Date

The date is a drupe, or stone fruit, probably native to northern Africa or the Persian Gulf.  Dates are the fruit of the date palm.  The tree is dioecious; the male plant pollinates while only the female plant bears fruit.  Thus, dates—such as the Medjool or Deglet Noor commonly found in stores--are generally grown from cultivars for more consistent production.  Approximately the size of kiwis, date varieties range in color from reddish brown to deep, purplish brown (like a raisin).  They are wrinkled, with a sweet but earthy flavor and can be consumed at various stages of ripeness.  Dates are widely used in Middle Eastern cooking; in Islamic countries a meal of dates and yogurt may be eaten when the sun sets during Ramadan.  Dates are used to add complexity to meat stews (tagines) in Morocco.  They are frequently combined with ingredients like almonds and candied fruit peels to create sweet treats.  Deglet Noor dates, which are less sweet and less moist, are often baked into breads and desserts.

Fresh dates are a good source of vitamin C, but that vitamin is lost when the fruit is dried. However, one cup of chopped Deglet Noor dates has 57% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of fiber, and is an excellent source of minerals such as potassium, iron, copper, magnesium, and manganese.  Dates are high in sugar and carbohydrates but low in fat, so they are a good food to snack on when an energy boost is desired.  

Available Date Products:

• Date Concentrate