Date Phoenix dactylifera fruit
Date, botanically known as Phoenix dactylifera, is a fruit produced by a date palm. It is a type of berry characterized by its yellowish or red-brownish color. The fruit’s meat is soft, quite aromatic, and sweet in taste. The fruit hides a stone inside which is elongate in shape. The stone has a longitudinal furrow. The fruit is usually eaten raw or dry and it's the main source of food for the people of North Africa and the Near East – the places where dates are commonly cultivated and produced.
The dates are nutritional contributions are glucids, fiber, proteins, and lipids. They are a source of food in the diets of the Arabs of the desert. Soft dates are much higher in nutritional value than dried fruit. Fresh dried contains more lipids, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates.
Fruit can be eaten in many different ways. In North America, it is usually an ingredient of sweet dishes and meals. In Arabic countries, it is eaten in salads, served stuffed, crystallized, distilled, or with couscous. In India, dates are used to prepare curry and chutneys. North African people use dates to prepare various cakes and desserts and in the Middle East dates are used to prepare palm wine which is made from the crowns of the date palms. Dry dates can be stored and remain fresh for quite a long time. When stored properly in a dry area, the fruit can be stored for up to several months or even a year. The fresh, soft version can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. The fruit should not be stored in places with moisture higher than 75%. Dates are a great source of sugar content, proteins, minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, iron as well as vitamins such as vitamin B and vitamin A.
The largest production of dates takes place in Egypt. Up to 1594032 metric tonnes are being produced there each year. The second-largest producer of this fruit is Saudi Arabia with 1310015 metric tonnes. Saudi Arabia is followed by Iran, Algeria, and Iraq. Global production of dates expresses a growing tendencies in the long period comparison.