In the spotlight - Dates

We looked at sprouts and cranberries last Christmas, so the festive food I've plumped for this year is dates. Hailing from the Middle East these sweet fruits are available fresh or dried and it's usually their dried form that's associated with Christmas. They take a more prominent position in the supermarket at this time of year rather than being hidden away in the baking aisle as they are for the other months; it's popular to stuff them with marzipan for a festive treat.

Dates are packed with fibre; a single date provides 2g and we should be aiming for at least 18g daily to maintain bowel health. They have a high glycaemic index, which means they raise our blood sugar quickly, so aren't the best option for someone with diabetes, but can be eaten in moderation - 3 dates whether fresh or dried counts as a serving. Dates are full of polyphenols, which are a type of antioxidant; their role is to mop up free radicals, which damage body cells and are linked to heart disease and cancer. A number of minerals - calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese and copper - are present in dates in small, but useful amounts. Magnesium plays an important role in maintaining bone strength, muscle and nerve function, while copper and manganese form part of enzymes involved in increasing the rate of reactions within the body.

If you did get tired of popping dates like sweets, you can add chopped dates to cereal, yoghurt or baking such as scones, flapjacks and bread. However, dates also work well in savoury dishes - think tagines, salads, pasta dishes or as a stuffing for chicken and pork.

Take a look at the following websites if you want to get creative with dates:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/date
http://www.cooksunited.co.uk/rs/s0/date/recipes.html
http://www.tarladalal.com/recipes-using-chopped-dates-801

Attribution:
Photo of a date by J.P.Lon via Wikimedia Commons