Superfood Spotlight: Dates aka Nature's Candy!
After my blog post last week on creating the ultimate superfood smoothie, I promised to begin a superfood spotlight. We have so many options when making food choices, it's important to spotlight the best foods available. Superfoods keep us healthy- they are nutrient dense and provide many preventative and age defying benefits.
Dates
I LOVE dates! They are so friggin’ good, and sooo good for you. If I had name a food that is nature’s candy, it’s a date. You can eat them just as is or add them to your smoothie or oatmeal as a natural sweetener.
They are a great source of Minerals! There are at least 15 minerals found in dates, including
- Potassium – supports heart and vascular function
- Magnesium – supports muscle function
- Iron – prevents anemia
- Copper – maintains red blood cells
- Selenium- prevents cancer and supports immune function
Eat dates if you’re:
- Feeling constipated. They are a great source of fiber.
- Anemic, given the iron content
- Vegetarian. They contain amino acids (for protein production) lacking in other fruits.
- Just looking for something to cure the sweet craving!