Thursday Thirteen #18
Posted in Thursday Thirteen and tagged with meme, Thursday Thirteen on 11/15/2007 12:34 am by Grace
13 FACTS ABOUT DATES
Recently, I have caught the addiction to dates. No, not dates with boys but dates, the delectable fruit from the date palm tree that is abundant in the Middle East.
1. Dates, together with almonds, both mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible, were among the earliest cultivated foods in history.
2. Date Palm culture exists in the United Arab Emirates since several thousand years ago as part of the Gulf ecosystem.
Young date palms in Mamzar Beach Park, Dubai
3. The date palm tree love the heat, even when temperature goes up to more than 120 degrees F. The date palm loves to have its roots in the water and its crown in the sun. It thrives naturally in oases. These are typically dry, warm places of little rainfall but with an adequate underground water supply.
Date palm trees growing towards the sun
4. In Islamic countries, dates is part of the traditional first meal when the sun set during Ramadan because they are easy to digest so they don’t exhaust a fasting person’s stomach.
5. Date palms are dioecious; female flowers produce the fruit and male flowers produce the pollen.
6. Dates are naturally wind pollinated. Natural pollination requires about an equal number of male and female plants. However, with assistance, one male can pollenize up to 50 females.
Date Palm trees lined up in Creekside Park, Dubai
7. In modern commercial horticulture, date plants are pollinated manually. It is done by skilled laborers on ladders, or less often the pollen may be blown onto the female flowers by wind machine.
8. Fresh dates are extremely moist, extremely sweet and satisfying. The best part is that they contain only a few calories, very low in fat and sodium.
9. They are also packed with fiber which helps in digestion and aids in controlling cholesterol.
10. However they are one of nature’s few fruits that does not contain Vitamin C.
11. Fresh dates can be eaten raw and have the consistency of a firm apple with a slightly sweet flavor. If ripe, the water evaporates and sugar remains and becomes more concentrated so the flavor intensifies exponentially.
12. The date palm is important to three of the world’s major religious groups, the Jews, the Muslims and the Christians.
- Jewish tradition - Palm fronds are used to build the “soukkot” or harvest festival shelter. They are also one of the five sacred plants displayed during the harvest festival.
- Christian tradition - Christians worldwide carry palm fronds to commemorate the passage of Jesus through Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
- Islamic tradition - Dates were supposedly Mohammed’s favorite fruit and there are some 26 references to them in the Koran. Muslims also break their Ramadan or New Year’s fast each night by eating a date.
13. Dates are native to the Middle East and Africa but are also grown in California, Southwestern Arizona, an area north of Las Vegas, Nevada and in parts of Mexico.
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November 15th, 2007 at 1:11 am
Informative posts about Dates. Wow I learn a lot today that I did not know.:)
Rose’s last blog post..World Wednesday - A Place in the Sun
November 15th, 2007 at 6:19 am
I agree with Rose… very informative.
I didn’t know that the fruit is delicious… that’d be very helpful if you’re trying to lose weight!
Is there any fruit in the Philippines that tastes like a date?
shiera’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen #1
November 15th, 2007 at 8:35 am
Oh Oh Oh If I sent you my address?….. I love Dates!
Donetta’s last blog post..Works for Me Wedensday
November 15th, 2007 at 11:58 am
Hello. We usually taste Dates when someone came from abroad. Nice post.They are right…very informative
gellianne’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen # 5
November 15th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
Dates sure are yummy!!
Secret Agent Mama’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen XI: The Ladybug Edition
November 15th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
I LOVE dates!! yummy yummy!
November 15th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
I don’t believe I’ve ever ate a date!
Kat’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen # 15 - 13 things I want for Christmas
November 15th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
Mmm. Dates. I had some from the Middle East about a year ago and wow. What a difference from the ones I get in the store.
Sadly, though, as much as I love them, I’ve developed an allergy to them and am on hiatus from eating them. Maybe in another year, I’ll see if the sensitivity has faded. I really love them; they’re great snack foods.
The most interesting part of your post is where you point out that they are important to all three major religions — once again, I’m convinced we’re more alike than different.
Happy TT!
Susan Helene Gottfried’s last blog post..Sticky: Susan needs bookmarks!
November 15th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Mmmmm. I love dates. I do have a slight sensitivity to them, so I can’t eat as many as I’d like–sort of an enforced moderation. Now if that only worked for junk food…
Darla’s last blog post..TT #74
November 15th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
The only way I’ll eat dates is in a date square lol Great list. Happy T13!
November 15th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
I LOVE DATES! WE have an area in our California desert that has dates as well.
Also re; Alaska, you would not want to go in the summer it is very cold, full of snow, and very dark. Summers is light all night long and though it can be varied weather, it is gorgeous!!
SabineM’s last blog post..Lost in the Wild
November 15th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
My gf lived in Palm Springs California, so we had dates at an early age. They are wonderful when fresh - not so much when they are dried up…. Fun to get a reminder of them Grace!
On a Limb with Claudia’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen - Obesity.
November 15th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
What great information! Thanks for visiting my TT.
Qtpies7’s last blog post..Mutsy Strollers
November 15th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
I think Dates are delicious. Thanks for sharing all this wonderful information, I’ve learned so much from reading your TT!
Christine’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen~ 13 Reasons WHY My life is different because of . . .
November 15th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Educational. I am not a date or raisin person…but I like grapes!
Happy TT~
Stop over:
http://sassyfrazz.blogspot.com/2007/11/thirteen-things-i-am-thankful-for.html
Sarah’s last blog post..Thirteen Things I am Thankful for:
November 15th, 2007 at 9:11 pm
That’s 13 things I never knew! Interesting list!
Natalie’s last blog post..Thursday 13
November 15th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
I’ve never eaten a date before.
when I hear that word, i always think of the movie Aladdin. You know, the guy in the market yelling “sugar dates and pistachios!”
ok.. maybe it’s just me.
Erin’s last blog post..13 Reasons Why Most People Would Hate My Job
November 16th, 2007 at 12:06 am
You know, I’ve never been able to eat dates (but my mother LOVES them). After reading your list, though, I want to give dates another shot. They’ve just got such a great history (and I didn’t realize how healthy they were)!
November 16th, 2007 at 12:16 am
No Vitamin C? Weird. I always think of them as a desert, not a proper fruit that’s healthy to eat. Maybe I should change that
Carrie Lofty’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen: Guys Sexier Than Matt Damon
November 16th, 2007 at 12:27 am
It is sad that we only have dried one down here!! I want to taste a fresh one, now!! And have some of my mom’s date squares!!
Jill’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen # 46
November 16th, 2007 at 1:58 am
There’s something about fresh dates as opposed to the “fresh” dates we used to get in the 70s in oddly shaped plastic boxes.
Great TT
Mark Caldwell’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen #35
November 16th, 2007 at 2:33 am
I look out my window and see dark clouds. I’d much rather look at your blog. Palm trees present quite a contrast! (Thanks for visiting my TT)
The Gal Herself’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen #41 — 13 Tearjerkers
November 16th, 2007 at 4:56 am
I’m not sure that I’ve ever eaten a date in my life, at least not a fresh one. Sounds like I’m really missing out!
Very informative TT, and the pictures are great!
Thanks for stopping by!
Megan’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen #5 - Excuse Me
November 16th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
yum!!! this was a great and informative post. thank you!
and thanks for visiting me this week:-)
phyllis’s last blog post..Jacob’s Ladder…in Haiku, of course
November 16th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Thank you for the informative post on dates.
I have never had a fresh one.
Great pictures too!
Happy TT!
Raggedy’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen (25th)
November 16th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
I thought about my date bar snickers, dates opened up with carob or choc. chips and nuts yum!
Donetta’s last blog post..Oh what a day!
November 17th, 2007 at 5:48 am
Okay, I’m ready for my Pop Quiz now. LOL..I didn’t know most of that Date stuff…amazing NO Vitamin C!
Hope’s last blog post..Hurry! The Thanksgiving Day Feast Grocery Shopping Race Is ON!
November 19th, 2007 at 12:31 am
I’m not very fond of dates, but it was interesting to read more about them.
Thanks for visiting my black panther TT!
Tink’s last blog post..TT #63: black panther
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March 27th, 2008 at 6:22 am
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