Egyptian Fresh Dates

History

Dates are one of the oldest tree crops from the Middle East, dating back to more than 5000 years ago. Ancient date pits have been found during archeological digs and palm trunks have been used to construct ancient temples. Dates were a popular and important source of food for the Middle Eastern people because they dried and stored well, were light, and were satisfying and delicious. Dates were also highly prized by royalty. The fruit was commonly traded and date palm tree orchards grew throughout the Middle East. Later trading spread the palm trees to Northeast Africa and Eastern Mediterranean regions.

The Moors introduced dates to Spain, who in turn introduced the trees to South America, Mexico and California in the 18th and 19th centuries during missions. Descendants of these trees still grow there today. However, most of the commercially produced dates in California actually came later directly from the Middle East. California is the major producer of dates for the United States.

Roughly 4 million metric tons of dates are grown annually. Today, the Middle East is the largest producer and consumer of dates. The biggest producers of dates are Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.

Varieties of Dates

There are more than 600 varieties of dates worldwide. They are divided into three categories: soft, semi-soft, and dry. Soft dates are sweet and have lots of moisture and a soft skin and flesh. Semi-soft dates are sweeter, have less moisture, and are firmer. Dry dates are very sweet and have the least moisture and dry and hard flesh.

Popular varieties of dates include:

• Medjool: These are considered the “King of Dates” due to their large size, soft flesh, and extreme sweetness. These date palms were originally imported into the United States in 1920 when the trees in Morocco became diseased. The trees flourished in California and still grow there today in the Bard Valley region.
• Deglet Noor: These caramel-colored dates are a bit drier, firmer, and less sweet. They store well and are often used for cooking. They are the most common date available.
• Barhi: These dates are very round and have a dark amber color. They are soft and have a rich, caramel flavor. Dates are more dark amber in color. Barhi dates need to be refrigerated immediately after harvesting to keep them from spoiling.
• Halawy: These dates were imported into the United States from Iraq and are also known as “Golden Princess” dates. These dates are long, amber, and very chewy with a sweet, caramel flavor.
• Khadrawi: These date were also imported from Iraq. They are amber to reddish in color and have a soft, pudding-like flesh. They tend to ripen earlier than other varieties of dates.
• Thoory: These dates are also known as “Bread Dates.” They are the driest variety of dates and are best for cereals and trail mixes.

Date Palm Trees

The date palm tree (Phoenix (for the Phoenicians whose deep purple dye was the same color as dates) Dactylifera(the Greek word for finger)) is considered the “Tree of Life” to the Middle Eastern people and is a holy symbol to the Muslim people. Palm trees are also mentioned throughout the Bible and Palm fronds from the tree are also a symbol of Palm Sunday when Jesus entered Jerusalem. The tree has many uses besides its dates. The wood is used for fuel and to build shelters. The fronds are woven into mats used to make floors and ceilings and for carrying utensils. Palm trees are frequently used as ornamental plants throughout the southwest of the United States.

Palm trees have skinny, long trunks with many huge leaves, called fronds, on top of the tree. Mature trees reach up to a hundred feet tall. The palms are dioecious, meaning male and female parts of the flower grow on separate trees up by the fronds. The pollen from the male flower needs to be mixed with the female flower for proper pollination. After pollination hundreds of dates develop in large clusters high in the trees.

Date palms grow best in regions with high temperatures, low humidity, and lots of water. This makes them somewhat expensive to grow commercially because they require extensive irrigation. Date palms are commercially grown in orchards called “oases.” Growers generally keep a 30 female to 1 male ratio for the best date production. Flower buds form in the spring and open for a short time in the early summer. During this time the female flowers are hand-pollinated with the pollen from the male flowers, a process called “Hababauk.”

Dates develop over four phases before they are ripe, which takes about 200 days. The phases are:

1. “Chimri” (“Kimri“): This is the first 17 weeks after pollination. The dates are green, hard, bitter, and are mostly moisture.
2. “Khalal“: The next 6 weeks. Here the dates grow until they reach their full size. The dates are still hard but become sweeter and change color to yellow, orange, or red. Some dates may be harvested at this phase
3. “Rutab“: The next 4 weeks. The dates turn a light brown color and slowly become soft and sweet. Most soft and semi-soft dates are harvested during this phase.
4. “Tamar“: The last 2 weeks before final harvesting. The dates darken in color and become softer and sweeter. Dry varieties of dates are harvested now.

Health benefits of dates

• Wonderfully delicious, dates are one of the most popular fruits packed with an impressive list of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are required for normal growth, development and overall well-being.
• Fresh dates compose of soft, easily digestible flesh and simple sugars like fructose and dextrose. When eaten, they replenish energy and revitalize the body instantly. For these qualities, they are being used to break the fast during Ramadan month since ancient times.
• The fruit is rich in dietary fiber, which prevents LDL cholesterol absorption in the gut. Additionally, the fiber works as a bulk laxative. It, thus, helps to protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time and as well as binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon.
• They contain health benefiting flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants known as tannins. Tannins are known to possess anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hemorrhagic (prevent easy bleeding tendencies) properties.
• They are moderate sources of vitamin-A (contains 149 IU per 100 g), which is known to have antioxidant properties and essential for vision. Additionally, it is also required maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin A is known to help to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
• They compose antioxidant flavonoids such as  lutein, and zea-xanthin. These antioxidants found to have the ability to protect cells and other structures in the body from harmful effects of oxygen-free radicals. Thus, eating dates found to offer some protection from colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers.
• Zea-xanthin is an important dietary carotenoid that selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea, where it thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions. It thus offers protection against age-related macular degeneration, especially in elderly populations.
• Dates are an excellent source of iron, contains 0.90 mg/100 g of fruits (about 11% of RDI). Iron, being a component of hemoglobin inside the red blood cells, determines the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
• Further, they are very good in potassium. 100 g contains 696 mg or 16% of daily-recommended levels of this electrolyte. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that help controlling heart rate and blood pressure. They, thus, offers protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases.
• They are also rich in minerals like calcium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Calcium is an important mineral that is an essential constituent of bone and teeth, and required by the body for muscle contraction, blood clotting, and nerve impulse conduction. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required for the production of red blood cells. Magnesium is essential for bone growth.
• Further, the fruit has adequate levels of B-complex group of vitamins as well as vitamin K. It contains very good amounts of pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), niacin, pantothenic acid, and riboflavin. These vitamins are acting as cofactors help body metabolize carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Vitamin K is essential for many coagulant factors in the blood as well as in bone metabolism.

Brief about Brahi Dates at Fruit Link Company

Barhe or (Barhi) (from Arabic Barh, a hot wind) —more round variety of Date that are soft and creamy.  These sweet delicious Dates just melt in your mouth, light amber to dark brown when ripe; with thick flesh and rich flavor. It taste semi-sweet and are as crisp as apples.

Regarding to our Exporting of Barhi Dates by Fruit Link company we opened a lot of markets such as Bangladesh, India, United Kingdom, France, Malaysia and Indonesia , These countries have been tasted of the Egyptian Barhi Dates also our quality gained satisfaction ..

These Dates are very healthy and contains good amount of nutrition that can help us to stay fit. You can also make good recipe out of these Dates like Dates shake and many more. This year there is good production of Dates so there will be high demand during its season, the production is available now. So please do contact us during the season starting so that we can supply you the fresh and best quality of Barhi Dates by the most competitive prices.