# <center>Good morning, Steemians!</center>

**It's no surprise that I love fruit, and I've said many a time that I truly believe fruit to be the most beneficial and ideal food on the planet for human consumption.**

**Many of you may have heard of *dates*, a dried fruit that grows on the *date palm*. Well, up until a few days ago, I never soaked them in water to soften them and hydrate them first. I would just buy them from the store in their container, open it up and pop them in my mouth.**

### This is the Medjool Date, my favorite variety that I've tasted. It's gooey and sweet.

![Dates2.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmaU8fFnTc9Q54qgMF4UjJXMhvaTnEWCbkXC4WCGJqdTrA/Dates2.jpg)

[img. source](https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-dates.html)

### A couple days I began soaking them, after hearing of the benefits. 
![FullSizeRender_1.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmXooo373rMEQgtrPfr8UVbE2XDip1EiLGA1x5qtvUPG6o/FullSizeRender_1.jpg)

**Dates have a very low water content compared to other fruits due to the fact that they are indeed a dried fruit. If eaten dry, you may experience stomach aches and your teeth may suffer. Also, the taste is truly better when soaked for 10-20 minutes in warm water.**

### I bought these from the Indian grocery store

![FullSizeRender.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmWa2ZftrJc3HK5dJus42CPksrdzgQsnHnhSvxLH17bsvB/FullSizeRender.jpg)

**Soaking your dates basically just hydrates them from their dried state.**

**Dates are a very good store of calories and a great thing to eat if you are on the go or don't want to prepare a cooked meal. Wikipedia says that though origins of the date palm are unknown due to long cultivation, experts believe dates originated in present-day Iraq.**

**Since soaking my dates, I haven't gotten stomach aches like I used to from eating dried dates.**

**There are also many health benefits to eating dates that you might be unaware of as well. I found this article entitled "13 Amazing Benefits of Dates" : https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-dates.html**

**Some of the benefits include relief from constipation, intestinal disorders, heart problems, sexual dysfunctions, diarrhea, anemia, and many other ailments. It can even help people struggling to gain weight do just that because of their high calorie content.**

### Date Palm and its fruit
![Fruit_of_the_date_palm_tree_by_Balaram_Mahalder.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmNt2Vrm8bqCMa7HFAYm3UQvWJ164umv8tmhHovACh5pgX/Fruit_of_the_date_palm_tree_by_Balaram_Mahalder.jpg)

[img cite](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fruit_of_the_date_palm_tree_by_Balaram_Mahalder.jpg)

**"They are rich in several vitamins, minerals and fiber too. These delicious fruits contain oil, calcium, sulfur, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, copper and magnesium which are all beneficial for health. Some health specialists have said that eating one day per day is necessary for a balanced and healthy diet." (citation from above source)**

**So, do you guys enjoy dates as much as I do? I haven't been eating them as much recently, but when I went to the Indian market the other day, (https://steemit.com/vegan/@vegansilverstack/indian-grocery-store-haul-vegan) I picked some up.**

**<center>Thanks for stopping by!**</center>

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