Health is Wealth: The staple date during Ramzan

Saturday, August 18, 2012

The staple date during Ramzan

Muslims break their fast with dates. Mumbai markets have a variety of dates from around the world

    For Muslims, it is tradition to break the roza with a khajur or date, and in this month the markets offer several varieties of the brown hued date — dried and fresh — from the medjool and khadrawi (soft dates), halawi (smaller in size), and thoory. (wrinkled variety). Hailing from Iran, the Middle East and as far as Africa even, you might be spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing which dates to have. While bedouins relied on dates for sustenance, dates are every bit a part of the modern diet as well. Here's more on the nutritious fruit...
WHY DATES ARE EATEN
When a person fasts during the month of Ramzan, the body develops low energy levels and blood sugar as well as mild
headaches. Dates, considered to be a source of energy, help overcome these problems. They are an excellent source of iron, magnesium, fiber, sugar and potassium. Experts state how dates help in fighting constipation, intestinal disorders, weight gain, heart problems and alleviating weakness. It is considered that having even a single date per day can lead to a healthy diet. The antioxidative properties of dried dates are said to aid digestion and give relief from conditions like acidity. Eating one date a day is also believed to help maintain your healthy eyes for one's entire lifetime! So, while eating a date is part of tradition, of tradition, importance of doing so also lies in abundance of nutrients that they provide.
SWEET DELIGHTS!
The date fruit is dried and eaten whole
as a snack or included in an assortment of desserts. Today, one finds dates used in making desserts, incorporated in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine and desserts, and are often eaten whole. Frequently they are found stuffed with chocolate and sweet fillings after removing its seed.
FRESH OR DRIED?
Both fresh and dried dates have innumerable benefits. Fresh ones are softer, while a dry date can have a crinkled skin, as it contains less moisture than a soft date. You need to store fresh dates in an airtight container, and they can stay fresh for up to seven months in the refrigerator. Dried dates however, have a longer shelf-life and if refrigerated stay fresh for up to even a year.
CALORIE COUNT
Dried dates are significantly higher in calories than fresh. A 3.5 oz. serving of dried dates contains about 284 calories, while the same size serving of fresh dates contains 142 calories.
RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE
The tradition of eating dates during Ramzan goes back to 7th century when it is said that the Prophet (PBUH) used the dates to break his fast. When fresh dates were not available, he would use dried dates. Muslims thus break their fast with a date.
LOTS OF VARIETY
Crawford Market and other foodie nooks in Mumbai have several varieties of dates, from different corners of the world — red dates from India, Ambar from Saudi Arabia, Majestic from Iran Taiba from the holy city of Madina, etc. There are dates are available for every palate too, from the sweet sukkari date, to the fruity tasting ajwa, the soft halawi and mejdool and other sugar-free options.
MAKE YOUR OWN CHOCOLATE DATES
Ingredients
Soft, good quality dates Chopped nuts Suitable dipping chocolate, melted; dark works best as it has high cocoa butter content
Method
    Slice open the dates from one side, remove seeds.
    Carefully put a chopped nuts into the open space. Press the dates shut so as to hold the filling. Dip the dates, slowly, into the melted chocolate. Cool.
DID YOU KNOW?
The date originates from the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera). The date palm is often referred to to as a "tree of life," due to the health benefits that the fruit offers. People of the Middle East, Africa and Asia, have imcluded dates as a part of their diet for centuries now.