What are dates? Dates are a fruit from the date palm tree found in the Middle East in places such as: Morraco . They can also be found in North Africa and India.
There are many different varieties of dates, but the most popular and my personal favorite are the Medjool dates. These dates are deep brown in color, and caramel-like in flavor. Medjool dates are not only delicious, but packed full of vitamins, minerals and fiber. They are considered a natural sweetener and sugar substitute. Not only do medjool dates have a low glycemic index, but it has been proven to decrease cholesterol and boost bone health.
Three of my favorite ways to use the dates is to put them in my kamut cereal , Energy bars, and to make date paste and date syrup. I like to add chopped dates directly to my cereal, and use only dates for my energy bars, that way no other sweetener is needed. Making date syrup just makes it that much easier to mix into smoothies, cereals, hot beverages, salad dressings and baked goods.
The next time you see medjool dates in your local grocery store, trader joe's or whole foods markets, be adventurous and pick up a pack, and give them a try, experiment and see what happens. I think you'll be surprised.
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