Beauty, Lifestyle

Dates are particularly not the most tempting fruits to look at because they are oddly wrinkled. But at the same time, these fruits are the most flavorful and chewy. It is the most nutritious food beneficial for skin, hair and health. Mentioned below are the different benefits of dates.

Benefits Of Dates For Skin:

Let’s have a look at the amazing dates’ benefits for skin:

1. Face Cleanser

  • Dates can improve skin complexion and is one of the best remedy for cleansing the skin
  • Daily intake of dry dates can strengthen skin and keep it supple because it is rich in panthothenic acid

2. Treats Blackheads

  • Vitamin A present in dates can help with skin problems and removes dead skin cells
  • It consequently treats blackheads and helps you get healthy and glowing skin

3. Skin Exfoliater

  • Dates can be used as a skin exfoliater. You will need fresh dates, whole milk and semolina. Add the dates in a half cup of warm milk and soak. Once the dates are soft, mash it, and add semolina
  • Apply the mixture and scrub gently for 3-4 minutes before washing off

4. Itchy Skin Or Bug Bites

  • Dates offer numerous benefits for treating dull itchy or bug bites in one stroke
  • Apply a mixture of dates, lime juice and orange juice to the affected area to get rid of such skin problems

5.  Sunburn Relief

  • The nutrients present in dates can provide relief to skin from sunburn
  • The antioxidants present in dates can help protect against free radicals and UV rays. Thus, protecting the skin from ageing early as well

6. Removes Acne

  • Dates contain rich Vitamin B sources which can help prevent acne. Using mashed dates mixed with honey can drastically reduce the visibility of acne scars
  • Dates also contain protein and antioxidants that can prevent all skin infections leading to acne breakout. It can promote healthy glowing skin.

7. Treats Dry Lips

  • Dates contain Vitamin-A that helps strengthen immune system and protect lips against toxins, pollutants and infections that can dry lips
  • Daily intake of dates can treat dry lips. Soak dates in goat’s milk overnight for effective results

8. Summer Skin Protection

  • The Vitamin B contained in dates greatly benefit the skin and offer skin protection
  • Deficiency of Vitamin B can lead to skin dryness and other such problems

9. Skin Moisturizing

  • This drupe fruit when prepared as a paste can be applied directly on the skin. This can act as natural moisturizer to retain skin moisture
  • Skin becomes soft and supple in a few number of days

Benefits Of Dates For Hair:

Let’s have a look at the amazing benefits of dates for hair:

10.  No More Build Up

  • Dates are beneficial for keeping scalp healthy and removing product buildup
  • Soak dates in warm water overnight. Wash your hair and scalp with this mixture to get rid of residue

11. Hair Volumizer

  • Vitamin C present in dates are beneficial for hair follicles to make hair stronger
  • Soak few dates overnight. Grind it to form a fine paste and add egg whites. Apply on the scalp and hair and keep half the mixture aside. Leave it on for five minutes. Make the first rinse using the remaining mixture followed by regular water

12. Removes Excess Oil From Hair

  • Use the combination of jojoba oil, dates oil and olive oil on your scalp. This can hydrate the roots. Rinsing off after an hour will ensure washing off excess oil amount
  • Using this hot oil treatment once a month can nourish scalp and treat oily hair

Benefits Of Dates For Health

Let’s have a look at its benefits for health:

13. Relieve Stress

  • Munch on few dates to relieve yourself from stress between your busy schedules. Since it contains high sugars like glucose and fructose, it can make for an energetic snack
  • The presence of sugar in dates also can be easily absorbable and can act as energy booster

14. No More Pain

  • Dates are strong source of proteins. They help the body stay fit, and keep the muscles strong
  • Including a handful of dates in daily diet can be a good choice to stay away from various health related problems

15. Regulates Blood Sugar

  • This sweet tasting fruit can be a boon for diabetic patients
  • It contains natural sugars like fructose, glucose and sucrose that can serve as sweet but does not raise blood sugar levels, at the same time

16. Relieves Constipation

  • Dates have natural laxative properties that can keep bowel movement smooth and healthy
  • You can also combine dates in a healthy salad and have it two times a day or even consume it directly. Dates help kill the bacteria causing constipation and restores back health

17. Athlete’s Foot

  • Dates have rich sources of proteins and antioxidants to maintain healthy skin and avoid skin infections like athlete’s foot
  • Dates can keep such skin allergies and infection in check and prevent it from breaking out or spreading

18. Soothe Sprains And Bruises

  • Dates oil is a natural remedy for alleviating sprain pain and inflammation
  • Its anti-inflammatory properties relaxes the muscles, joints and tissues to help reduce pain and swelling

19. Ease Discomfort Of Gout

  • When experience discomfort from gout, it is most important to increase intake of Vitamin C and reduce uric acid
  • Dates are very important as it contains Vitamin C

20. Headache Relief

  • When you get a headache, toss some dates. They are a natural remedy and a healthier option
  • Try eating a handful of this wholesome drupe fruit when you feel the headache starting to set in

21. Eye Health

  • Dates contain Vitamin A which are helpful in managing eye health and prevent eye weaknesses
  • Deficiency in Vitamin A can lead to eye disorders, blindness, decrease eye sight, etc so start including dates in your diet

22. Improves Your Bone Health:

  • Dates help in promoting healthy and strong bones as they are rich in calcium, manganese, copper and selenium
  • It protects bones from the problem of bone weakness. It helps strengthen the bones and prevent it from diseases such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, etc

23. Improves Arterial Health

  • Dates are helpful when you are protecting your heart from several cardiovascular ailments
  • Daily ingestion of dates with or without milk can improve arterial heart through their regenerative effect in the cardiac cells

24. Sleep Aid

  • Dates act like a sleep enhancer as it contains tryptophan. It also contains fast-acting carbohydrates which trigger the tryptophan to take effect and induce drowsiness
  • Consume dates an hour before bedtime to drift off to sleep without struggling

25. Manicure

  • Dates can help maintain nails and make them look much better and healthier
  • Warm the date fruit oil. Massage your hands with the warm oil daily for 5 minutes till you notice a visible difference in the skin texture. Continue with the routine twice a week

26. Pedicure

  • Dates are great for treating skin issues like dry skin. The Vitamin A present in dates can help treat dry skin issues and remove dead skin cells
  • Scrub a mixture of dates oil and sugar in gentle circular movements for 3-5 minutes. Soak your feet in warm water and pat dry. Repeat this routine 2-3 times a week

27. Remove The Splinter

  • To remove splinters, you will need sterilized tweezers and few drops of dates oil
  • Apply the oil on the affected area. Wait for few minutes. The splinter will move up to the skin surface. Use the tweezers to pull it out

28. Treat Toenail Fungus

  • Dates contain anti-microbial properties which makes it a perfect oil to treat skin infections like toenail fungus
  • It acts like a natural disinfectant, and have fungicidal properties for treating toenail fungus. Soak a cotton ball in a mixture of dates oil and orange oil. Press it on the affected area. Let it dry naturally

29. Remove Foot Odor

  • Dates are more than just a refreshing snack. It can help to limit musky smells emitting from your body like foot odor
  • If your odor is starting to become embarrassing, then start including dates for breakfast and as dessert after dinner

30. Hand Wash

  • Grate one half bar of soap in a mixing bowl. Mix coconut oil and boiling water. Mix it altogether until the soap dissolves
  • Let the mixture cool and then whisk lightly until the soap thickens. Add 10 drops of dates oil and lavender oil each. Pour the mixture in a hand pump container. Your hand wash is ready

Nutritional Value Of Dates

Dates can add nutritional punch. Though it contains fats, there is no cholesterol. These dry fruits can boost your energy without setting off your hunger. Your body can benefit a lot with these health promoting nutrients.

  • It is highly recommended that 65% of calories should come from carbohydrates. And dates contain tones of carbohydrates to keep the body energized
  • Dates are rich in potassium which our body constantly needs for overall growth, to build muscles and proteins
  • Consume a cup of chopped dates daily. It can provide your body with 63 milligrams of magnesium
  • Dates are a rich source for providing dietary fiber which is important for the digestive system
  • These nutrient rich dry fruits can protect you from constipation and lower blood cholesterol

How To Select And Store?

  • Commonly, dates are packed in narrow boxes or placed into blocks and sold
  • While selecting fresh dates, look out for the most plump, moist and soft ones with the smoothest skin
  • Though fresh dates are glossy, they are slightly wrinkled. But do not pick hard ones and those with crystallized sugar on the surface
  • It can be a little confusing to see the difference between fresh and dried dates. But remember that dried dates are a little more wrinkly
  • Fresh dates look more glossy, plump and have a glossy smooth color
  • Fresh dates should be stored in a sealable container, and kept at room temperature for up to two months
  • Dates have a longer life shelf and they will continue to dry out. Their sugars will slowly start coming to the surface to create white spots
  • Dates can be also stored in an airtight plastic container at the freezer. It extends their shelf life.

Tips For Usage

Dates are one of the few fruits that can be consumed rather easily and conveniently. Here are few tips to really enjoy these delectable dry fruits.

1. Perfect As Sweet Dish

  • Dates are generally sweet and are perfect for pureeing into chocolate mousse and chia pudding
  • These dry fruits puree can also be added to savory dishes.
  • Medjool dates are perfect for making the purée. These dates are slightly softer and larger when compared to other dates. It tastes like a mix of cinnamon, honey and caramel

2. Taken As Snacks

  • Dates are great to be consumed as snacks
  • These dry fruits should also be soaked in liquids like tea and milk for boosting their moisture and flavor

3. As Ingredient For Energy Bars

  • Dates contain natural sugar, and their sticky component makes them ideal for including in recipes like energy bars
  • Consuming it before a workout can replenish glucose storage and energize you

4. Stew It Up

  • In the Middle East, dates are a favorite food staple
  • Other than using it as a dessert, dates can be used in chickpea stew and leafy vegetables

5. Use As Smoothie

  • Mix the dates fruit into the blender to make a nice smoothie
  • It can be ideal to put dates smoothies on the table when there is an interesting mix in the menu

6. Use As Tarts

  • Dates are perfectly sweet and delightfully sticky to make tarts
  • It can blend well with lemons also. Think Lemon dates tart

Now that you have learned about the diverse benefits of dates, we are completely sure that you will include this dry fruit in your daily diet. Consume dates regularly for overall growth and development.

Source: fashionlady.in