Journey of taste: Date is an energy booster, this dry fruit is used in havan-pujan, its history is interesting

Swad Ka Safarnama: Dates are international dry fruits. Once it was the diet of only a few countries, but now it has influenced the whole world with its qualities and nutritional value. Dates are considered an energy booster and it also suppresses vata and pitta that disturb the body. Dates have special importance in the Teej festivals of India, and there is a demand for it in religious events as well. It is a foreign fruit, but has got mixed in the culture of India.

Dates are prepared after two fruits

First know what is Dry Dates. It is actually a dry fruit made by drying the moisture of dates. Just like raisins are made by drying grapes, in the same way the moisture from dates is dried and converted into dry dates. But there is a change in the effect and qualities. From growing on a tree to becoming a date palm, it turns into three types of fruits. When the date palm tree bears fruit and its color is yellowish, it is considered the freshest and very tasty, but it cannot be stored, it spoils quickly. After that this yellow colored small fruit starts turning into a date.

Suppose it has ripened in the form of a fruit. It is eaten a lot. When the date is dried, it turns into date palm. The special thing is that these three types of fruits that grow on the same tree are different in taste. The moisture content in dates is 80 percent, while the same moisture content in date palm remains less than 10 percent. The specialty of date palm is that it can be stored for five times more years than dates.

Origin West Asia and Arabian region

There are hundreds of varieties of dates around the world, but date palm consumption is very high in Europe and Western countries. People of these countries like the dryness, shrinkage, mild sweetness and crisp taste of date palm. There it is considered a popular snack. The history of date palm is thousands of years old. In the book ‘Fruits’ written by Prof. Ranjit Singh and Prof. SK Saxena, agronomists of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (Pusa), it is believed that date palm is a dry fruit eaten for thousands of years and its origin is in Western Asia and Arabia.

Food historians also believe that its cultivation started in Iraq (Mesopotamia) before 4000 BC. The date palm tree was used in the construction of the temples there. Dates are also described in the Egyptian civilization. Kharjuram is described in the Indian Ayurvedic book ‘Charaksanhita’ written two and a half thousand years ago. It is considered beneficial in vata-pitta. The special thing is that in the Hindu scriptures written thousands of years ago, there is a special description of dates (dates). It was used in puja-havan, and its pieces were also kept as prasadam. This tradition continues even today.

How is date palm different from dates?

The question is, what is the difference between dates and date palm in terms of nutritional value and properties. On this issue, food expert and nutrition consultant Nilanjana Singh says that when it comes to fresh dates, 140 calories have been measured in 100 grams of dates, while the amount of calories increases to 280 in dates of the same weight. Dates have a lot more fiber than dates. Similarly, the level of sugar in date palm is more than that of dates. The special thing is that the level of fat and protein in date palm rich in carbohydrates is considered normal. Due to the type of minerals and vitamins present in dates, it is helpful in increasing weight.

Chuara is also considered an energy booster. Image-Canva

It is also an antioxidant, due to which the cells of the body remain healthy continuously. It is considered one of the most nutritious substances in the world. That’s why date palm is considered an energy booster. Research also suggests that date palm has the ability to reduce general diabetes and its complications. It absorbs the level of glucose produced in the body, hence sugar control remains.

Dates are considered beneficial for kidney

Dates are also considered to have anti-bacterial properties, which help in keeping the body healthy. It is also believed that date palm is helpful in preventing the increase in plasma creatinine and urea in the kidneys. Experts believe that date palm has nephroprotective properties (elements that protect the kidneys). Dates can be eaten normally by removing its kernels. If there is a problem in chewing it, nowadays it is also available in the market in the form of sweets, cakes, ice cream, milkshakes etc. There is no side effect of eating date palm in general. Actually it cannot be eaten in large quantity, because the mind and mouth refuse to eat it after some time. If it is eaten in excess, it can cause constipation.

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Tags: food, Lifestyle