Food For Thought- Dates!
Dates have been cultivated for thousands of years for their sweet, rich flavor. They’re a type of fruit that grows on date palm trees in hot, dry climates such as the Middle East, Africa and California. You may be able to find fresh dates if you live in an area where they grow. Otherwise, they are available dried, either pitted or un-pitted, year round in grocery stores.
Date Season
Dates are harvested between September and March in Arizona and California where the U.S crop is grown. If you have never had a freshly harvested date, they are worth seeking out for their sweet, caramel-like taste and soft texture. Most dates are allowed to hang on the trees to “cure” and dry a bit. These are the “fresh dates” available at many specialty grocery stores and they are also perfectly delicious.
Types of Dates
There are endless varieties of dates grown in the Middle East. In the U.S. the most commonly available dates are Deglet Noor dates, which are semi-soft, slender, and a bit chewy, and Medjool dates, which are plump and tender. Other varieties may be available at your farmers market if you’re lucky enough to have date growers selling there.
Dates are also classified by when they’re harvested, since that determines how soft or dry they are. Freshly harvested dates are very soft; most “fresh dates” for sale in the U.S. have been left on the tree for awhile after they are ripe to dry a bit (and thus last longer after harvest).
Fresh dates can be wrinkled, but they shouldn’t feel hard. Look for fresh dates that are plump looking and have a slightly glossy look to their skin. Avoid dates that have crystallized sugar on their skins (a little whiteness is okay, but not actual crystals)
Storage
Fresh dates are partially dried and last awhile. Store them in a sealable container at room temperature for several months or refrigerate for up to a year.
Nutritive Value:
5-6 dates contain 110kcal, 0gm fat, 30gm carbohydrates, 3 gm fiber, 1 gm protein.
Health Benefits of Dates
Dates produce their pure sweet flavor naturally, no added sugar is required. Their wholesome caramel-like savory taste of all natural sugar invites the most tantalizing culinary creativity. As an ingredient to any recipe, dates provide the perfect natural alternative to added sugars.
Naturally Low in Moisture
Dates are the naturally lowest moisture whole fruit grown the arid desert. While most fruits range from 75 to 95 percent moisture, fresh whole dates are less than 30 percent moisture; making them Nature’s only naturally dry fruit.
A low fat diet rich in fiber-containing grain products, vegetables, and fruits like Dates may reduce the risk of some types of cancer. Dates are nutrient dense in Dietary Fiber, Potassium, and Manganese.
Using Dates
Fresh dates are best eaten just as they are, with a cup of coffee or tea alongside to cut the sweetness. Add them to salads or to sweeten roast chicken or pork. Serve them, pitted and stuffed with Parmesan or blue cheese, as simple appetizers. Or, get very Southern California, and make a date shake by whirling fresh pitted dates with ice cream!
Time to stock up on dates 😉
- Aparna Ramadurai
12/03/13