Edible dates (Phoenix dactylifera) have historically formed an important component of many Middle Eastern and North African diets. These fruits are commonly harvested from commercially grown date palms and either consumed fresh or packaged. Packaged dates have an extremely long shelf life (up to 24 months without the need for processing or added preservatives) due to their low water content (< 0.9%). Dates, by nature, inhibit bacterial proliferation. In fact, Middle Eastern people believe that “he who eats seven dates every morning will not be affected by poison or magic on the day he eats them” (cited by Miller et al., 2003). Date fruit extract has strong antioxidant and antimutagenic properties (Vayalil, 2002). In addition, dates have been shown to exhibit antiaging properties and a significant reduction in skin wrinkles in women (Bauza, 2002), and natural fats from date palm have been reported to prevent irritant contact dermatitis (Schliemann-Willers et al., 2002). Click here for a nutritional analysis of dates. Free Quote