Dates

Dates come from the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), a flowering plant species in the palm family that can reach 60 to 110 feet in height and live for over 100 years. The name 'date' comes from the Greek word 'daktylos,' meaning 'finger.'

Date palms are dioecious, meaning there are separate male and female plants. The male is necessary to pollinate the female, which produces the fruit. They are naturally wind-pollinated but are often hand-pollinated in commercial orchards.

Date palms take 4 to 8 years after planting before they bear fruit, but commercial harvesting takes between 7 and 10 years. Mature date palms can generate 150–300 pounds of dates per harvest season. Since they do not all ripen simultaneously, several harvests are required. To obtain fruit of marketable quality, bunches are thinned, bagged, or covered before ripening, ensuring that the remaining fruits grow larger and are protected from weather, animals, and especially birds.

The earliest documented reference to date palms dates back to the 6th century in Arabia, and they have been cultivated in the Middle East and the Indus Valley for thousands of years. In the 1920s, Medjool palm trees were initially brought from Morocco to Nevada, but today, most dates in the western hemisphere are cultivated in California, Arizona, and Baja.

The entire date palm has been utilized throughout history. The seeds are ground and used in baking or as animal feed, while oil is extracted from them for soaps, cosmetics, and dermatological products. The fruit clusters are stripped to create brooms, and the tree sap is processed into date syrup. The young leaves of the tree are cooked and eaten as vegetables. In some countries, the leaves are employed to construct huts, mats, screens, baskets, ropes, hats, and fans.

There are believed to be over 100 varieties worldwide and approximately 44 million date palm trees, with Medjool, Neglet Noor, and Honey being the most widely available. Dates require at least 100 days of 100°F plus heat to produce fruit and are often irrigated with ocean water due to their salt tolerance.

Ayurvedically, dates are sweet, cooling, heavy, and energizing. They balance Vata and Pitta; however, due to their sugar content, moisture, and density, they may increase Kapha tendencies. Dates are considered Sattvic (balancing for the mind), serve as antioxidants, benefit heart health, act as natural laxatives, and help balance blood sugar because of their low glycemic index.

Nutritional information (per 100 grams/ 3.5 oz):

Water: 21 g, Protein: 2.4 g, Fiber: 8 g, Sugar: 63 g (but low glycemic index of 47, calories 280, carbohydrates 75 g, with calcium, zinc, iron, copper, potassium, magnesium, manganese, pantothenic acid, vitamin K, C, E and B6)