Dates nutrition facts

What nutrients are there in dates? A lot indeed! Here are delicious dessert fruits
with much needed minerals and energy to help you stay fit and healthy!

Botanically; they are the fruits grow on the palm tree belonging to the family of
Arecaceae of the genus: Phoenix and scientifically named as Phoenix dactylifera.
The date palm is believed to have originated in the lands around the banks of Nile
and Euphrates rivers. It is now extensively cultivated for its edible fruit in warm
climates across all the continents.

Delicious dates Date Palm.

(Photo by-Itinerant) (Photo by-kawanet)

The date fruit is a "drupe" in which an outer fleshy part (exocarp and mesocarp)
surrounds a shell (the pit or stone) of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. Each
fruit is oval to cylindrical in shape, 3–7 cm long, and 2–3 cm diameter, and when
unripe, range from bright red to bright yellow in color, depending on the variety.

The taste is sweet, like a mix of sugar syrup and honey. They contain a single,
brown colored, hard seed about 2–2.5 cm long and 6–8 mm thick.

There are many varieties of date-palm cultivated and some important varieties that
are popular for their high quality are ‘Amir Hajj’, ‘Saidy’, 'Khadrawy' and 'Medjool'.

Health benefits of dates

 Wonderfully delicious, dates are one of the most popular fruits with an
impressive list of essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals, required for
normal growth, development and overall well-being.
 Fresh date is made of soft, easily digestible flesh with simple sugars like
fructose and dextrose that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalizes the
body instantly; thus, for these qualities, dates are being used to breakfast
during Ramadan months.
 The fruit is rich in dietary fiber which prevents dietary LDL cholesterol
absorption in the gut. It is also a good bulk laxative. The fiber content helps

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 to protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time and as
well as binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon.
 Dates contain many health benefitting phytonutrients flavonoid polyphenolic
antioxidants known as tannins. Tannins are known to have anti-infective,
anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic properties.
 They are a good source of Vitamin-A (contains 149 IU per 100 g), which is
known to have antioxidant properties and is essential for vision. Vitamin A
also required maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption
of natural fruits rich in vitamin A known to help to protect from lung and oral
cavity cancers.
 Also rich in antioxidant flavonoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, and
zeaxanthin. These antioxidants have the ability to help protect cells and other
structures in the body from oxygen free radicals and are found to be
protective against colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic
cancers.
 Zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid selectively absorbed into the
retinal macula lutea where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective
light-filtering functions; thus it offers protection against age related macular
degeneration in elderly individuals.
 Dates are an excellent source of iron, contains 0.90 mg/100 g of fruits (about
11% of RDI). Iron, being a component of hemoglobin inside the red blood
cells, determines the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood.
 Also, dates are rich in potassium. Potassium in an important component of
cell and body fluids that help controlling heart rate and blood pressure; thus
offers protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases.
 They are also rich in minerals like calcium, manganese, copper and
magnesium. Calcium is an important mineral that is an essential constituent
of bone and teeth, and required by the body for muscle contraction, blood
clotting and nerve impulse conduction. Manganese is used by the body as a
co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Copper is
required in the production of red blood cells. Magnesium is essential for bone
growth.
 The date fruit is rich in B-complex group of vitamins as well as vitamin K. It
contains very good amounts of pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), niacin, pantothenic
acid and riboflavin. These vitamins are acting as cofactors help body
metabolize carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Vitamin K is essential for many
coagulant factors in the blood as well as in bone metabolism.

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See the table below for in depth analysis of nutrients:

Dates (Phoenix dactylifera), medjool,

Nutritive Value per 100 g
(Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)

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 Nutrient Percentage of
Principle
Value RDA
Energy 277 Kcal 14%
Carbohydrates 74.97 g 58%
Protein 1.81g 3%
Total Fat 0.15 g <1%
Cholesterol 0 mg 0%
Dietary Fiber 6.7 g 18%
Vitamins
Folates 15 mcg 4%
Niacin 1.610 mg 10%
Pantothenic acid 0.805 mg 16%
Pyridoxine 0.249 mg 19%
Riboflavin 0.060 mg 4.5%
Thiamin 0.050 mg 4%
Vitamin A 149 IU 5%
Vitamin C 0 mg 0%
Vitamin K 2.7 mcg 2%
Electrolytes
Sodium 1 mg 0%
Potassium 696 mg 16%
Minerals
Calcium 64 mg 6.5%
Copper 0.362 mg 40%
Iron 0.90 mg 11%
Magnesium 54 mg 13%
Manganese 0.296 mg 13%
Phosphorus 62 mg 9%
Zinc 0.44 mg 4%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-ß 89 mcg --
Crypto-xanthin-ß 0 mcg --
Lutein-zeaxanthin 23 mcg --

Selection and storage

Dates are available in the store year around. Some varieties of fresh, soft, good
quality dates are available from September through December. In some dry climates
regions of Africa, dates are picked when they are just mature and allowed to ripen
inside the jars.

In the stores, soft, semi-dry and dry types of dates are put for sale. Dry dates can
be kept at room temperature for several months.

Preparation and serving method

High quality dates have been handpicked directly from the bunch and sold as
premium variety in the markets. On a large scale, most are harvested by cutting the

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entire cluster, fumigated, cleaned, graded, packed, stored under refrigeration, and
released to markets according to demand.

Here are some serving tips:

• Dry and soft dates are usually eaten out-of-hand.

• They can be stuffed with fillings such as almonds, walnuts, candied orange
and cream cheese.

• They can also be chopped and used with fruit salad and in a range of sweet
and savory dishes.

• Dates are also being used to prepare juice and Jallab (a type of syrup
popular in the Middle East and made from dates, grape molasses and rose
water).

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/apple-fruit.html

Apple fruit nutrition facts

Delicious and crunchy apple fruit is one of the most popular fruit favored by health
conscious, fitness freaks who believe in “health is wealth”. This wonderful fruit jam-
packed with rich phyto-nutrients that in the true sense are indispensable for optimal
health. The antioxidants in apple have many health promoting and disease
prevention properties; thus justifying the adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor
away”.

Crimson-red apple Apples in a store Apple-Malus domestica

Apples are obtained from the medium sized tree belonging to the rosaceae family.
Scientific name: Malus domestica. The tree is originated in the mineral rich
mountain ranges of Kazakhstan, and is now being cultivated in many parts of the
world.

Apple fruit features oval or pear shape; and the outer skin has different
colors depending upon the cultivar type. Internally, the juicy pulp has off-white to
cream in color and has mix of mild sweet and tart taste.

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The seeds are inedible because of their bitter taste.

Several hundred varieties of apples grown in the US and world-wide either for just
eating or as a desert fruit to cooking or baking in many recipes.

Health benefits of apple

• Delicious and crunchy apple is one of the popular fruit that contain an
impressive list of essential nutrients, which are required for normal growth
and development and overall nutritional well-being.

• Apples are low in calories; contain no saturated fats or cholesterol, but rich in
dietary fiber which helps prevent absorption of dietary LDL cholesterol in the
gut. The dietary fibers also help protect the mucous membrane of the colon
from exposure to toxic substances by binding to cancer causing chemicals in
the colon.

• Apple fruit contains good quantities of vitamin-C and beta carotene. Vitamin C
is a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C
helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge
harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.

• Apples are rich in antioxidant phyto-nutrients flavonoids and polyphenols. The

important flavonoids in apples are quercetin, epicatechin, and procyanidin
B2. Apples are also good in tartaric acid that gives tart flavor to them.
These compounds help body protect from deleterious effects of free radicals.

• In addition, apple fruit is a good source of B-complex vitamins such as

riboflavin, thiamin and pyridoxine (vitamin B-6). Together these vitamins help
as co-factors for ezymes in metabolism as well as in various synthetic
functions inside the body.

• Apple also contains small amount of minerals like potassium, phosphorus and
calcium. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids helps
controlling heart rate and blood pressure; thus counters the bad influences of
sodium.

See the table below for in depth analysis of nutrients:

Apple fruit (Malus domestica), Fresh,

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 Nutritive value per 100 g,
ORAC value-5900
(Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)
Energy 50 Kcal 2.5%
Carbohydrates 13.81 g 11%
Protein 0.26 g 0.5%
Total Fat 0.17 g 0.5%
Cholesterol 0 mg 0%
Dietary Fiber 2.40 g 6%
Vitamins
Folates 3 mcg 1%
Niacin 0.091 mg 1%
Pantothenic acid 0.061 mg 1%
Pyridoxine 0.041 mg 3%
Riboflavin 0.026 mg 2%
Thiamin 0.017 mg 1%
Vitamin A 54 IU 2%
Vitamin C 4.6 mg 8%
Vitamin E 0.18 mg 1%
Vitamin K 2.2 mcg 2%
Electrolytes
Sodium 1 mg 0%
Potassium 107 mg 2%
Minerals
Calcium 6 mg 0.6%
Iron 0.12 mg 1%
Magnesium 5 mg 1%
Phosphorus 11 mg 2%
Zinc 0.04 mg 0%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-ß 27 mcg --
Crypto-xanthin-ß 11 mcg --
Lutein-zeaxanthin 29 mcg --

Selection and Storage

Fresh apples are readily available in the stores all around the season. Choose fresh,
bright, firm textured apples with rich flavor. Avoid fruits with pressure marks over
their surface as they indicate underlying mottled of pulp.

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Fresh apples can be kept at room temperature for few days and stored in refrigerator
for two to three weeks. Wash them in clean running cold water before use to remove
any surface dust and pesticide/fungicide residues.

Preparation and Serving tips

Wash apples thorughly in the running water to remove any surface dust,
insecticide/fungicide sprays. Remove the top end using paring knife and cut it into
two equal halves. Take out centrally placed small seeds. Slice the fruit into
desirable cubes or pieces.

Apple sections
Here are some serving tips:

• Eat apple fruit as they are including skin to get maximum health benefits.
• Sliced apple turns brown (enzymatic brownish discoloration) on exposure to
air due to conversion in iron form from ferrous oxide to ferric oxide. If you
have to serve them sliced, rinse slices in water added with few drops of fresh
lemon.
• Cloudy apple juice is a good drink with dinner.
• Apple fruit is also used in the preparation of fruit jam, pie, and fruit salad.

Safety profile

The Environmental Working Group reports that apple fruit is one of the most heavily
pesticide-contaminated produce products. The most common pesticides found on
apple are organo-phosphorous and organo-chloride pesticides like Permethrin and
DDT. Therefore it is recommended to wash them thoroughly before use.

From: Sasi Kumar <sasikumar_sasi1982@yahoo.com>

Date: Thu, 30 Dec 2010 11:49:05 +0530 (IST)
Subject: SASIKUMAR A/C MECH.
To: analkannan@gmail.com
Cc: m.dsiva79@gmail.com

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