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Origin and cultivation

Originating of North Africa and Southwest Asia. Currently you can find crops from the Canary Islands to India, always warm, preferably dry.

There are also crops in California and Mexico introduced by the Spanish in 1765.

Common names

Its scientific name for the plant is Phoenix dactylifera. Other names are Tamara, who comes from Hebrew and means Palm. In spanish is called Datil.

Nutritional qualities and health benefits

• It has a high content of carbohydrates and sugars, up to 70%, which makes it a high-energy food, ideal for children, athletes and heavy physical work.

• The dates provide a lot of energy, both the muscles and the brain, so that increase mental alertness, which is a good resource for students.

• This energy is released gradually and prolongs the feeling of fullness and can keep us hungry between meals, avoiding the use of sweets or other less desirable foods.

• Rich in vitamins A, B1, B2 and C. It also has vitamin B5 that transforms fat into energy.

• Contains vitamin B3 or niacin, which helps lower cholesterol, relieves stress and cares for the skin and lowers blood pressure.

• Tryptophan content stimulates formation of melatonin improving sleep.

• It is very rich in minerals, such as potassium that increases urination and help treat fluid retention, copper involved in the formation of red blood cells, magnesium for nerve connections and the heart, calcium for bones and phosphorus.

• Rich in fiber to treat constipation and lower cholesterol.

• Should be taken sparingly people with diabetes, dieting and obesity problems.

Curiosities

• The fruits give only the female palms and it needs to be a male plant nearby.

• A palm tree gives about 68 kilos of dates each season, although some species can reach 200 kilos.

• Dates are grown in the Middle East for over 4,000 years.

• The Arab people have used them as a staple food and life always centered on the oasis where palm trees grew.

• The Farayah dates are a variety blue.

• With dates can also be produced wine.

Where to buy dates

In the online store frutoo  you can buy dates medjoul in bulk from 200 grams HERE

Sources consulted

Flowerdew, Bob. El gran libro de las frutas. Kyle Cathie Limited (ed. Lit.); Anna Turró/Montse Pratsobrerroca (trad.). Barcelona: RBA Libros, S.A., 2006. 256 p. ISBN: 978-84-787-1595-4

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1til

http://www.botanical-online.com/datiles.htm

Foto: Autor: LoggaWiggler Fuente: Pixabay.com..