Reducing weight is not an easy process, but if you have the dedication and strong will you can easily reduce weight. Both diet and exercise are an unavoidable part of a weight loss journey. Missing out any one of them will not provide you with the desired weight loss result. But when you are on a diet you should be particular enough to choose your food. The food item should be nutritious, fibre-rich and low in calories. And dates are excellent food which fit in this category. This fruit has numerous proven benefit and weight loss in one of those. The fruits help to flush out toxins from the body, regulate blood glucose levels and reduce inflammation.
What is the nutritional value of dates?
Dates provide a wide range of essential nutrients and a very good source of dietary potassium. The sugar content of ripe dates is about 80%; the remainder consists of protein, fibre, and trace elements including boron, cobalt, copper, fluorine, magnesium, manganese, selenium, and zinc. The glycemic index for three different varieties of dates is 35.5 (khalas), 49.7 (barhi), and 30.5 (bo ma’an).
- Energy- 1,178 kJ (282) kcal
- Carbohydrates- 75.03g (2.647 oz)
- Suagr- 63.35g (2.235 oz)
- Dietary Fibre- 8g (0.28oz)
- Fat- 0.39g (0.014 oz)
- Protein- 2.45g (0.086 oz)
Also read: For How Long One Should Need To Do Diet To Lose Weight?
Benefits of including dates in your diet?
- High Fibre Content: Dates are considered to be an ideal food as they are rich in nutrients and provide many health benefits. Though they are rich in dietary fibre and fatty acids, dates can aid weight loss by flushing out toxins, regulating blood glucose, and reducing inflammation. They are high in fibre content which slows down the absorption process in the large intestine, thereby making you feel fuller for a longer period of time.
- Satiates The Sweet Tooth: Dates are sweet, soft and gooey. They act as a natural sweetener minus all the ill effects of cane sugar. These sweet fruits can help satiate your sweet tooth without making you pile on extra calories. But you should always take care of the portion size because anything in excess can make you gain weight.
- Antioxidant Property: Dates are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help scavenge the harmful free oxygen radicals and reduce stress and inflammation. Fresh dates contain antioxidants such as anthocyanins, phenolics and carotenoids. This help flushes out toxins and boosts metabolism and digestion.
- Good Source of Protein: These are a very rich source of protein. Protein is tough to digest and the transition time in the large intestine is longer, which makes you feel full for a long duration. Protein can also help in building and repairing muscles.
- Anti-Diabetic Activity: This natural candy can actually help keep your blood sugar levels in check. Scientists have found that the flavonoids, saponins and phenolics in dates can help stimulate insulin production. If you are a diabetic you should be careful enough while eating dates.
- High Unsaturated Fatty Acid Content: Not all fats are bad. Like the unsaturated fatty acids in dates. This unsaturated fatty acid can help reduce inflammation. Inflammation can occur due to various reasons such as injury, swelling, disease, unhealthy food consumption and leading a sedentary lifestyle. Inflammation is linked to obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, liver disease etc. Since dates have a good amount of unsaturated fatty acids, by consuming them, you can reduce inflammation, lowering your chance of gaining weight.
Here’s how you can include dates in your diet:
- Deseed them and eat them along with other nuts and dry fruits to reap maximum benefits.
- Add some chopped dates to a fruit salad or dessert to enjoy its flavour.
- One of the most popular ways is to add it in a glass of warm milk. In fact, milk and dates have been known to promote weight loss.
