Everyone loves to eat dates no matter how they are served. It can be as simple as the fresh or dried dates, or even made more delectable as date chutney or perhaps the date sweet dish. Also called khajur, date is filled with valuable nutrients that are important for the good functioning of a person's body. So, are dates good for you? Definitely, it is. Well, you need to include it on your everyday meal so that you can see its wonders.

Are Dates Good for You?

As you can see from the nutritional facts of dates, if consumed moderately, dates can benefit you in many ways because of its high contents in vitamins and minerals. However, you should also watch out for the high calories as well as sugar contents to avoid adding unwanted weight or increase in blood sugar levels. The benefits include:

1.  Prevent Constipation

Dates are rich in soluble fiber, which helps for a healthy bowel movement, thus preventing constipation. To use dates as a laxative, you must soak it overnight in water and eat the soaked dates like syrup in the morning. Many people who have constipation have proven that dates are indeed effective in this case.

2.  Healthy and Stronger Bones

Dates are good for your bones considering that they contain high amount of minerals such as copper, manganese, magnesium, and selenium. These minerals are needed by your body to fight off bone diseases such as osteoporosis. Eating dates are particularly beneficial for those people who are getting old since the bones are becoming weaker as you age.

3.  Relieve Intestinal Problems

The nicotine found in dates is helpful for many intestinal problems. Dates help in stimulating friendly bacteria in your intestines and inhibiting the growth of bad ones. Since dates also contain insoluble and soluble fibres along with many amino acids, more nutrients are absorbed by your digestive tract, and then help your body.

4.  Prevent Anemia

Dates are good for you considering that they have great levels of iron, which can make wonders to people suffering from anemia. With regular dates intake, an anemic person can feel the increase of energy and strength that combats the feelings of fatigue and lethargy brought about because of anemia.

5.  Reduce Hypersensitivity Reactions

Dates are effective in reducing hypersensitivity reactions as well as seasonal allergies due to its organic sulfur content. According to a study in 2002, seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) affects around 23 million people in US alone, the use of organic sulfur can have a positive effect on the allergy, and incorporation of dates on your diet can help reduce it.

6.  Keep Weight Balanced

Dates contain a lot of essential vitamins, sugar and proteins. A kilogram of dates is equivalent to 3,000 calories sufficient enough to meet your daily requirements. The inclusion of dates in your diet will also help you gain weight and build muscles. If you want to keep your normal weight, you may eat dates together with cucumber paste.

7.  Improve Energy

If you feel weak, are dates good for you? Since dates contain natural sugars such as glucose, sucrose and fructose, they are great source to boost your energy when you become tired, exhausted and lethargic after a day's work. Eating dates will also help you gain extra energy to do some of your other energy-driven activities without feeling weary.

8.  Good for Nervous System

Vitamins found in dates have proved to be beneficial for the functionality of your nervous system. The potassium content found in dates is significant for a healthy nervous system and it makes your brain faster and more alert. With the help of dates, you will be able to improve the condition of your nervous system and brain cells.

9.  Great for Heart Health

Dates are very important to your heart in a number of ways. They reduce the level of LDL cholesterol, which is a great factor for causing heart diseases, heart attacks and stroke. Its potassium content also helps reducing stroke risks and other heart diseases. Overnight soaking and crushing it in the morning before eating also have a positive effect on those who have weak hearts.

10.  Increase Sexual Endurance

Dates are considered as natural aphrodisiac because they have estradiol and flavonoid components that increase sexual stamina and reduce sterility risk by increasing sperm count and motility. All you have to do is to immerse a handful of dates in a fresh goat's milk for one night, grind them using the same milk and add a fusion of honey and cardamom powder before drinking.

11.  Help in Night Blindness

Are dates good for you if you have eye problems? Yes, it is helpful not only on certain eye conditions but also on some ear and throat problems. It helps in reducing night blindness when you eat it orally or you grind the leaves of the date palm and apply the paste formed on and around your eyes.

12.  Aid in Alcohol Intoxication

Dates are good for you if you are alcohol intoxicated or just simply have a severe hangover. They make you sober and provide a quick relief when you have consumed more than what you can handle. It is best if dates are rubbed and soaked overnight before eating.

13.  Prevent Diarrhea

As much as it helps in constipation, dates are good for you when you have diarrhea because it is rich in potassium and contains soluble fiber. In addition, dates are also easily digested by your body, which helps reduce the risk for chronic diarrhea.

14.  Reduce Risk for Abdominal Cancer

Studies have shown that dates have effect on reducing the risk of abdominal cancer. They are regarded as a natural remedy without fear for any untoward side effects for people who already have the disease.

15.  Good for Pregnant Women

Are dates good for you when you're pregnant? Yes, too. Dates are perfect for pregnant women considering that it is rich in folic acid. Potassium, glycine and threonine also assist in the production of the milk hormone that influences the secretion of breast milk. It also contains a substance that is similar to oxytocin, the hormone responsible for the stimulation of uterine contractions.

You have known so many health benefits of dates, so can you eat as many as you like every day? Find what people think about it by watching the video below: