Dates: The Ultimate Delicacy

Years ago dates helped me to lose about 35 pounds, and have kept those extra pounds off practically effortlessly. Realizing that I had a sugar addiction, as in processed sugar, and a simple carb addiction in the form of wheat bread and pasta and the likes, I knew I had to change how I was eating. I obviously had to do the opposite of everything that I was doing if I wanted to lose the extra pounds and feel healthy.

One of the ways I got my sugar addiction under control was with dates. I call dates "God’s Truffles" because they are sweet, have a bit of give on the outside and are soft and velvety on the inside. Dates are one of the sweetest fruits out there, but it’s important to remember that the fructose in dates is not anywhere near the same as the fructose, in say, a soda made with high fructose corn syrup. There is a difference between God-made natural sugar and man-made, highly processed sugar. The God-made stuff keeps you healthy and the man-made stuff will make you sick. The infamous Jack Lelanne who lived to be 96 years old used to say, “If man made it, don’t eat it.”

Medjool dates are my favorite. They are pure Heaven, luscious and sweet, and able to quell any sugar craving. Eating two or three is all it takes to feel satisfied, and afterward you are not left with the cravings that simple carbs leave you with.

Besides satisfying your craving for sweetness, dates are an excellent source of potassium, and potassium is an important electrolyte that is great for your heart. Dates also contain iron, niacin, and vitamin B6. According to Don Tolman author of “The Farmarcist Desk Reference,” dates encourage both pancreatic and ovarian health.

Dates grow from about late summer through mid-fall; however, I am always able to find them in the dry or bulk-food section at local stores such as Sprouts, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. I also find them at the local Farmers’ Market.

If you’re craving something sweet, then grab a Medjool date or two. I think you’ll be happy you did.