This Sweet Fruit Is Often Overlooked — But It's A Nutritional Powerhouse

Call us your matchmaker because we're about to set you up with dates — and this is the beginning of a sweet relationship with substance, too. Especially as we head into the new year, a lot of us are thinking about ways to pack more nutrients into our daily routines. We're seeking out fruits loaded with calcium, or ingredients offering plenty of protein. But we want these health contributors to actually taste good since that's the only way we're going to stick to our plan of eating more of them long-term, right? So, we want to direct your attention to dates, especially as they often get overlooked in the healthy fruits conversation. 

Dates grow on date palm trees in tropical regions, and while they can be eaten fresh, you're much more likely to find them dried. There are many different varieties of dates, with Medjool and Deglet Noor being the types you likely know from your grocery store. Dates are soft and chewy with a flavor profile like caramel and brown sugar; they're often compared to candy, which may explain why their nutritious qualities are overlooked. Dates are rich in fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and protein. They have antioxidants that make them an effective disease prevention tool, and they also boost heart and gut health and help regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Because of their sweetness plus these benefits, dates are considered a healthy alternative to refined sugar.

Dates have been a staple of diets in the Middle East and North Africa for thousands of years, but they're all too often forgotten in the United States. The exceptions would be if you're somewhere dates are grown, like Palm Springs, where the presence of date farms makes date shakes and cakes popular. But it's high time to embrace dates — with their candy-like flavor and their nutrients and antioxidants, they almost seem too good to be true. 

Because dates are a much healthier way to satisfy your sweet tooth, many people fashion them into better-for-you desserts. You can make your own date shakes by blending them with milk and ice cream (or your preferred dairy alternatives), or even make a cookie dough of sorts with dates and peanut butter. Peanut butter stuffed into dates is so decadent you won't believe what a healthy snack you're actually getting, and you're in for a real treat if you melt dark chocolate over them and freeze them. But the tasty ways to use dates don't end at dessert. Chopped dates are a sweet pop of chewy texture for just about anything, from yogurt bowls and overnight oats to salads and rice dishes. They're perfect for making post-workout energy balls with nuts, replacing raisins in your homemade granola bars or trail mix, and for trying out Moroccan cuisine with date-studded tagine.