Health Benefits and Nutraceutical Properties of Dates

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a member of the family Arecaceae. It is cultivated for its sweet and nutritious fruits, consumed as a staple food by millions of people in many countries, especially in Southwest Asia and North Africa. It is one of the oldest cultivated fruit crops in the world. Dates have been used for both dietary and pharmaceuticals purposes. Date fruits are a source of carbohydrates such as sucrose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, as well as dietary fiber, and are also rich in micronutrients, vitamins and minerals. Despite dates being sugar-packed, many date varieties have a low glycemic index (GI) and do not stimulate any metabolic and inflammatory markers associated with chronic diseases. Dates are an excellent source of chemical compounds like phenolic acids, tannins, flavonoids, phytosterols, and carotenoids that act as potential therapeutic agents against several diseases, including cancer and heart disease. Ayurvedic practitioners also use date fruit as a remedy for several diseases. The wide bioactive profile of dates makes them an excellent option for use as nutraceuticals. This chapter addresses these health benefits and the nutraceutical composition of dates, along with their potential utilization.