Black Date (Diospyros lotus) Has Many Benefits for Kidney Health and Anti-Aging, Five Tips to Tell Black Dates and Red Dates Apart
Many people in daily life enjoy eating dates. Large red dates are not only crisp and sweet but above all have the benefit of nourishing the blood, making them very popular among women. I wonder whether, besides enjoying red dates, you also like black dates. So what are the differences between black dates and red dates? What are their benefits and effects?
I. Introduction to Black Dates
Black date is also called bean persimmon, junqianzi, soft date, clove date, milk persimmon, wild persimmon, etc. It is a species under the genus Diospyros in the family Ebenaceae. Although it is also called a date, it is not the common date plant we usually see, but a plant of the genus Diospyros native to northeastern Asia, mainly distributed in the northern regions of our country. In fact, the black date is a “miniature persimmon”, and it also tastes very much like dried persimmon.
II. Differences Between Black Dates and Red Dates
Difference one: different family and genus
Black date is a plant of the family Ebenaceae and genus Diospyros, while red date is a plant of the family Rhamnaceae and genus Ziziphus, so these two are completely different plant varieties.
Difference two: color of the dried product
Black dates are black, while red dates are red.
Difference three: color of the fresh fruit
The fresh fruit of the black date is yellow, while the red date is also bright red.
Difference four: different scope of consumption
Black dates are suitable to eat when conditions such as indigestion, food stagnation, and constipation occur, while red dates are suitable for people who need to nourish blood or who have just recovered from a serious illness.
Difference five: different nutritional value
Black dates are rich in dietary fiber and pectin, which can help digestion and relieve constipation. Red dates are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B2, etc., and can nourish yin, support yang, and nourish blood.
Difference six: different benefits
The benefit of black dates is tonifying the kidney and nourishing the stomach, while the benefits of red dates are beautifying the skin, nourishing blood, and being used as medicine.
The above are the differences between black dates and red dates. However, black dates and red dates share one thing in common: there is no difference in how they are eaten. Both can be steeped in water, cooked in porridge, used in soups, soaked in liquor, and so on.
III. Benefits and Effects of Black Dates
1. Nutritional components of black dates
Every 100 grams of black dates contain 228 (kcal) of calories, 0.07 (mg) of thiamine, 42 (mg) of calcium, 3.7 (g) of protein, 0.09 (mg) of riboflavin, 46 (mg) of magnesium, 0.5 (g) of fat, 1.1 (mg) of niacin, 3.7 (mg) of iron, 52.2 (g) of carbohydrates, 6 (mg) of vitamin C, 0.37 (mg) of manganese, 9.2 (g) of dietary fiber, 1.24 (mg) of vitamin E, 1.71 (mg) of zinc, 0 (mcg) of vitamin A, 0 (mg) of cholesterol, 0.97 (mg) of copper, 1.8 (mcg) of carotene, 498 (mg) of potassium, 66 (mg) of phosphorus, 32.6 (mcg) of retinol equivalent, 1.2 (mg) of sodium, and 0.23 (mcg) of selenium.
2. Benefits and effects of black dates
Benefit one: tonifying the kidney and nourishing the stomach
Black dates are warm in nature and sweet in taste. Black foods generally contain rich trace elements and vitamins, and have the benefits of tonifying the liver and kidney and nourishing the stomach.
Benefit two: lowering cholesterol
Black dates contain relatively rich pectin, and pectin can effectively block the absorption of cholesterol, achieving a blood lipid-lowering effect. Cholesterol is one of the main components of blood lipids, so patients with high cholesterol may want to eat some black dates as a dietary supplement.
Benefit three: improving immunity
Black dates are rich in protein, vitamin C, pectin, and dietary fiber. Vitamin C combined with protein forms collagen, and regular consumption can effectively improve immunity.
Benefit four: preventing and treating osteoporosis
Every 100 g of black dates is rich in 42 mg of calcium and 3.7 mg of iron, and has a very ideal dietary therapeutic effect for middle-aged and elderly people, adolescents who are still growing and developing, and women.
Benefit five: preventing constipation
Black dates contain rich dietary fiber, and dietary fiber can promote the peristalsis of our stomach and intestines, thus playing a relatively good role in relieving constipation and moistening the intestines.
Benefit five: antioxidant capacity
The substances contained in black dates have a very strong antioxidant capacity after extraction, and can delay aging and prevent cancer.
IV. How Is It Best to Eat Black Dates?
Method one: eat them raw. Black dates can be eaten directly raw as a snack. After washing the black dates clean, they can be eaten directly as a snack, but do not eat them on an empty stomach.
Method two: use them in soup and stir-fried dishes. Stewing black dates together with nourishing ingredients such as silkie chicken and longan can also supplement a certain amount of nutrition, or they can be stir-fried directly in dishes.
Method three: soak them in liquor. Generally, yellow wine and black dates are used to soak liquor. After soaking for a period of time, the flavor of the liquor and the black dates merge with each other, so it tastes relatively mild when drunk. Black dates soaked in liquor are generally ready to drink after 10-20 days.
Method four: steep them in water. You can directly steep a few black dates in water to make tea, using the same method as making red date tea, paired with some other ingredients.
V. How Many Black Dates Is It Good to Eat a Day?
Eating too many black dates can cause bloating. Generally, eating about 10 is enough. People with indigestion should not eat too many. Usually, when eating them, it is best to eat small amounts several times rather than too much at once, which would instead affect digestion.
After the introduction in this article, I believe everyone has also understood the information about black dates. In the future, do not confuse red dates with black dates. If you want to tonify the kidney, eat black dates; if you want to nourish blood and beautify the skin, you can eat red dates. Choose according to your personal situation.