Benefits of Eating Dates in The Morning – The Amazing Secrets

How do you feel about carbohydrates?

They’re good if you need energy, but a lot of carbs can lead to weight gain, right?

Which brings me to the next question...

Do you think there are any benefits of eating dates in the morning?

“uh, what?”

Okay… we’ll get back to that in just a minute.

And how do you feel about sugar?

It’s the devil, isn’t it?

Not only does it lead to weight gain, but it contributes to disease.

What if I told you that the best way to start your day is with a good serving of both?

And that by doing so, you might even lose weight and feel better?

How is that possible?

Let’s consider the date...

...it’s remarkably high in carbs and sugar.

However, the natural, unprocessed, plant-based form of these doesn’t have the ill effects we associate with carbs and sugar.

Today, when I tell you to load up on carbs and sugar, I’m not talking about pasta and candy.

Instead, we’ll go over the marvelous health benefits of eating dates in the morning.

Why are they great?

And another thing:

Why should you be eating more and more of them?

Stay with me and I will give you the answers to these questions...

Read on...

A Brief History of Dates

It is said that dates are to the Middle East, what olives are to the Mediterranean.

It is also thought that the Epic of Gilgamesh originates in the Middle East, around 2100 B.C. It is, to be sure, one of the oldest stories we tell.

And here is our earliest proof that humans have been eating dates for thousands of years:

“And did you not love Ishullanu, the gardener of your father's palm-grove? He brought you baskets filled with dates without end; every day he loaded your table.”

The date palm is an enduring symbol in Middle Eastern culture.

Today... its fruit is still an important part of Ramadan, Islam’s holy month.

When it is time to break the fast (breakfast, anyone?), many Muslims will turn to dates first.

However, those of us in the West have a much briefer history with dates.

It was 1898 when the USDA began dispatching Agricultural Explorers out into the world to bring new foods to us.

Many fruits we adore today, such as oranges and avocados, came here via these botanists and adventurers.

After some exploratory research, David Fairchild and Walter Swingle decided the time was nigh for Americans to meet dates.

Our first date palms came directly from Baghdad, Iraq, and found new life in the Coachella Valley of California.

Middle Eastern culture was trendy to Americans at the time, and we went nuts over dates.

In fact, we still have an annual date festival, a celebration which originates back from that first Iraqi crop.

So, while dates have been an important food to many for as long as we can tell, we’re just beginning.

What’s Inside of a Date

More than any other fruit, dates are actually as sweet as candy.

All told, they’re 70% sugar!

That, of course, only applies to the West’s favorite date - the Medjool.

Deglet Noors are less popular, and a little less sweet.

To be fair, there are thousands of varieties of dates.

Still, Medjools and Deglet Noors are what we most often grow in the West today.

Jujubes are more readily available on the west coast.

While one (the Medjool) may be softer and sweeter than the other, they have similar nutritional content.

Potassium - Hydration is always important. Still, the ionic charge in your body fluids can’t happen without essential minerals. Potassium plays a key role in electrolyte balance, and dates are a great source.

A half-cup of Medjool dates can provide more than 5600 mg of vital potassium. This makes up more than 10% of your RDV.
Fiber - Earlier, you may have read some important info I had to share about fruit sugar. It’s the presence of fiber that makes the sugar in fruit behave differently when we eat it.

Dates are full of fiber. Just one Medjool date delivers 2 grams of dietary fiber. This is one of the big benefits of eating dates in the morning. Eat six dates, and you’ll have met half of your fiber quote for the whole day!
Protein - We typically don’t associate fruit with protein. Even so, you can get a little more protein in your diet when you add dates. This is why so many people add dates to their homemade energy bars, pre-workout smoothies, and more.
Four dates will give you almost two grams of protein. For women, this averages out to a little less than 5% of your daily value.
Magnesium - We’re always on the lookout for a good source of magnesium. It’s vital to our muscles and nerves, as well as our bones, blood pressure, and blood sugar.

One Medjool date contains 13 mg of magnesium. Grab a handful, and you can get 20% of your RDV before you even really start your day.
Vitamin B6 - Perhaps the most important thing vitamin B6 is responsible for is building amino acids. It also impacts blood health and blood sugar levels. From our immune system to our nervous system, it’s the B vitamin you can’t be without.

So do you need to start supplementing? Not so fast - just one single date can bring you 5% of your RDV. Have six of these, as well as some pistachios and pinto beans throughout the day, and you’re all set.
Copper - If you’re anything like me, you don’t think about dietary copper very much. However, we can’t make collagen or absorb iron without it. Most of our vital organs really need it.

Four Medjool dates will cover half of your daily copper. Have your dates for breakfast, and later on, eat sunflower seeds, lentils, or almonds. This ensures you’re getting enough essential dietary copper.

The Health Benefits of Dates

In a lot of locations, dates are something stores sell chopped up and dusted in sugar.

Clearly, we mean to focus on the whole fruit (minus the pit).

Far from containing just the nutrients above, whole, unprocessed dates are a complex little package of antioxidant nutrition.

In fact, they have more polyphenols than other dried fruits.

If you truly want the benefits of eating dates in the morning, here’s what it all adds up to.

More Energy. The trifecta of natural sugars in dates (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) means that you can get more pep in your step from dates. Yet because of the fiber, you won’t experience a sugar crash.
Constipation Relief. A lack of fiber is a primary cause of periodic constipation. Dates contain fiber, but also sorbitol. Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol notorious for moving things along. If you don’t like prunes, reach for the dates.
Allergy Relief. It’s possible that we underestimate organic sulfur’s role as an important trace mineral. With the exception of those who swear by MSM supplements, we tend to ignore it.

One of the main maladies people have success in treating with organic sulfur is respiratory distress. By adding foods containing organic sulfur, like dates, you may be able to reduce the severity of seasonal allergies.
Stronger Bones. When I told you about all of the great minerals in dates, I left out their best friend in healthy bone building - iron. Dates do contain a little iron, as well as many minerals.

These work together to create healthier bones, and blood cell-producing bone marrow. If your family history includes osteoporosis, don’t forget the dates.

The Best Breakfast Recipes with Dates

Recently, someone asked me about how many dates to eat per day.

Honestly, the number of calories (66 in one Medjool) means you probably don’t want to veer into the dozens.

Unless, of course, you’re working out like crazy and want to put on some muscle.

However, you can eat them daily and still get the dates benefits for weight loss.

Fiber will never be anything but helpful in losing weight.

This is especially true at breakfast, when it’s best for our blood sugar and metabolism.

And fiber is so filling!

Now, I want to share with you a roundup of my very favorite breakfasts including dates.

Try each of these recipes and wow yourself with the sweet, satiating, energy-boosting power of dates - click for price.

1. Banana Date Smoothie by The Kitchn.

The other morning, I went to make a smoothie, only to realize I didn’t have bananas in the freezer.

The horror!

Fortunately, this recipe doesn’t call for you to freeze those bananas.

You need:

2 ripe bananas
¼ cup dates, pits removed
2 cups almond milk
2 tsp chia seeds
Juice of half of a lime
½ teaspoon cardamom
Ice cubes
Sprinkle of cinnamon, sprinkle of salt

Just blend together and enjoy!

In my opinion, the cardamom is optional; you can just add more cinnamon, if you like.

2. Date Energy Balls by the Detoxinista.

Organic, whole food snack bites and bars are so good, but also really expensive.

You can make a few dozen of these energy bites for less than ten bucks!

All it takes is:

2 cups walnuts - click for price
1 cup shredded coconut, no extra sugar
2 cups dates
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt

First, blend the walnuts and coconut together in a food processor.

Then, add the rest of the ingredients until it all comes together.

Roll into balls and freeze to set.

I like to roll mine in a ground-up mix of flax, chia, cacao, and cinnamon.

3. Date-Sweetened Apple Pie Oatmeal by the Minimalist Baker.

Here, we begin to see the date’s amazing talent as a natural sweetener.

Without so much as a single particle of the white stuff, this oatmeal really is as tasty as apple pie.

All it takes is:

2 apples
Dash of cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup water
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup nut milk
4 dates, chopped up
Sprinkle of salt

To begin, peel, slice, and core the apples; bake them for about 20 minutes with the cinnamon and lemon.

Meanwhile, you add the oats, water, and milk and start cooking as you normally would.

A few minutes before it’s nicely cooked, toss in the dates and stir well.

Dress the oats up with your baked apples, and add more toppings!

I like extra cinnamon, pumpkin seeds, and especially almond butter - click for price.

4. Banana Chia Pudding with Date Caramel by Caroline’s Cooking.

Date caramel?

Now we’re onto something.

source

Soak your dates for an hour or so before grinding them to a paste in the food processor.

Add almond milk a little at a time as you blend, until you get a consistency you like.

If you want it super smooth, blend in a spoonful of nut butter. I highly recommend it.

Voila, your very own caramel sauce.

Now you need some banana chia pudding:

1 banana
2 tablespoon chia seeds
1/3 to ½ cup coconut milk (depends on how thin the coconut milk is; if it’s thicker, go with the smaller measurement)

To make the pudding, begin by blending the banana and milk together.

I add the chai at the very end, just to incorporate.

From there, pour this into a container and give it time to congeal in the fridge.

You can leave them overnight, or just for an hour or two.

Once it’s set like a regular pudding, you can make a parfait by layering it with the date paste.

Or, you can swirl them together in a bowl. Either way, good luck not finishing this in one sitting.

5. Espresso Overnight Oats with Date Caramel by Fit Foodie Finds.

I hate feeling like I’m stuck with a boring breakfast, just because time’s short in the morning.

With this recipe, that’s never a concern.

Adding coffee to overnight oats was something I never thought of before, but now I’m all about it.

I think you will be, too.

To get going, you’ll need:

A few tablespoons of your homemade date caramel
1 cup rolled oats
1 tablespoon chia seeds
¾ cup almond milk
½ cup cold brew or strong coffee, chilled
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional if you’re mixing in enough date caramel!)

Making this couldn’t be easier.

I throw it all into a Mason jar, shake well, and leave it in the fridge the night before.

Come morning, I plop my date caramel on top, and I’m on my way.

Click video for Date Caramel preparation...

Well as they say, all good things must come to an end.

Here is my final word on the...