Dates are high in fibre, antioxidants, and nutrients (Image: Getty )
ITV’s Dr Amir Khan recommends eating three dates a day, just as he does, for an exceptional health boost. The familiar face on daytime TV shows such as ‘This Morning’ and ‘Lorraine’ has shared the virtues of adding the fruit to your diet, suggesting a daily intake of just three for significant wellbeing perks.
In his latest video to hos half a million followers, Dr Khan explained the reasons behind his eating habit. He said: “For the last year or so, I have taken to eating three dates a day. Dates don’t negatively impact your long-term blood sugar, even if you’re diabetic.”
He went on to detail the surprising lack of impact dates have on blood sugar levels. Citing research, he said: “Studies show that dates don’t have an impact on average blood sugar levels or fasting sugars and actually some research shows that dates can lower your average blood sugars and even lower your cholesterol, that’s probably because of their high-fibre content, and that high-fibre content makes them excellent for your gut health, too.”
Not stopping at just one reason, the doctor highlighted further advantages of adopting dates into your dietary regime, including their fight against damaging cells and diminishing dementia risk. He enthused about their rich composition: “Now, the other health benefits of dates is that they are loaded with one of my favourite things, plant antioxidants and polyphenols.”
He said these can help reduce cell damage done by harmful free radicals that have been things like autoimmune conditions, cardiovascular disease and even some cancers, reports . “Now early studies, and I have to stress these are just early studies, show that the antioxidants in dates can even improve brain health.”
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He explained that dates can reduce inflammation, which “has been linked to things like Alzheimer’s disease, though we do need more research to support that.” He concluded: “So, if you’re looking for an alternative sweet treat to refine sugar, you can’t go wrong with dates.”
Research suggests dates might be the perfect snack due to their nutrient richness and health benefits. Nibbling on dates instead of processed, sugary food could bring a plethora of perks, as they are loaded with dietary fibre and brim with vitamins and minerals.
The various health advantages of incorporating dates into your diet include:
- Low glycemic index
- Lowers the risk of heart disease thanks to dietary fibres
- Rich in antioxidants
- Healthy digestion and promotes good gut bacteria because of high soluble and insoluble fibre
- Nervous system support
- Improved metabolism as they contain pantothenic acid, folate and niacin
- Boosts energy
- Regulates blood pressure due to potassium.
- Prevents anaemia as they are high in iron
- Strengthens bones due to significant amounts of minerals
- Lowers cholesterol
- Fights infections due to high amount of sulfur
- Boosts hair health as they contain vitamin B5
Dates are a fruit that grows on the date palm tree, originally from the Middle East but now cultivated in regions like the Mediterranean, Asia, the USA, and Mexico. These fruits develop in large bunches that dangle from the tops of the palm trees. As they mature, their skin becomes brown and wrinkled as they lose moisture.
When picked, dates resemble large shrivelled raisins (Image: Getty)
Nutritional experts often recommend indulging in two to four dates daily for a wholesome portion of valuable nutrients within a balanced eating plan. However, individual needs may vary depending on calorie requirements and specific health concerns, so it is advisable to consult your doctor about how many dates you should have.
Although dates are nutrient-dense wonders, they are also high in natural sugars, demanding thoughtful consumption. Keeping a check on the number of dates based on total caloric intake and broader dietary habits is especially important for individuals managing conditions such as type 2 diabetes.
An excellent way to even out the glucose uptake is to combine dates with fats, proteins or additional fibre. For some, feasting on dates could lead to unpleasant digestive issues like diarrhoea. Those with kidney disease should exercise caution when consuming dates and consult their doctor about daily potassium intake.