Dates: Healthy fruits for Ramadan

Dates have antioxidant properties and are nutrient-rich and high in fibre, which makes them the ideal food to break fast with during Ramadan. — MERUYERT GONULLU/Pexels

Dates are the sweet fruits from the date palm tree that can trace their lineage back thousands of years. In fact, archaeological evidence can pinpoint cultivation of these fruits as far back as 4,000 BC.

Dates are typically grown in the north African and Middle Eastern belt. These days, Egypt leads the pack in terms of worldwide production, while other major global players include Algeria, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Date palms are one of the few trees that thrive in the desert and can live up to 100 years. — OLLIE CRAIG/Pexels

Date palms are also seen as a symbol of hospitality and peace and are popularly referred to as the “tree of life” as the tree was once seen as a life-giving tree in that it had many uses, both as a form of nourishment and even as a way of providing shelter.

Date palms start bearing fruit when they are around five years old and many trees can live up to the ripe old age of 100!

The date palm (and the associated knowledge, skills, traditions and practices) is also now recognised on the Unesco Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

For Muslims, dates are particularly significant during the holy month of Ramadan, as these fruits are typically the first foods consumed when the daily fast is broken.

This is in keeping with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad who initiated the practice of breaking fast with three dates and water and advocated for all Muslims to do the same.

READ MORE > INTERACTIVE: Are Malaysians keeping up with the tradition of breaking fast with dates during Ramadan?

Fresh dates are largely divided into three categories: soft, semi-dry and dry and indicate the ripening stages of the fruit, with the sugar content increasing and the moisture content decreasing according to maturity.

A dry date for instance, will be harder, have less moisture and a more wrinkled exterior, but will consequently also have a higher sugar quotient compared to a soft date.

In terms of taste, soft dates will be juicier while semi-dry and dry dates will have less moisture but more intense sweetness. As a rule of thumb, dry dates keep for far longer than soft dates.

Fresh dates range from soft to semi-dry and dry dates and have different textures, taste and sweetness levels. — Filepic

Although there are estimated to be thousands of date varieties, only a handful are popularly known. In Malaysia (where dates are popularly known as ‘kurma’), these include varietals like Medjool (the King of Dates), Deglet Noor (the Queen of Dates), Ajwa (known as the ‘holy date’), Safawi and Mariami – all of which have different textures and sweetness indicators.

Ajwa is also known as the 'holy date' and is grown exclusively in Medina in Saudi Arabia. — Filepic

The fresh fruit is also packed with a veritable treasure trove of nutrients, which makes it ideal for breaking the daily fast during Ramadan.

Dates have antioxidant properties and are nutrient-rich and high in fibre, which makes them the ideal food to break fast with during Ramadan. — MERUYERT GONULLU/Pexels

For instance, dates are a rich source of protective plant compounds, which have antioxidant properties. Dates also have a high fibre content and are a source of minerals like phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium. To top it all off, these little thumb-sized bullets are also high in Vitamins A and K and have a low glycemic index.

A 30g serving of dates counts as one of your five-a-day (five portions of fruits and vegetables a day).

READ MORE > Dates: How the Covid-19 pandemic affected date consumption patterns

During the fasting month, dates make for the perfect perk-me-up when energy and blood sugar levels have dipped after a day of fasting. This is because the high natural inverted sugar content (fructose and glucose) in dates offer an instant energy boost and also help revitalise the body.

However, like most things in life, moderation is key. Dates have a high calorie and sugar count, so avoid overconsumption. Instead, keep things simple and indulge in no more than three to five dates a day. Happy date-ing!