History
No date has been found for the main place where date growing began. Existing evidences get us back to 4000 BC in a place situated in the south of today’s Iraq. Some ancient sources mentioning palm trees have been discovered in Egypt. A common view asserts that the most primitive palm growing starts with the oldest civilizations emerging from the north-east Africa and extending to the north-west plain of Tigris and Euphtates.
In Iran date palm growing goes back to the ancient times before Achaemenid era. In Sassanid literature especially the book of Bundeheshn, date palm is mentioned. Chinese sources have considered Iran as the land of date palms which they called ‘Persian jujube’ and ‘thousand-year jujube’. Among European countries Spain has the longest history in palm planting.
Morphology
The ripe fruit of date palm is in different types and colors of light brown, brown and blackish brown. In the middle of the sweet flesh, lies a long kernel of 1 -3 cm height and 2-5 mm diameter. The fruit appears in large.
Date ingredients
Table 1
Key nutrients in 100 grams of date
Energy (Kcal) 300 Protein (gm) 2.2
Fat (gm) 0.5 Carbohydrates (gm) 72
Magnesium (mg) 36 Calcium (mg) 59
Phosphorus (mg) 63 Iron (mg) 3
Sodium (mg) 1 Potassium (mg) 648
Vitamin A (IU) 50 Vitamin B2 (mg) 0.1
Vitamin B1 (mg) 0.09 Vitamin Folate (micgm) 12
Vitamin B3 (mg) 2.2 Nutritional Fiber (gm) 3
Vitamin B (gm) 22
Advantages of Date
Immediately after having one Kg date, 3,470 calories of energy is produced in the body. This volume of energy is high in comparison to other nutrients such as:
Fruit Calories
Apricot: 520
Orange: 480
Cooked rice: 1800
Wheat bread: 2295
Banana: 970
Meat (no fat): 2245
Date and Cancer
Date plays a role in preventing cancer, because of its high content of Magnesium. Findings show inhabitants of date-growing regions are less afflicted to some kinds of cancer.
Properties of date
Traditional medicine doctors believe that a decoction of 50 gm date in 1 liter water is effective to soften the lungs and to resolve roughness of larynx. Furthermore, date cures paralysis, treats Parkinson disease, backs up kidneys, softens joints and relieves back pain. In India, the gum of palm date is used to remedy diarrhea and urine / reproductive tracts diseases. Kernel less date is used to soften lungs, treat asthma and coughing. It is used as a laxative. Date helps supply blood because of its Vitamin Folate. It cures bladder stone.
Types of date
More than 3,000 types of date have been so far recognized throughout the world. Some Iranian types are as follows:
Halileh, Mazafati, Nikdaymi, Shakari, Beygom, Jongi, Kotomi, Dashtari, Turgi, Sabzoo, Makili,
Rasko-ee, Popo, Sang Shekan, Khashkeej, Sharifeh, Bar Shahi.
Mols ، Shakanak، Rabbi،Chakardy، Charpan