I have been on a massive sweet binge lately. Not that that's a big surprise to anyone. I do try to keep my sweets under control--Mike and I are both big preachers to HEALTH not WEIGHT, if that makes sense. Obviously health and weight are connected, but as someone who knows firsthand what it's like to be thin and not particularly healthy, I feel it's important to keep a clear distinction between the two.
So, in my effort to keep myself over the sweets attack, I am focusing on not making cookies and instead making a dent in the gigantic container of dates we have in the fridge. (Admittedly, there is a bit of a dent, but it's largely from making date squares. For those of you who don't know, date squares+healthy=:(, BUT date squares+yummy=:) )
I do love dates though, so this really shouldn't be difficult. Anyway, so I thought I'd share with you some of the health benefits of dates. I am getting my information from here, but I will put some highlights on here for you.
-Dates are rich in dietary fiber, which prevents LDL ("bad") cholesterol absorption. Dietary fiber also binds to cancer causing chemicals in the colon, which prevents abdominal cancers.
-Dates contain antioxidants called tannins (the same antioxidants found in teas). Tannins have anti-infective, and anti-inflammatory properties.
-They contain a lot of vitamin A, beta-carotene, and lutein, which are all antioxidants that help to fight numerous cancers.
-Dates contain a lot of iron, potassium, calcium, manganese, copper, and magnesium.
-Dates are rich in the B-complex group of vitamins and vitamin K.
So, hows THAT for a super-fruit. And they're sweet to boot! Not to mention, they always make me think of Harrison Ford, and that's always a good thing.
So, in my effort to keep myself over the sweets attack, I am focusing on not making cookies and instead making a dent in the gigantic container of dates we have in the fridge. (Admittedly, there is a bit of a dent, but it's largely from making date squares. For those of you who don't know, date squares+healthy=:(, BUT date squares+yummy=:) )
I do love dates though, so this really shouldn't be difficult. Anyway, so I thought I'd share with you some of the health benefits of dates. I am getting my information from here, but I will put some highlights on here for you.
-Dates are rich in dietary fiber, which prevents LDL ("bad") cholesterol absorption. Dietary fiber also binds to cancer causing chemicals in the colon, which prevents abdominal cancers.
-Dates contain antioxidants called tannins (the same antioxidants found in teas). Tannins have anti-infective, and anti-inflammatory properties.
-They contain a lot of vitamin A, beta-carotene, and lutein, which are all antioxidants that help to fight numerous cancers.
-Dates contain a lot of iron, potassium, calcium, manganese, copper, and magnesium.
-Dates are rich in the B-complex group of vitamins and vitamin K.
So, hows THAT for a super-fruit. And they're sweet to boot! Not to mention, they always make me think of Harrison Ford, and that's always a good thing.
i agree, i think health and weight are connected, but only to a certain degree. i've certainly known many people who look really heavy but who, in actuality, are a lot more healthy than most skinny people. i think the more athletic you are the more your actual body weight is connected to your health, but if you're not that athletic and really only do the bare minimum of exercise suggested to stay healthy, then i definitely think a person can be heavier than what people would typically think of as healthy and still be healthy. for the most part, most of a person's physiological health can really be controlled just through good nutrition. of course our bodies are made for physical activity so it's important to be active in order to keep your body looking and feeling good. but when it comes to just simple health a person's diet can, for the most part, control their overall health (i.e. cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, fat percentage and body weight).
ReplyDeleteYum! Dates are one of my favorites--it's good to know they're even better than I thought!
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