Tips for keeping dates

The nutritional value of dates

Dates are rich in calcium, vitamin B6, sodium, iron, potassium and protein. Dates are a nutritious food that quickly eliminates hunger and despite its sweetness, if its consumption is controlled, it does not cause weight gain. Most types of dates do not contain sodium, cholesterol or fat, and for this reason, their consumption does not cause many complications. Each 10 dates has about 234 calories.

Tips to buy dates

If you intend to buy fresh or dried dates, pay attention to the following points: Choose a date that has a thin skin. Smell the date so that it does not smell bad and sour. One of the signs that dates are old is their sugar. Buy a date that does not have sugar grains on its surface or in its juice. If you are new in this field, do not go for open dates because it is not known under what conditions these dates were grown and transported. When buying packed dates, pay attention that the dates are not pressed and not stuck together. Please note that there are no objects such as plants or small garbage inside the package. Each type of date has its own color, so know the type of date and know what color each date should be. To determine the freshness of a date, you should not pay attention to whether it is wrinkled or not, because some types of dates naturally have wrinkles on the surface of their skin.

Many of us keep dates outside the refrigerator after buying them, but this reduces the shelf life of dates. A good storage can preserve the moisture, taste and flavor of dates.

Keep the dates in the fridge:

Keep fresh dates in the refrigerator, as moist dates can be a breeding ground for microscopic organisms. Putting dates in the refrigerator preserves the taste of dates and prevents them from spoiling and turning sour. Fresh dates can be stored in the refrigerator for up to eight months if properly packed, and dried dates can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one year. Be careful not to put dates in front of fragrant food like cilantro, because dates start to smell very quickly.

Keep dates inside the freezer:

The best place to store dates for a long time is your freezer. Place the dates in a ziplock plastic bag and squeeze out the excess air. The presence of air in the bag can speed up the spoilage time of food. Leave a space of one centimeter for the dates so that if the dates freeze, they will not tear the storage bag by increasing their volume. Write the date on the dates so that too many dates are not left in the plastic bag. Store dates in the lowest part of the freezer, so that its storage time increases and it spoils later. In this way, when the power is cut off, the frozen items that are in the farthest part of the freezer will thaw later and remain healthy. You can store dates in the freezer for up to 3 years with a good packaging. When you take the dates out of the freezer, if you encounter an unpleasant taste or smell, do not use them at all.

Dry dates tips

Dried dates can be stored in room air. You can store dry and semi-dry dates at room temperature. In response to the question of some of you Namanak users, in this regard, we must say that it is better to put the dates in a container with a closed lid, and it is better if this container is made of glass. Store dates away from insects, in a cupboard or in a fruit container. Do not put the dates under direct sunlight and near the gas stove. Keep dates in a dry and cool place because heat causes them to spoil. Dates cannot be used for more than one month if stored in the home cabinet, so try to consume dates at the right time.

The best time to use dates

The best time to consume dates is about a week because its true aroma and flavor is preserved and you can enjoy it to the fullest. Of course, as we said at the beginning of this section of Namnak, dates can be stored outside the refrigerator for up to one month, in the refrigerator for up to one year, and in the freezer for more than one year, but the best time to consume it is one week.

Important tips on keeping dates

As long as it is stored, its flavor will decrease. Long-term storage of dates causes juices to accumulate at the end of the desired container and the shape of the date becomes ugly. After storing the date, the moisture on it dries after a while, and this moisture drying causes spots on the skin of the date, which is called crystallization of date sugar (nectar). This is completely natural and you can melt these sugar crystals by giving it a little heat. The sign of the expiration date of the dates is that it emits a strong smell and the date has no flavor. If the date is dry, it will take a better shape by pouring a little warm water or even fruit juice.