Health Benefits of Dates.

1.Dates may protect your heart.

A 2009 comparative study examined the impacts of eating Medjool and Hawaiian varieties of dates on heart health biomarkers. The authors found that eating 100 grams of dates (around 12 dates) per day for four weeks, especially Hawaiian types, improved serum triglycerides and oxidative stress. Despite their high natural sugar content, dates didn’t negatively affect blood sugar levels or blood fats, which led the authors to determine them to be anti-atherogenic, or helpful for preventing plaque buildup in arteries that can lead to heart disease.

Other research has found dates beneficial for reducing high blood pressure and high cholesterol. They may also improve the concentration of antioxidants in your blood, which can help protect against oxidative stress and inflammation that can be harmful to heart, and overall, health.

2. Dates may support healthy blood sugar management.

A 2020 review published in the journal Foods discusses how dates contain antioxidant compounds that support healthy insulin sensitivity and blood glucose control that can be beneficial for people with diabetes. Other research suggests that, despite their sweetness, dates contain compounds that can be helpful in the nutritional management of diabetes and other insulin-resistant conditions.

3. Dates are anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.

Dates appear to have an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect that enables them to help prevent disease. Some studies have shown that date fruits can reduce swelling and inflammation biomarkers in the body. Additionally, date extract, particularly from the leaves and pits, have been shown to help fight off a number of viruses, fungi, and bacterial strains in lab studies.

(Excerpt from The Food Revolution Network)