With more and more people wanting to use natural sweeteners and avoid adding too much sugar to what they eat, it’s no wonder that healthy alternatives are “in” and thus are easier to find. Date paste is one such healthy alternative and is often used to substitute for refined white sugar. But that’s not all that makes date paste great.

Given what it’s made of, date paste is one of the healthiest ingredients, providing carbohydrates, fibre, and certain vitamins and minerals, too. Here are several reasons why it should be a pantry staple. 

Date Paste is Nutritious

As mentioned above, date paste is very healthy – but just what does it provide. Besides carbohydrates and fibre, dates contain calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, and vitamin B6, all vitamins and minerals necessary for normal bodily growth. When you use dates or date paste, the sweetness is sure to be all-natural, too, thanks to the fructose content of dates. 

Date Paste Has Antioxidants

Antioxidants help protect the body from the effects of free radicals, compounds that can be harmful to the body if their levels are high enough. Among the effects of free radicals is an increased risk of several diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and some types of cancer. Antioxidants, therefore, help do the opposite and reduce the risk of these conditions and even improve brain health.

Date Paste Helps Your Bones

The vitamins and minerals contained in dates, specifically phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and calcium all benefit bones, whether by strengthening them or improving bone growth. It stands to reason that the benefits are carried over to date paste, and so adding this ingredient to your daily diet can decrease your risk of bone-related conditions such as osteoporosis. That way, you can stay as active as possible without worrying about bone fractures and ending up bedridden while you recover. 

Date Paste Aids in Gut Health

As mentioned earlier, dates are high in fibre so there’s no need to worry about digesting the fruit or the paste derived from them. Besides being easy to digest, however, the fibre in dates and date paste can and will help improve your digestive system, promoting regular bowel movement and decreasing your chances of bloating. On top of that, fibre helps with controlling blood sugar, which just adds to date paste helping to reduce one’s diabetes risk. 

As you can see, date paste has a lot going for it, and there are practically no reasons not to add it to your and your family’s diet, given how healthy it can be. If you have dates at home but aren’t sure how to use them all up, you can certainly make date paste yourself. All you need to do is pit the dates and separate the calyx, then blend the fruit with some water until you get a smooth mixture. Otherwise, you can find authentic date paste for sale in stores or online. Check out this page to get started!