Benefits of Dates and Honey When Fasting
There are always popular foodstuffs in the month of Ramadan, one of which is dates and honey. Many people eat dates directly or combine them with honey as a delicious takjil dish. That said, a mixture of both is efficacious for health.
What are the benefits of consuming dates and honey?
Date palms grow in tropical areas of the world. Its sweet taste and easy consumption make dates much sought after as a healthy snack during the fasting month.
Not a few people like to mix dates with a few drops of honey to get a more delicious taste.
Besides being delicious, both are good for body health. These are the benefits of consuming dates and honey.
1. Stabilize blood sugar levels
When fasting, you tend to consume a lot of sweetness that comes from food and drinks when eating sahur and breaking the fast.
If you are worried about spikes in blood sugar levels, consumption of dates and honey can be an option.
Although they contain high amounts of natural sugar, dates have a low glycemic index. So, you don’t have to worry about blood sugar rising after you eat it.
Likewise with honey. The distinctive sweet taste of honey can be an alternative to sugar. Eating too much sugar will contribute to excess calories.
Adding honey to food and drinks can provide good nutrition for the body.
Even so, people with diabetes need to consult with their doctor first to find out how much dates and honey can be consumed while fasting.
2. Meet nutritional needs
Dates contain various types of Vitamin B. Vitamin B3 or niacin in dates is useful in helping the digestive process.
Meanwhile, its vitamin B9 helps the formation of new blood cells.
Not only that, vitamin A and vitamin K in dates are also believed to maintain a healthy body while you are fasting.
The amount of minerals needed by the body is not as big as other nutrients. However, if not fulfilled properly, this will be harmful to health.
Dates contribute important minerals such as copper, manganese, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc.
All the nutrients from dates will be even more optimal if you accompany their consumption with a few drops of honey.
The reason is, honey contains many important antioxidants such as phenols, flavonoids, and organic acids.
The antioxidant content has been associated with a reduced risk of heart attack, stroke, some types of cancer, and is believed to improve eye health.
Although you are required to refrain from eating and drinking for approximately 13 hours during fasting, you can still meet your energy or calorie needs by eating honey and dates. Therefore, for optimal results for health, don’t forget to choose high-quality pure honey such as pure honey from Madurasa.