Fresh Dates: Eat Like a King
"Bread of the desert", "fruit of paradise" - there is no shortage of praise for dates. If you wonder why, take a fresh date: the oval fruit comes in exactly the right bite-size, its skin sometimes shimmering silky, sometimes shining, depending on the variety in shades from golden yellow and red-brown to brown gold and almost black. Sometimes sugar crystals, which have formed on the stalk break-offs, give an idea of the precious flesh inside. It is juicy, translucent and melts away on your tongue. When you bite into a date, the enormous, full-bodied sweetness of this fruit comes to the forefront. Depending on the variety, however, dates can vary greatly in taste. That is why new taste nuances can be discovered again and again among the immense number of existing varieties. The range extends from mild and honey-sweet to fruity, and fresh to a an aromatic, deep sweetness with a hint of caramel. One thing is certain: eating fresh dates is like living a royal life.
Nutritional Champion: Fresh Dates for a Balanced Start into the Day
Once an almost unaffordable rarity from the Orient, some of which was reserved for royalty, fresh dates are now among the stars of superfoods. Fitness, health, clean eating and conscious nutrition have developed into a trend that has also brought the various benefits of dates to awareness.
Natural Energy Supplier
The fact that dates are often recommended for weight loss as an ingredient in low carb diets is certainly due to their ability to provide the body with energy without the negative effects of so-called bad carbohydrates, such as in white flour or sweets. The ca. 27g of carbohydrates in 100g of fresh dates is almost exclusively made up of fructose.
Welcome to the Fitness-Food-Crew
Fresh dates contain are very rich in fibre and potassium. Thus, 100g of them already cover 30% of the daily requirement of these substances. Potassium is important for the muscles, but is also recommended for reducing high blood pressure, while fibre increases the feeling of satiety, prevents caries and heart disease, and lowers blood sugar levels. Dates also contain large amounts of vitamins B5 and B6. This may explain the great popularity of this versatile fruit in among nutrition-conscious eaters and athletes.
Supporting New Life
The essential amino acid tryptophan contained in dates stimulates the production of a hormone called serotonin in the body, also known as "happy hormone". Serotonin plays a role in milk production. For this reason, fresh or dried date fruits are not only considered to be healthy sources of energy, but are also great as nutrition during pregnancy and lactation. In addition, dates are very easily digestible due to their high fibre content. This can also be a decisive factor for nursing mothers. A high content of magnesium and vitamins makes the fruit a highly recommended snack during pregnancy, when the expectant mother's body is under great strain. And since fresh dates simply taste so incredibly sweet and delicious, you may hear pregnant women craving for them soon: "Dates and pickles"...
Whether enjoyed fresh or dried - there is hardly a more suitable food that manages without industrial sugar and fat, contains hardly any calories and satisfies the sweet tooth in us so well. Just as apples are praised as an indispensable part of a healthy diet in our part of the world, the saying could soon be, "A date a day keeps the doctor away".
Sun-Ripened Fresh Dates
Stored in the almost overwhelming sweetness of a date, is the warmth and energy of many sunny days. They are part of perfect growing conditions for date palm trees. But without sufficient water, fresh dates would not have the rich, juicy flesh that makes them so desirable. This is why dates thrive ideally in the sunny, hot countries of the world, in oases or irrigated palm gardens. Dates are grown throughout the Middle East, but also in California, and even in India and China, regionally adapted varieties are cultivated. However, the leading growing and, above all, exporting countries are Egypt, Iran and Saudi Arabia, which each market around one million tons of dates annually. Medjool dates, for example, the best-known variety of fresh dates, come mainly from Israel and California. The season for eating fresh dates is, by the way, during the winter months of October to January. It is best to store the fresh (and dry) fruit in the refrigerator (if necessary, remove any juice from the bowl beforehand) where the dates have a longer shelf life.
Recipes With Fresh Dates: A Culinary Highlight
Juicy, temptingly soft and full-bodied - eating fresh dates pure is pure bliss. The creamy, juicy fruits are a snack between meals, and make you fit again. Anyone who has been attacked by the dreaded cravings for sweets can satisfy them with a few fresh or even dried dates without feeling guilty afterwards. Dates owe their full-bodied sweetness solely to the naturally contained fructose. In addition, there are countless recipes with fresh dates. They can be filled with nuts, marzipan, cream cheese, cheese, and are used in smoothies and healthy granola. But they also provide that certain something in hearty dishes, and can be used as a sugar substitute, especially, in desserts. Last but not least, dates are a good alternative for vegan people when preparing food. The secret advice given by the owner of a date palm tree plantation was to round off the taste of a classic tomato sauce with a Medjool date. No matter what kind of date you use for cooking and baking, the dishes will taste much fresher.
Baking With Dates
In Germany, dates are traditionally used in cookies and cakes during the Christmas season. A classic example is cinnamon date pastry. Dried dates are also used, for example, when an alternative to refined sugar is sought for baking cakes.
If you're looking for exciting date recipe ideas, it's definitely worth taking a look at our dishes at Nara, which show that there are no limits to your imagination when it comes to dates. Buy fresh dates now, prepare them yourself and simply enjoy!
