Date paste recipes and benefits

Dates paste is not just nature’s most convenient sweetener, but also a great remedy for many health issues.

Given their rich natural sweetenes, dates are used as a sugar substitute in many recipesc. Refined sugar is one of the most dangerous substances in the world, lately studied for its toxic effects on human body.

Dates – properties and benefits

Dates provide an amazing energetic and nutritional density. These fruits contain a lot of phytonutrients, simple sugars (dextrose and fructose), vitamins A, B, K, minerals – calcium, magnesium, copper, manganese and antioxidants – beta-caroten, lutein and zeaxanthin.

Dates are one of the best natural sources of iron, an essential element for raising hemoglobin level and fighting anemia. They recover our body’s energy starage and exert a revitalisant effect.

Due to the fact that they contain a lot of potassium, dates help regulate heart rate and blood pressure.

We also fiind tannins in dates. These are flavonoid polyphenols that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antihemorrhagic properties.

Less known is that dates help lowering cholesterol levels. They contain lots of fibers that prevent cholesterol absorption in the gut.

Despite their intense sweetness, dates have a low glycemic index. One study has shown that dates don’t contribute to significant sudden increase in blood sugar.

Scientists suggest that dates may provide benefits for people dealing with diabetes if they are part of a healthy diet.

_______________________

Dates past recipe

You will only need 2 ingredients to make the best natural sweetener in the world: dates and water.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dates
• ¼ cup water

Method

If you use Medjool dates you won’t need to soak them in water to make them soft. But if you’re using regular dates, put them in a bowl with enough warm water to cover them. Let them hydrate for about 30 minutes.

Strain the water and place them in the food processor along with ¼ cup of fresh water.

Process for a few seconds, until they form a fine paste. Stop the food processor and scrape down the sides to get all the date pieces in and process again.

Transfer the dates paste in a glass jar and place it in the frigde. It can last up to 2 weeks.

_______________________

How to use dates paste as a sugar substitute

This sweetener is pretty versatile. You can use it in cookies, muffins, cake creams, pancakes, puddings, sweet sauces, glazes, smoothies and in many raw-vegan recipes.

Experiment until you reach the best result. To replace granulated sugar, use an equal amount of dates paste.

If you wish to incorporate it in cooked desserts, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil (a less flavored oil) to the paste to prevent drying.

____________________________

Sources:

1. DETOXINISTA, HOW TO MAKE DATE PASTE (A HEALTHY SUGAR SUBSTITUTE!): https://detoxinista.com/make-date-paste-healthy-sugar-substitute/

2. Juma M Alkaabi, Bayan Al-Dabbagh, Shakeel Ahmad, Hussein F Saadi, Salah Gariballa and Mustafa Al Ghazali, Glycemic indices of five varieties of dates in healthy and diabetic subjects, Nutr J. 2011: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3112406/

3. Nutrition and You, Health benefits of dates: https://www.nutrition-and-you.com/dates.html