How to store dates at home: basic rules, benefits of the product

The date is a fruit that, due to its properties, has been recognized for more than one century as one of the most useful. It can not only improve the health of the body, but also satisfy hunger in it, so this product is often eaten in dried form during a diet. As a rule, this is done in the morning to supply the body with the necessary energy, and also because dates are very high in calories. In many Muslim countries, this fruit is considered sacred, for this reason it is found in every home. We can say for sure that not only the Muslim housewife, but also any other one, thought about how to store dates at home. Do they require special conditions or not?

Date palms - bread of the desert

In past centuries, these trees were called that way. And not by chance. Due to their calorie content, dates could even be eaten a handful, washed down with water, and the person would become full. Those who are capable stay in the desert for several days when food supplies run out or spoil.

Dried fruits require certain storage conditions. They can be kept in the freezer for 5 years.

Fresh dates will last 2-3 months in the refrigerator at a temperature of 0 degrees. It is advisable to place them on the shelf above the freezer.

Dried fruits will be stored for 1 year

Dried

Dried and dried palm fruits, as well as in compressed form, require certain storage conditions.

Dried dates should be stored in a closed container (container, jar) at low temperatures. At the same time, they should be ventilated periodically. But you can’t leave it open for a long time: the fruits quickly absorb all the odors of the environment.

Such dried fruits will remain suitable for consumption for up to 12 months. And before storing dried dates, you should not wash them. It is better to do this immediately before using them.

When frozen, the shelf life of dried fruits increases significantly. Without loss of taste and structure, they will last for about 4 - 5 years. To avoid chapping of dried fruits and to prevent them from absorbing foreign aromas, a plastic container with a lid or parchment paper will help.

Repeated freezing is contraindicated for this product, so it should be distributed portionwise, in quantities sufficient for use at one time. And defrosting should be gradual, on the refrigerator shelf.

Storing dried dates may well occur under natural conditions. Due to the large amount of sugar, the process of decomposition of the fruit does not begin at temperatures below +20°C and humidity not higher than 70%. It is also important that dried fruits are kept in a glass container, in a place protected from bright light, where it is coolest. There they will remain usable for up to 1 month.

You cannot store dates in plastic bags. There they will not be able to “breathe.” Therefore, if dried fruits were sold packaged in this way, it is better to immediately move them to another container. Paper bags, food containers, ceramic or glass containers are suitable for this.

How to store fresh dates

Fresh dates are sold in cardboard boxes. And if you have them in such a container, store them in the refrigerator. If the container is different, put all the dates in paper bags.

During storage, fruits are not washed. And be sure to wash them before use. Because they are processed by unscrupulous manufacturers with various chemicals. But you don’t know where they were delivered from.

Never eat fruits with a white coating and an unpleasant odor. Throw it away and forget it.

Dates: benefits and harms

Perhaps the most valuable and useful quality of dates is the presence of a large amount of dietary fiber, which is so necessary for the normal functioning of the digestive tract. One glass of chopped fruits provides half of the body's daily requirement for fiber. To regulate the functioning of the digestive system and get rid of constipation, it is recommended to soak 4-5 fruits in cold water in the evening, and eat them in the morning on an empty stomach. Fiber also lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

In 2005, the American College of Nutrition published in its journal the results of a study of certain fruits, including dates. It turns out that dates surpassed all dried fruits studied in terms of the content of phenolic antioxidants and polyphenols. This means that they provide powerful antioxidant protection, preventing heart disease and cancer - this is a clear benefit of dates.

A glass of crushed dates contains about 10% of the daily requirement of iron in an easily digestible form, so they are recommended for anemia. The presence in this product, in addition to iron, also contains potassium, sodium, magnesium - alkaline minerals, which ensures a normal acid-base balance, and, therefore, an optimal supply of oxygen to cells.

This means that dates are shown when:

• hypertension,
• for the prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system,
• diseases of the hematopoietic organs,
• kidney

The sulfur contained in dates is an essential mineral for us. Sulfur is involved in the metabolic process and is a constituent element of amino acids, enzymes, and hormones, such as insulin. It is part of the cells of nervous, bone, and cartilage tissue, improves the condition of the skin, hair, nails, and influences a number of other processes.

Tryptophan is involved in the synthesis of melanin (called the sleep hormone) and serotonin (the joy hormone). Therefore, by constantly consuming dates, you can establish a restful, full-fledged sleep and stabilize your mental state.

Selenium strengthens the immune system, including antitumor immunity.

Vitamin A and its precursor beta carotene improve vision, particularly night vision. So, by eating even 1 fruit a day, you can gradually achieve a noticeable positive effect and benefit the body.

Fluoride helps strengthen tooth enamel and therefore prevents tooth decay.

Not long ago, oxytocin was discovered in dates, a hormone secreted by the hypothalamus and which has a stimulating effect on the reproductive system of both men and women, on their behavioral reactions, and increases libido.

The benefits of dates for pregnant women should be mentioned separately.

After all, it is very important for pregnant women to receive sufficient amounts of vitamins and all nutrients for the normal development of the fetus. Proper, nutritious and varied nutrition for the expectant mother is the key to the health of her baby.

Dates are a storehouse of nutrients! Regular (but not excessive!) consumption of them

• will help regulate the functioning of the digestive system, thanks to fiber;
• protects against anemia due to its iron content;
• will improve the production and quality of mother's milk, thanks to the rich content of microelements;

In addition, if the expectant mother replaces sweets, cakes and baked goods with dates, she will not only protect herself from excess weight, but will also benefit for herself and her child.

Oxytocin causes contraction of the uterine muscles and improves labor. Therefore, to make the birth process less protracted and painful, women are advised to eat 3-5 dates a day during the prenatal period. They are also recommended during lactation.

And finally, dates will help a young mother quickly regain strength and get in good shape during the postpartum period.

Yes, dates are an extremely healthy product! However, we cannot fail to mention the restrictions for some categories of consumers.

People suffering from diabetes should avoid dates, as they quickly increase blood sugar levels and can thereby harm the body.

It is not recommended for overweight or obese people to abuse dates, since dates are a high-calorie product with a high glycemic index.

Those whose teeth are damaged by caries and who suffer from increased caries should also limit themselves in consuming all kinds of sweets, including dates, as well as any other dried fruits.

Despite the usefulness and popularity of date fruits, their consumption can bring not only benefits to the body, but also harm.

Particular attention should be paid to the choice of exotic dried fruits. In order to preserve their presentation, manufacturers often treat dates with sulfur dioxide.

When this substance enters the body, it negatively affects the digestive system and can cause peptic ulcers.

If dates have a glossy shine, they have been treated with chemicals

To avoid harm to dates, pay attention to the contraindications of the product before consumption.

It is not recommended to introduce dates into your diet if you are diagnosed with:

• Diabetes
• Liver diseases
• Stomach ulcer, colitis, gastritis
• Pancreatic dysfunction
• Obesity
• Fructose intolerance

Dentists warn about the negative impact of these fruits on tooth enamel. Since they contain a lot of natural acids, their effect on the membrane of the teeth leads to its destruction and the occurrence of caries. To reduce the harm of dates, it is recommended to rinse your mouth with water after eating.

For those who want to lose weight, you shouldn’t go heavy on dates. Remember: just 100 g of fruits (which is 3-5 pieces) contain almost 300 kcal. By overusing dates, you can significantly increase excess weight.

Benefit

No matter how useful a product is, there are always cases when its use may not provide the promised benefits. Or even cause harm. In the case of dates, consumption should be limited when:

• obesity. The high calorie content of the product is mentioned above. It is best for overweight people to eat dates only as part of a special diet.
• serious tooth damage. If dates strengthen and heal healthy teeth, then they destroy sick teeth, aggravating caries and leading to pulpitis.
• peptic ulcer disease. Dates are a protein food. Therefore, they should not be consumed by those who have problems with the stomach and liver. And if there are technological violations when drying dates, exacerbations of peptic ulcer disease cannot be avoided.
• increased sensitivity of the gastrointestinal tract. A high fructose content can cause abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and gas formation.

You can find many opinions on the Internet. Some argue that dates are a forbidden fruit for diabetics. The reason is the high glucose content. It is no coincidence that date palm fruits top the glycemic index table. Few products can increase blood sugar levels so dramatically. For diabetics, the date is a forbidden fruit.

Other sources say that natural fructose and glucose make dates an analogue of honey, which does not pose a very big threat.

From a scientific point of view, here you need to rely on the glycemic index. But here, too, not everything is clear. Research conducted at the University of Sydney in Australia recorded this indicator for dates at a level of 103 on the glycemic scale (glucose has 100). It is still indicated this way in many tables. But subsequent GI measurements showed about 40-50, depending on the variety, which is much safer for diabetes.

Read more: Spirulina top composition instructions for use reviews and prices

A more modern indicator is the glycemic load. It is considered more useful than an index because it takes into account more factors. According to him, dates have an indicator of 14-22, depending on the variety. Bananas, for example, are assigned a 16. Both of these products are average. Therefore, we can equate the harm of eating dates to eating the same amount of bananas.

In any case, you should be careful and it is better not to overuse these fruits. As an exception, use them as natural sweeteners instead of fructose.

Scientists have proven that dates are beneficial for women during pregnancy. Date fruits contain potassium, folic acid, iron and help the expectant mother cope with anemia and strengthen the heart. Due to the oxytocin present in the fruits, eating dates promotes the normal course of the birth process and minimizes blood loss.

Dates contain oxytocin, a hormone that stimulates labor.

The beneficial properties of dates are manifested in their beneficial effect on the developing fetus during pregnancy. Eating a sweet treat helps the expectant mother not only strengthen the strength of her body, but also contribute to the formation of the skeletal system in the child.

During lactation, it is also useful for a woman to eat dates - introducing them into the diet contributes to the high-quality production of breast milk. However, before using for the first time, you should weigh the likely benefits and harms of dates.

If there are no contraindications, a woman can treat herself to this delicacy by eating several pieces a day. The beneficial effect on the nervous system of the fetus will help a woman cope with postpartum depression, overcome stress and enrich the body with energy.

Recommendations

Of the pests for dried fruit supplies, the food moth is the most dangerous. If you find a butterfly or larvae, take immediate action. This insect eats not only dried fruits, but also nuts, cereals, flour and sugar.

Pest control begins with folk remedies that not only destroy moths, but prevent their reappearance.

To begin with, infected dried fruits are carefully inspected. If the damage is severe, the supplies will have to be thrown away. If not, then the fruits are sorted, removing damaged specimens, and the remaining dates are heated in the oven at a temperature of 60-70°C for two hours.

Then the fruits are removed from the oven, cooled and transferred to clean glass containers with a hermetically sealed lid or ironed canvas bags. The cabinet where the contaminated food was kept is washed with a weak solution of vinegar.

Prevention

Once you get rid of moths, make sure that they no longer appear in your kitchen. For this:

• constantly maintain cleanliness - this will prevent the appearance of not only moths, but also other insects;
• store food in containers with tight-fitting lids;
• cover hoods and vents with mosquito nets, then insects will not be able to penetrate into yours from neighboring apartments;
• Having purchased a new batch of dried fruits, inspect and sort it out before storing it.

Which dates are considered fresh?

It is almost impossible to choose fresh dates in our latitudes, but there are exceptions. Let's talk about them further.

These are the fruits:

1. Which are ripe.
2. They're completely dry.
3. They were collected by hand.
4. Brought to us for sale.

But we usually receive fruits that have been artificially dried. Special ovens are used for this. This speeds up the process of obtaining ready-made dates. And they are sold by grocery stores and supermarkets

If processed incorrectly, dates have a non-marketable appearance and will not be stored for a long time.

What happens to cereal over time

Regardless of the variety, rice contains starch. During long-term storage, grains become saturated with moisture, which leads to spoilage of the product. A high moisture content creates favorable conditions for the formation of mold fungi, after which it is strictly prohibited to eat such a product even after heat treatment.

How to determine if rice is edible

When buying cereal in a store, choose a product in transparent packaging - this way you can visually assess the quality and appearance of the grain, and the presence of foreign impurities. Preferably, premium rice from domestic suppliers or a foreign product from trusted and well-known manufacturers.

Before using rice grains for cooking, pay attention to the appearance and smell. A good quality product has no foreign odor, the grains are intact, without black inclusions and foreign impurities, insects

A musty smell, the presence of a large number of yellow grains in the cereal, and the formation of lumps indicate that the rice is of poor quality and expired, so it should not be eaten.

There are other ways to determine the quality of rice grains at home:

1. Pour 1 tbsp into a container with cold water. l. dry rice, mix. The grains should settle to the bottom. If they surface, this indicates that the rice contains substances harmful to the human body; it is better to discard it.
2. If you set fire to plastic rice, it will immediately catch fire and smell like burnt plastic. Real high-quality cereal is difficult to ignite.
3. Grind a few grains of rice in a mortar: white powder is a sign of high quality, yellow powder indicates fake rice from China.
4. If you place an airtight container with cereal in a warm place, after a few days mold should appear in the rice. If this does not happen, you have a low-quality product.

Is it possible to use expired food?

According to established sanitary and epidemiological requirements, it is not recommended to consume expired products, including rice. However, as practice shows, it is permissible to consume cereals after the regulated shelf life if the grains have retained their proper appearance and do not have any foreign odor, mold, or insects. But you can use such rice if the expiration date has recently expired. When several years have passed from the final date of consumption, cereals should not be consumed.

How to choose dates for storage

If you bought dark brown dates, then these are ripe fruits. Light with uneven color, immature. Naturally, you don't need to buy them.

You need to buy dates with pits. This is direct proof that they were not treated with chemicals. This means they are left with useful substances.

Dates should have a moderately soft, plump, matte texture. And fruits with a glossy shine indicate that the drying was mechanical or they were treated with fat.

Interesting information

With the spread of dates across countries, many legends about their healing properties appeared. For example, one of them says that a pregnant woman felt unbearable pain during childbirth, as the contractions were strong. She prayed to God for it to stop. As a response, a couple of date palm fruits fell on her. The girl ate them and felt relief.

By the way, this process has been scientifically proven. Special components in dates can influence the muscles of the uterus, relax them, which is why the woman does not feel pain as much.

How to distinguish low-quality dates

• Dates soaked in sugar syrup will do no harm or good. There are also such specimens on the shelves. They can be immediately recognized by their surface, which is white. candied appearance and sticky shape.
• If fruits were dried in high-temperature ovens, they will have an overly dark color, a fried taste, cracks, and peeling. They taste sticky, and when you chew them, they stick to your teeth.
• If the fruits are not completely dried or they are old, they will have a wrinkled appearance and a fermented smell.

Selection of quality dates

If you care about your health or are looking for an alternative to unhealthy sweets, take a closer look at dates.

Sun-dried and dried dried fruits are rich in magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, as well as essential amino acids. At the same time, dates have a pleasant sweet taste - they can easily replace chocolate and candies.

When buying dates, you can easily conclude by their appearance whether it is a quality product or not. Note:

• on the appearance of dates - their surface is usually always matte;
• on the color of the fruit - they should be dark, not light;
• on the skin of dried fruits - choose Dates without cracks or dents;
• for the general condition of the fruit - buy only dry products;
• for sugariness - dates should not stick together into one lump;
• smell, if you don’t like it, discard dried fruits.

Where to store dates at home?

Be careful when choosing dates, as low-quality products can subsequently cause stomach problems.

Where can I buy

There are not many places that actually sell quality dates.

• Islamic halal shops. Muslims are distinguished by their scrupulous attitude to the quality of not only dates, but all products. They always check every product. A Muslim seller in such stores will never sell you a bad product.
• Eco stores. Here you can buy only biologically pure, natural products.
• Wholesale street markets. A lot of dried fruits are sold here. But you definitely need to understand them. Because there are careless sellers.

But as far as shops and supermarkets are concerned, there are simply no soft, fresh, tasty dates there.

Shelf life

On sale you can find these fruits of different types and shelf life: Type Fresh Pressed Sun-dried or dried dates Fruits of an almost black hue - sharqa and small yellowish Ar-rusana, bought individually or by weight, are stored subject to the rules for up to 60 days Fruits processed with special substances during pasteurization, packaged in vacuum bags, are stored for up to 24 months. These are dried date fruits that can be stored for 12 months in the refrigerator and six months on a shelf in a cool room

The best varieties of dates for storage

Rich taste and sweet qualities directly depend on the variety. The coolest varieties are Caspian or Caspirian. These are Iranian fruits with soft, juicy pulp. Here the bones separate well. They are packaged in beautiful cardboard boxes. You can prepare delicious desserts from the fruits in the form of smoothies, fruit pastes, and natural sweets. Dates with milk are considered the most delicious dessert.

How to properly and for how long to store rice at home

After opening the original packaging, the cereal for further storage must be poured into a dry, sealed container made of glass, plastic or ceramic with a tight-fitting lid.

Moisture should not be allowed to penetrate inside, since high humidity shortens the shelf life of rice and creates favorable conditions for the growth and reproduction of pests and the formation of mold.

The optimal storage temperature for rice is 5-15°C, humidity level is no more than 65-70%

It is important to avoid direct exposure to sunlight

Where and how to store dry rice

It is not recommended to store rice in original packaging, especially after opening. For long-term storage of cereals, use glass, ceramic or plastic containers with an airtight lid. Alternatively, grains are stored in textile bags, but they are significantly inferior to airtight containers.

The jar of cereal should be in a dark, dry and cool place. A pantry or kitchen cabinet is ideal. Sudden changes in storage conditions adversely affect the taste and beneficial qualities of the product. It is advisable to place rice cereals next to other cereals and avoid proximity to spices and products with a pronounced odor.

Experienced housewives say that it is ideal to use a refrigerator to store dry rice cereal at home:

• at low temperatures the likelihood of insect pests is reduced;
• shelf life increases by several months;
• If there are insects in the cereal, they will simply freeze and will not be able to reproduce further.

Dried rice can be stored in the freezer for 6 to 8 months. The cereal is pre-packaged in plastic bags or plastic containers with a lid or stored in the original packaging.

Remembering how to handle dates

So, let's summarize everything that has been said.

• Dry fruits like: glass jars, tight lids, dark, cool places and temperatures of 0 degrees.
• Fresh fruits need paper bags and 0 degrees to preserve them.
• Dates do not respond well to open air and sun. They begin to disappear.
• If you decide to freeze fruits, you will be doing a good deed for them. In this form, the fruit will last for about 5 years.
• We decided to store it, then there is no need to wash the fruits.
• Do not mix them with other dry fruits.
• Correctly selected dates can be stored much longer.

Read: How to choose and store nuts and How to store dried fruits

Rule #1. Temperature

Raisins, dates and dried apricots should be stored at home at a temperature not exceeding 15 °C and at a humidity not exceeding 70%. Periodic temperature rises up to 20 °C are allowed. Dried fruits do not like moisture and heat, so they should be kept in a dry and fairly cool room. The best place to store fruits and berries is in a pantry or attic. Only under such conditions will dried products retain all their beneficial properties for a long time.

If you decide to leave supplies of fruits and berries in the kitchen, hide them away in the closet. Make sure that there are no household appliances that emit heat (refrigerator or microwave) near dried foods. You should not store dates and raisins near the kettle and stove. Vapors from cooking food can penetrate containers with dried fruits and cause them to spoil prematurely. Use the farthest corners of the kitchen unit to store supplies.

Freezing

When purchasing a large quantity of dried date fruits for future use, you can freeze them. For this:

• Place dried fruits in portions into bags.
• Place on the freezer shelf.
• Can be stored for several years.
• Defrost gradually before eating, first moving it to the refrigerator shelf, then until completely thawed, to the kitchen counter.

Tip: Dates of any kind should be washed before eating. If the dates look glossy, it means they have been treated with a pest repellent compound. This product is not just washed, but thoroughly rinsed with hot water. Anything that smells dubious or covered with plaque is strictly forbidden to eat.

Canning

There are additional storage rules using canning.

Date paste

The Arabic way of storing dates is to make a paste. The cooking algorithm is as follows:

• Pour water over the fruits to lightly cover the pulp.
• Place the stove on low heat.
• After all the water has evaporated and the dates have boiled, rub the resulting pulp through a sieve until smooth.
• Transfer the paste to a storage container.
• You can store it for a long time, but it is eaten very quickly.

Pickled fruits

Pickled dates can be stored for up to one and a half years. They can be prepared like this:

• Prepare the raw materials by washing and removing the pit.
• Place in marinating containers, layer with table salt.
• Boil the marinade (black pepper + cloves with cinnamon (to taste) + vinegar (wine, fruit, etc.).
• Pour the marinade into the container with the raw materials and seal.
• Once cooled, store on the refrigerator shelf.

The sweet way

A large harvest of dates can be preserved by making jam. The seeds are removed from the fruits, and they themselves are cut into pieces and immersed in previously prepared syrup (3 glasses of water: 400 g of granulated sugar). You will have to cook for about forty minutes. The jam should be rolled up and stored for up to three years in a cool pantry.

By understanding how to properly store dates and using recommendations on tactics, you can not only significantly improve your health, but also provide the body with the necessary beneficial elements and vitamins.

Room content

In a room atmosphere, dates on your kitchen cabinet shelves will be good for several weeks. We must beware of the appearance of insect pests that are greedy for this sweetness.

If you want to store dates at home without the help of a refrigerator on a kitchen shelf, you should pay attention to the compressed version of the product. Such dates are treated with special materials during pasteurization that protect them from spoilage. It is important that they do not dry out. To do this, they are placed in paper bags and placed in a dark place. When purchasing pressed dates, the manufacturer indicates the expiration date on the packaging. Typically, such a product is stored for a long time, but it is still recommended to use it within a year.

Dried or cured product

The easiest way to store dried fruits without loss of usefulness. To do this, you can dry fresh dates using any convenient option:

• Naturally for 14 days. The dates are laid out in one layer on a flat surface (can be lined with plain paper without printing) in the sun where there is good ventilation. During drying, it is necessary to turn the raw materials over from time to time to ensure uniform drying or withering.
• Using an oven. Baking paper is placed on baking sheets, and the product for drying is placed on top in one layer. The oven door is left open or secured in such a way that a large gap is formed for the exit of moist hot air. The raw materials must be turned over every half hour. The entire procedure will take half a day at a temperature of about 120°C.
• Electric dryer - according to the instructions for this gadget.

The dried ones are placed in canvas, paper bags or glass containers, in which it is convenient to store without losing their usefulness.

Unlike fresh ones, dried fruits are divided into 3 categories according to the degree of drying:

• Jerky is the juiciest of foods preserved by removing liquid. They are shiny, sticky to the touch and smooth in appearance.
• Dried - due to stronger moisture removal, they wrinkle and are more transparent than dried ones.
• Canned in sugar syrup - not the healthiest, very moist and sticky. They are more difficult to store, they quickly become moldy.