Dates are high on calories and easy to overeat in one sitting as an energy-rich snack that can be had regularly. Dates, a rich source of fiber are beneficial to our overall health while promoting frequent bowel movements, offering various antioxidants that help reduce the risk of many diseases and also aid in improving brain function.
Dates due to their abundance of fiber and sugar frequently leave people puzzled about whether they should eat them after soaking overnight or raw, on an empty stomach, or before bed. As a result, it is important to understand what the best and worst times are to eat dates.
Best time
Even though dates are naturally high in sugar, they do not cause a rapid spike in blood sugar. As a result, 2-4 dates can be consumed 30-60 minutes before a workout as their slow-releasing carbs provide a steady stream of energy or fuel to the body.
The high fiber content keeps you full for a long time and keeps hunger pangs at back. So Dates are an excellent healthy snack that can also be consumed before bedtime.
Dates can also be consumed first thing in the morning to benefit from their much-needed energy boost, which includes destroying intestinal worms, cleaning vital organs, and enhancing heart and liver health. Although some studies have credited dates with giving skin and hair a natural luster, others have credited their health benefits in enhancing potency and acting as an aphrodisiac.
Experts recommend eating dates every day as a snack to make one feel energized without crashing soon afterward because they encourage weight loss, cure constipation, boost immunity, works wonders for bone health, enhance brain and heart health, and even avoid diseases like Alzheimer’s, various forms of cancer, and other chronic diseases.
Dates can help people with diabetes and prediabetes because they provide powerful antioxidants that can reduce inflammation in the body, as well as a variety of other nutrients and compounds that help with insulin resistance. If you are diabetic, however, you can consult your doctor before eating them.
Worst time
If you have digestive problems, avoid consuming dates after meals because their high fiber content makes it difficult to digest small chain carbs, resulting in bloating. Dates contain sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that causes excessive bowel movements and pain, dates should be avoided by those suffering from diarrhea or loose stools until their bowel movements have returned to normal.
Due to their high fructose content, dates should be avoided by those with a food allergy to dates, as well as those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or sensitivities. Apart from these circumstances, eating dates and reaping their health benefits is a healthy idea at any time.
