months.

Benefits of the product for the body

The plant has a beneficial effect on the human body of any age and gender.

Doctors highlight the following beneficial properties of fruits:

remove toxins and parasites from the body (it has been proven that lamblia and other helminths die in the pulp);
increase performance, reduce fatigue, help recover after long-term work or illness;
cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, normalize stool, strengthen the walls of the stomach, reduce the risk of cancer, restore microflora after antibiotics;
increase blood flow, normalize blood pressure;
resolve cholesterol;
improve the appearance of hair, skin, nails;
strengthen the eye muscles.

Benefits of dates for men

It has been scientifically proven that the inclusion of the product in the daily diet has a positive effect on libido and potency.

In the east, it is customary to give a man a pendant or talisman with a date pit to speed up the birth of strong offspring. And Alexander the Great introduced an unspoken rule in his army - to eat 7 dates before each battle to win.

By accelerating blood flow, berries improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system and reduce the risk of developing pathology and heart attack. Microelements strengthen the nervous system, which increases resistance to stress, relieves nervousness and depression.

Benefits for women

Date is a useful companion for active women with a busy schedule. It will be an excellent snack, will replace a hearty sandwich or lunch, will give you energy and will not affect your figure. The property of the product is to quickly nourish brain cells and restore the activity of the thought process.

Use in cooking

Dates are widely used in cooking, drinking and baking.

The famous sour tamarind paste is prepared from them, which is added to soups and main courses. By the way, tamarind is another name for dates.

Fresh, fried or dried fruits are added to biscuit dough, porridge, salads, or simply served on a tea socket.

Jelly, compotes, jams or date (tamarind) honey are very interesting in taste.

Date honey

It is a kind of fruit syrup that can be added to sweet dishes when cooked or used as jam or preserves. Date honey can be used as a filling for pies. Nutritional and energy value of the dish per 100 g: proteins – 2.4 g; fats – 0.4 g; carbohydrates – 65 g; 266 kcal.

Compound:

seedless tamarinds – 1 kg;
boiled chilled water – 2 liters.

Preparation:

We wash and chop the dried fruits as desired, add water in a saucepan.
Cook over moderate heat for about two hours with the lid half-closed.
Stir until the fruits cook evenly.
After the specified time, turn off the heat and let cool at room temperature. The lid must be tightly closed.
Place a colander on a saucepan or cup. Place cheesecloth in a colander and pour the contents of the pan into it and squeeze.
Now put the syrup on the fire to boil. Cook over moderate heat for about 15-20 minutes.
Leave the finished honey to cool with the lid open. If honey is spread out and sealed while it is hot, it will become moldy during storage.
Place in sterilized jars and close with lids.
Store in the refrigerator for no more than 6 months.
By the way, date cake can be used as a filling for pies.

Sweet pilaf with dates

One of the favorite dishes of vegetarians and people who for some reason cannot eat meat. The dish is very filling and sweet. Perfect for feeding children. Nutritional and energy value of the dish per 100 g: proteins – 4.5 g; fats – 6.7 g; carbohydrates – 67.5 g; 289.9 kcal.

Compound:

pitted dates – 50 g;
pitted prunes – 50 g;
seedless dried apricots – 50 g;
steamed rice cereal – 150 g;
flower honey - to taste;
ground cinnamon - a pinch.

Preparation:

Place dried fruits in one bowl and fill with warm water and set aside for 10 minutes.
Then wash and cut into strips.
Pour dried fruits into a saucepan, add warm water and simmer over moderate heat for several minutes.
Add cinnamon and honey. By the way, it can be replaced with sugar or fructose.
Without washing the rice cereal, add it to the pan. By this time there should be enough water so that the rice is slightly covered.
Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low.
Simmer the dish until the rice is ready with the lid closed. Do not stir during the stewing process, but check to see if the water has boiled away.

Cottage cheese casserole with dates

An easy to prepare dish, it will be an excellent afternoon snack or addition to breakfast. Nutritional and energy value of the dish per 100 g: proteins – 10.1 g; fats – 9.4 g; carbohydrates – 21.1 g; 212 kcal.

Compound:

granular cottage cheese – 300 g;
sour cream – 150 g;
pitted dates – 70 g;
candied fruits – 40 g;
chicken egg – 2 pieces;
semolina – 2 tablespoons;
premium wheat flour - 2 tablespoons;
sunflower oil – 20 ml.

Preparation:

Combine cottage cheese with sour cream and mash with a fork until smooth. By the way, if you take soft homemade cottage cheese, you can do without sour cream.
We wash the dates and soak them in warm water.
Separately, pour the candied fruits in a bowl with warm water.
Beat the egg a little and add to the cottage cheese. Mix everything.
Chop candied fruits and dates finely and add to the cottage cheese. Mix.
Add semolina and flour there. Mix the dough for the casserole. Leave for 15 minutes so that the grains swell well.
Line a baking dish with baking paper and grease with oil.
Place the dough and brush with beaten egg.
Send to bake in a hot oven at 180°C for 30-40 minutes.

Homemade date candies with coffee

Homemade handmade sweets will always be a pleasant surprise for guests. And their modeling can be a great way to keep children busy, who will happily eat the healthy sweetness they made. Nutritional and energy value of the dish per 100 g: proteins – 5.4 g; fats – 6.4 g; carbohydrates – 61.6 g; 323.9 kcal.

Compound:

dates – 600 g;
flower honey – 150 ml;
coffee beans – 20 g;
peanuts – 120 g;
dried mint - a pinch.

Preparation:

We wash the dates and remove the pits. Place the pulp in an iron sieve.
Place a sieve over a pan of boiling water and steam until soft.
Transfer the pulp to a cup and mash into a paste. You can wait until it cools down and grind it in a blender.
Roast the coffee beans in a dry frying pan and grind in a coffee grinder until powdery. By the way, if you plan to give the dish to children, it is better to replace coffee with cocoa.
We also lightly fry the peanuts so that the skins of the nuts fall off. We throw away the peel and grind the nuts into crumbs, all in the same coffee grinder.
Place date pulp, coffee, honey and dried mint in one bowl (if desired, you can add your favorite spices and seasonings, such as cinnamon or cardamom). Mix thoroughly.
We form small identical balls from the pulp and roll them in chopped peanuts.
You get sweets. They need to be placed on a plate and placed in the refrigerator for a while to harden.

Calorie content of dates per 100 g and in 1 piece

Royal dried fruit is fleshy and sweet. This is a good alternative to chocolate candy, but dates provide half the calories. Dried dates have a distinctly sweet taste, while dried dates are tender and sugary. But before you eat such a delicacy, it’s a good idea to find out what calorie content is found in different types of dates.

These dried fruits contain a lot of carbohydrates - from 44 to 88%, and they contain a large amount of natural sugar - fructose, sucrose and sucrose. This composition turns the fruit into a quick source of energy for the human body. To determine how much of an exotic delicacy you can eat per day without the risk of gaining extra pounds, look at how many calories are in dates. The amount per 100 g of product will be as follows:

dried with bones – 292 kcal;
dried with seeds – 283 kcal;
pitted – 274 kcal;
fresh fruits - 240 kcal.

Although dates with pits are higher in calories than those from which the pit has been removed, they also contain more nutrients. This is due to the specifics of drying fruits with the core removed. In the process of such processing, their usefulness becomes less.

Pros and cons for losing weight

It is important to understand that the choice of diet must be taken extremely responsibly; none of the beneficial properties of dates will help if there is no control over nutrition. You cannot eat fast food or ice cream, eat it with a miracle fruit and expect a positive result.

The product should be considered as an element of a balanced diet. Dates are perfect as a substitute for sweets, chocolate or other unhealthy treats.

The fruits can be used to make a sweet paste. It is enough to remove the seeds and grind the pulp using a blender. In combination with diet bread, even gourmets who do not follow a healthy diet will appreciate such a dessert.

Recommended amount and time of consumption

Experienced date eaters know very well that due to the sugary-sweet taste, eating a large amount of the product is only possible through force. But this, of course, is not required. When using a balanced nutrition program for snacking, it is recommended to consume no more than 2-3 fruits at one time.

For people leading an active lifestyle, the fruit will help quickly raise glucose levels, thereby giving additional strength during sports. The daily consumption rate of the product should not exceed 300 g.

According to nutritionists, it is best to eat dates between lunch and dinner. The product will charge you with the necessary energy and relieve possible afternoon melancholy.

It has been proven that dry dates have a positive effect on the functioning of the brain, increasing the potential of its functions by more than 20%.

You should not get carried away with fruit before bed; at night the body does not require much energy, so unspent calories can be stored in reserve in the form of excess fat on the sides.

Who should limit their consumption of dates?

No matter what beneficial properties date palm fruits have, even they have a number of limitations. These include:

diabetes and hereditary predisposition to it;
exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases;
stomach ulcer;
chronic pancreatitis;
gout.

Contraindications also include individual sensitivity to the product and children's age (up to 2-3 years). In countries where the date palm is grown, its fruits are given to babies almost from birth. But for our area this is an exotic food that can cause allergies even in adults.

Losing weight is not a reason to give up sweet foods. You need to choose them correctly. When losing weight, dates are not only possible, but also necessary to eat: in reasonable quantities, they will help you quickly lose weight.