The holy month of Ramadan has started, Muslims observe a full-day fast and break the fast in the evening. As per rituals, Muslims break their fast with dates. Dates have been the staple food for Ramadan tables ever since Prophet Muhamed advised fellow Muslims to break their fasts with the sacred fruit.
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Can You Eat Dates While Fasting?
Dates are great for breaking the fast, both for physical and spiritual benefits during Ramadan. The Prophet used to break his fast with juicy dates during Ramadan because they energize the body and are easily digested.
According to the Prophet, breaking the fast with dates brings you blessings. In his teachings, the prophet compared Muslim believers to dates. He says the believer is strong in their faith and is unyielding in their devotion to Allah.
Dates Ramadan. Photo/The Spruce Eats
The believer is always reaching out to Allah, just like the leaves and branches of the date-palm tree reach for the sun. The date palm and the fruit it bears can help nourish the land, just as the Ummah can help nourish Islam by spreading the word of Allah and following His word.
Eating dates during Ramadan can help you feel closer to Prophet Mohammed and the religion.
How Many Dates Can I Eat During Ramadan?
Eating two or three dates, 1-1.5 hours after dinner is fine however, it is a Muslim tradition to eat seven pieces of dates a day. According to prophet Mohammed, poison cannot affect a person who eats seven dates every morning or magic on the day he eats them.
What Do Dates Do in Ramadan?
Apart from having spiritual significance and being juicy, dates are also an incredible source of nutrients and antioxidants. Dates are a perfect fruit to eat when breaking the fast because it restores your energy and gives your body the fuel it needs.
Munching on a few dates with milk, yogurt, or water before iftar can help aid digestion for the big meal. The high fiber count in dates also helps create a feeling of fullness, ensuring that you do not overeat during the night.
Energy Booster
Thanks to their high carbohydrate content that packs a lot of energy in such a small volume, they help renew empty carbohydrate stores, suppress sugar cravings, and thus help you control your appetite throughout the day.
Dates are also high in natural sugars like glucose, fructose, and sucrose, which makes them the perfect snack for a quick burst of energy. Also, with no refined, added sugar they’re safe and effective.
Helps You Feel Full
Dates are rich in soluble dietary fibers, especially pectin which helps to feel full. The soluble fiber attracts water, and increases the fluidity of stomach content, therefore prolonging the time it spends in the stomach.
By including food high in fiber, such as dates in your iftars and shares, you will have greater control over your appetite and be fuller for longer.
Constipation Relief
In Ramadan, take advantage of the rich fiber content of dates to aid digestion and prevent constipation. High dietary fiber Fruits such as dates help to keep everything running smoothly.
Dieticians recommend eating at least 20 to 30 grams of fiber a day. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one date contains 1.6 grams, six percent of the recommended daily intake. Therefore, dates can keep the colon clean, healthy, and working optimally reducing the risks of suffering from colitis and colon cancer.
Supports Immunity
Studies show that dates can have a stimulating effect on the immune system. The study associates this effect of dates with their beta-glucan content, which is a polysaccharide, the better and more complex type of carbohydrates doctors advise we should consume. In addition, dates also contain high amounts of phenolic compounds and carotenoids which are great cancer-fighting properties. The fruit also has vitamins that play a role in supporting the immune system.
Dates. Photo/PopSugarMiddleEast
Good For the Heart
Eating dates is one of the best ways to keep your heart ticking like a clock. Dates are rich in potassium, which helps to reduce the risk of stroke and other heart diseases. This sweet brown fruit is a healthy way to reduce, which influences heart issues such as heart disease and stroke.
Boost Libido
Dates are excellent for enhancing sexual performance and libido in men and women. Dates also help to improve the quality of sperm in men. Eating dates can improve sperm count, motility, and DNA quality. It also increases the size of testicles in men and breasts in women mainly because of estradiol and flavonoid found in dates.
Dates are one of the best natural fruits used for male fertility. Men who had performance problems should incorporate dates into their diet.
