4. Slower Age-Related Mental Decline
The time to protect your brain from the ravages of aging-related mental decline is now. Right now. There are lots of ways to challenge your brain and keep it sharp, but all of them rely on proper nutrition to maintain clear pathways in the brain. Dates have been found to lower inflammatory markers in your gray matter that are associated with higher rates of Alzheimer’s.
There have also been animal studies that indicate dates have the potential to prevent the formation of amyloid beta protein plaques in the brain. When these plaques form, they disrupt communication between brain cells and cause cells to die at a faster rate. Other animal studies found that mice fed a diet including dates had better learning ability, longer memory, and less anxiety-related behaviors.
5. Less Reliance on White Sugar
The overconsumption of sugar is a serious health crisis that doctors think is fueling the obesity epidemic. Refined sugars are packed into so many foods, under so many different names, that even people who are trying to eat more healthfully may fall victim to it. If you are truly committed to reducing your sugar intake, it’s best to eat home-cooked meals almost exclusively.
To that end, dates are an excellent replacement for sugar. Eating them whole is a nice sweet treat, but you can also substitute dates for sugar in many recipes. Simply blend dates and water in a blender until you get a paste. The paste can then be substituted 1:1 for sugar in whatever you’re baking. While date paste is fairly high in calories, it contains dietary fiber and antioxidants – something refined white sugar does not.
Conclusion
Dates are an excellent addition to your daily diet. Because they are high in calories, we recommend sticking to about 2 per day. Luckily, that is plenty to reap the considerable health benefits. The nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants make dates one treat you don’t have to feel guilty about.
So chop them up for salads or oatmeal, use date paste instead of sugar in those cookies, or just snack on dates whole. The result will be a healthier body and mind as well as the sustained energy you need to power through your day. So what are you waiting for? There are 3,000 kinds to choose from!
