The Top 5 Health Benefits of Dates
Dates are a wonderful refined sugar replacement, and they actually hold quite a few health benefits. Rich in dietary fiber and iron, dates make a great addition to a healthy and balanced diet.
Here are the top five health benefits of dates.
5 Health Benefits of Dates
#1 May Help Ease Constipation: Since dates are such a great source of dietary fiber, it makes sense that they would be great for easing constipation. Consider snacking on some pitted dates with almond butter to help add fiber to your diet.
#2 Rich in Iron: Getting enough iron-rich foods into your diet is a key part of preventing iron-deficiency anemia. Dates happen to be a good source of dietary iron and plant-based iron at that. If you struggle to get enough iron in your diet, dates may be a great way to give yourself a boost.
#3 Dates Are a Great Refined Sugar Alternative: Many people use dates in place of sugar, as dates are a great natural sweetener. You can find date sweetener to use in your baking recipes in place of refined white sugar, or better yet, skip the baked good altogether, and enjoy a pitted date with a dollop of homemade coconut whipped cream for a healthier dessert instead.
#4 Rich in Flavonoids: Flavonoids are important antioxidants to help fight off free radical damage, and help keep inflammation at bay. Dates are a great source of antioxidants like flavonoids, making them a great addition to an anti-inflammatory diet.
#5 Good Source of Magnesium: in 3.5 ounces of dates, you’ll pack in 14% of the RDI for magnesium. This is super important as many of us aren’t getting enough magnesium, and magnesium is essential for things like muscle and nerve function, blood sugar and blood pressure balance, and making protein.
How to Enjoy Dates
Dates are easy to add to your diet, will be a welcome, delicious natural sweetener, while also providing you with some health benefits. Curious about how to add dates to your diet? Aside from enjoying a pitted date or two with a slab of almond butter as a healthy treat, here are a handful of other ways to enjoy dates.
- Chopped and baked into an almond flour muffin
- Used to make healthy cookies
- Used as a base for homemade granola bars or energy bites
- Chopped and enjoyed on top of coconut flour pancakes
- Blended into a smoothie
- Enjoy as a healthy snack with a piece of cheese
A Sweet Note: Even though dates are naturally vs. artificial sweet, they are still high in calories and carbs, so you don’t want to overdo it. It’s best to consume them in moderation as too much of a good thing isn’t always the best option.
