Origin and History of Dates - health benefits and cooking

The date palm is probably the oldest tree cultivated by man. Dates have been cultivated and traded from as early as 5000 BC and whilst dates were revered by many cultures, the Arabs seem to be the ones who hold it in the greatest esteem. Indeed, it is historically known that desert people, in particular the nomadic Bedouins, lived on dates and camel milk for months on end.

Evidence that the fruit was traded between India and the Arabian Peninsula dates back to the 1st Millennia BC, via the already established Frankincense and Myrrh trade routes.

It is easy to see how the use of this incredible fruit spread throughout the world; once dried, they are light to carry, self preserving (containing a high proportion of sugar) and with the nutritional attributes mentioned above, can be used as a major food source for dessert people, sailors on long voyages and armies as well as livestock.

Health Benefits of Dates :
Health benefits of dates are uncountable, as this fruit is affluent in natural fibres. These natural products also contain oil, calcium, sulphur, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, copper and magnesium which are advantageous for health. Dates are even rich in several vitamins and minerals. It is said that one date is minimum requirement of a balanced and healthy diet. It helps in fighting constipation, intestinal disorders, weight gain, heart problems, sexual weakness, diarrhoea and abdominal cancer.
Health benefits of dates have made them the best nourishment for muscles development. People consume dates in several ways, like mixing the paste of the dates with milk, yoghurt or with bread or butter to make the food tasty and healthy. This paste is beneficial for both adults and children, especially during the time of recovery. According to the modern medicine survey, it is known that dates are useful in preventing abdominal cancer. It is also seen that many Muslims break their fast by eating dates and water according to their traditions. Breaking fast with eating dates helps us to avoid overeating of the food after the fast. When the body absorbs the nutritional value of the dates, the feeling of hunger gets pacified.
Dates are termed as a crown of sweets and ideal food which easily balances and digests food. It gives extra energy to a tired human body within half an hour after taking it. Dates are considered to be the best diet for confinement of the women. American Cancer Society recommends intake of 20-35 grams of dietary fibre in a day, supplied through dates. It is said that:” taking one date in a day will help you to maintain your healthy eyes for your lifetime”. They are quiet effective in guarding the night blindness problems.
Benefits of Dates:
Constipation: Date is termed to be a laxative food. This is the reason that dates are beneficial for people suffering from constipation. For getting the laxative effect from dates, you need to soak dates for one full night in water. You should consume these soaked dates in the morning like syrup to get their actual advantages.
Intestinal Disorders: The nicotinic content that is present in the dates is said to be beneficial for curing any kinds of intestinal disorders. Continuous intake of dates helps to maintain a check on the growth of the pathological organisms and thus, helps in the rise of friendly bacteria in the intestines.
Weight Gain: Dates are said to be a part of healthy diet. They consist of sugar, fats, proteins as well as many essential vitamins. If the dates are consumed with the paste of cucumber, one can easily come out from the problem of over-slimming. One kilogram of dates contains almost 3,000 calories. These calories alone are sufficient to meet the daily requirements of a human body.
Heart Wealth: Dates are quite helpful in maintaining your heart in healthy condition. When soaked for whole night and crushed in the morning and consumed, they prove to be quite advantageous for weak hearts. They help to fortify heart, if taken twice in the week.
Sexual Weakness: Dates are even beneficial for increasing sexual stamina in the human body. A handful of dates, when soaked in fresh goat's milk for the night and then grinded in the same milk with the mixture of cardamom powder and honey, becomes a very useful tonic for increasing sex endurance and sterility due to functional disorders.
Diarrhea: Ripe dates contain potassium. Potassium is beneficial for controlling diarrhea. They are easily digestible, which helps to cope up with the problems of diarrhea.
Intoxication: Dates are known as an excellent remedy for alcoholic intoxication. Dates provide quick relief in the case of alcoholic intoxication. They should be rubbed and soaked overnight for getting more nutritious values from them.
Abdominal Cancer: Dates are beneficial for curing abdominal cancer. They work as useful tonic for all age groups. They work as better as the medicines, and are natural and do not bear any side effects in the body. They can be easily digested and used for supplying extra and needed energy.
Although dates carry tremendous nutritional values, great care should be taken in their selection because they consists of sticky surface which attracts various impurities in them. Hence, you should consume only those dates that are packed nicely. Make sure to wash them thoroughly before consuming. This will help to remove the impurities present in them
Cooking with Dates

Dates can be used in a variety of both sweet and savoury recipes. When used in their dried form, they add a richness and sweetness unrivalled by most other dried fruit. They are particularly popular in Middle Eastern and North African Cuisine.