How to store dates at home

Dates are the fruit of the date palm. This sweet delicacy from the East is not only tasty, but also very healthy, which has gained popularity in different parts of the country. Therefore, date palms now grow not only in tropical forests, but almost all over the world.

There are several types of dates - they all vary in color and size. The most popular are dark red fruits with an oblong shape. These are the ones we see on store shelves in dried form.

Benefits of dates

Dates will bring a lot of benefits if you include them in your diet. And this is despite the large amount of sugars in their composition - an impressive part of them are carbohydrates. Therefore, the calorie content of the fruit is high - 277 kcal per 100 g, and when dried it increases slightly, like all dried fruits.

Nevertheless, nutritionists recommend them for consumption. The first reason is the same calorie content - you won’t be able to eat a lot of dates, the feeling of fullness comes very quickly. It’s not for nothing that they were called “bread of the desert” a long time ago. The second reason is the presence of nutrients, fiber, antioxidants. They contain calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and magnesium that are beneficial to the body. In addition to all of the above, they contain vitamins B (and in such quantities that 100 g covers 12% of the daily requirement), A and K.

Let's take a closer look at the beneficial properties:

Improved digestion.
Few people know, but studies have even been conducted to confirm the benefits of dates for the digestive system. A group of people consumed them for one month and all experienced improved peristalsis. Their digestion was normalized in comparison with the data that was obtained at the beginning of the research. By improving digestion, namely by slowing it down, fiber allows you to normalize blood sugar levels - spikes are minimized due to the fact that dates have a low glycemic index.
Reducing the risk of cancer.
Unlike other dried fruits, dates have much more antioxidants. Of particular importance are carotenoids, flavonoids and phenolic acid. They protect the body's cells from free radicals, which can cause various diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Improved brain function.
Again, the main role is played by “date” antioxidants, which protect the brain from inflammation. They can help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, improve memory and enhance concentration.
Reducing the risk of vision impairment.
Deterioration of vision is often associated with a deficiency of vitamin A. Dates are rich in vitamin A and carotenoids, which prevent eye diseases and help maintain visual acuity.
Preventing heart disease.
Potassium helps lower blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke and other heart diseases. Dates can boast a large amount of this element in their composition. They are also rich in various phytochemicals that also protect a person from heart disease.
Help with anemia.
Dates are a good source of iron, so they can help reduce symptoms of anemia, characterized by chronic fatigue and dizziness. Dates will also be useful for expectant mothers, since during pregnancy they are very susceptible to the appearance of this disease.

How to choose dates

The main condition for long-term storage is the correct choice of dates. Ideal fruits should be ripe and properly dried. Unfortunately, you cannot always rely on the integrity of the manufacturer, so below is a list of what you should pay attention to when purchasing such fruit:

The color should be uniform, red or dark brown, without spots. If the date shimmers in all shades of brown, it means that the fruit was harvested ahead of schedule.
A ripe fresh date should not have cracks or damage on the surface, the consistency should be elastic, without dents.
The matte surface indicates that the date has not been processed in any way. Some manufacturers (or sellers) treat the product with vegetable fat or syrup, believing that the additional shine will lure the buyer.
A sticky surface also indicates additional surface treatment. Or this may be the reason that the date began to become sugary, which means it lay on the shelf for a long time.
All dates, no matter what they are - fresh, dried, pressed, must have an elastic consistency. If there are hard or too soft fruits on the counter, there has been a violation of the drying technology or the process of rotting has begun.
You should not take pitted dates. The more physical changes a product undergoes, including pit removal, the shorter its shelf life.
Dates have the right smell - tart, sweet, without notes of fermentation or rot.
A cracked surface may indicate irregularities in the drying and drying processes. Failure to follow production processes affects both shelf life and taste.

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How to store fresh dates

Fresh dates can be stored for a long time if you follow some rules:

Cold storage.
An elementary rule that everyone knows about. Like all fruits, dates need a cool place to prevent early onset of the rotting stage. The best place in the refrigerator for storage is the shelf under the freezer, where it is coldest and the temperature will not rise above 2°C.
Selecting suitable containers.
It is best to choose a container made of plastic or wood or a glass jar. You should not give preference to a plastic or cellophane bag - fruits spoil faster in them due to the lack of air. A paper bag can also be a suitable container. It is breathable and will not allow the contents to “suffocate”.
Wash only before use.
If you wash dates before storing, the oily layer that could preserve the freshness of the fruit will be washed off. You should wash them immediately before using them and preferably only the amount that you plan to eat.

By observing these simple conditions, you can keep dates fresh for up to 2 months. But if an unpleasant smell appears, then it is better not to risk it and throw away the fruits.

Recipes

There are many effective recipes based on maclura, each of which has certain characteristics.

Alcohol tincture

Fruit tinctures that combine high performance and ease of use are very popular. You can buy the tincture ready-made or make it yourself. To receive the remedy, it is recommended to do the following:

Wash the fruits under running water. Then it is recommended to cut them into cubes or chop them using a medium grater.
Take a medium-sized container and fill it halfway with chopped fruits.
Add the same volume of ethyl alcohol to the container.
Cover the container with a lid.
Place the dishes in a cool and dark place for 2-6 months.

The prepared tincture should be used for rubbing. It is actively used for arthritis, radiculitis, and rheumatism. For internal use, it is worth following a certain scheme.

It is recommended to follow the following rules:

Start the course of therapy with 2 drops. They should be used 3 times a day.
You should not take the composition in its pure form. Even a few drops need to be mixed with the same volume of water.
After starting to use the substance, you should monitor your condition. In the absence of side effects, every 2 days the amount of tincture is increased by 2 drops. The maximum volume is 30 drops.
After this, you need to reduce the volume of the substance by 2 drops at intervals of 2 days and return to the original dosage.
Then they take a break for 1 week and repeat the course of therapy again.

Fat-alcohol mixture

Alcohol has a disinfectant effect, but can cause skin burns. Therefore, for compresses and rubbing it is worth using a more delicate composition. To do this, it is recommended to mix olive oil with the tincture in equal parts and lightly beat so that the substance does not separate. Instead of olive oil, you can use corn or sunflower oil.

It is worth considering that the oil-alcohol composition has too liquid a consistency. A thicker mixture is made with the addition of pork fat. It is well absorbed into the skin. To prepare the healing composition, internal pork fat should be cut into small cubes and heated in 2-3 steps in a steam bath.

It is important that the composition melts, but does not boil. The lard must be drained, cooled to room temperature and mixed in equal proportions with maclura tincture

The resulting composition must be beaten.

Ointment

This composition has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. To prepare it, it is recommended to perform the following steps:

Melt fresh lard and place in sterile glass jars. It is important that the thickness of this layer is 1 centimeter. Place the same layer of chopped Adam's apple on top. Pour a centimeter layer of melted lard and lay out the maclure again. In this way, it is recommended to fill the entire jar step by step. Cover the container with a lid and place in the oven at the minimum temperature. It is recommended to ensure that the lard does not boil, but is maintained in a liquid state. The container with the substance should remain in the oven for a day

Then it is recommended to carefully strain the composition and pour it into a clean container. Store the ointment in the freezer.

When preparing oil, it is worth adding other ingredients to it that improve its properties. Chamomile extract, palm oil, glycerin are suitable for this. Eucalyptus oil or alanine are also used. The composition can be used for sinusitis, gout, osteochondrosis. Indications also include inflammatory damage to the lymph nodes, radiculitis, eczema, and dermatological pathologies. The ointment is applied 2 times a day. The course of therapy lasts 1 month, then it is worth interrupting for the same period.

Compresses

To make a compress, just soak gauze in the tincture, squeeze lightly and apply to the affected joint. Then you should wrap it in a scarf and hold it for 30 minutes.

Trituration

This procedure is performed for arthritis. To do this, the tincture is actively rubbed into the joint, after which a warming bandage is applied.

How to store dried or dried dates

Dried and dried dates last for a very long time. This is due to the fact that during the drying process, moisture evaporates from the fruit, which for the most part makes the environment favorable for the development of putrefactive bacteria. Despite this, it is worth improving storage conditions for better product preservation:

Store in a closed container.
Closed packaging will save dates from contact with insects, which are the main carriers of bacteria and microbes.
Do not wash.
Dates do not need to be washed unless you plan to eat them that same day. The natural protective layer of the fruit will extend its shelf life. We should also not forget about the manufacturer’s unique assistance - some of them treat fruits with special solutions before selling them, which slow down the spoilage process.
Do not store in the refrigerator.
Dried and dried foods do not require cold storage conditions. It is better to keep them in a dry, dark place that protects them from sunlight and heat. The optimal temperature for them is no higher than 20°C. And high humidity, which is very often observed in refrigerators due to frequent temperature changes (constantly opening/closing door), can reduce shelf life.
Store separately from other products.
Any product likes its own conditions, so it is better to prepare your own container or jar for each.

Under the right conditions, dried and sun-dried dates can be stored for up to 1 year.

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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.

How to dry dates at home

At home, dates can be dried in two ways: in the oven or in a dark place (for example, on the kitchen table). Everything is much simpler if you have an electric dryer, but not everyone can boast of having one at home.

When dried in a dark place, the dates become soft. A denser structure can be obtained by drying them under the sun. This drying method, as you can understand, is not the fastest. But the long process time is not the worst disadvantage. Various insects, and through them bacteria, can encroach on the open fruits of the date palm. Therefore, air-dried dates must be washed well before use and not stored for a long time.

You can get dried fruits much faster in the oven. They are dried at a temperature of about 70°C (this way you don’t have to worry about bacteria - they die at this temperature). Over the course of one day, at short intervals, it is necessary to alternate turning the oven on/off. A properly dried product can last a long time on the shelf.

Pest infestation

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.

Following these recommendations will allow you to keep your supply of healthy dates intact.

How to extend the shelf life of dates

The answer to this question is very simple - freeze them. This storage method will preserve dates for a long time - up to 5 years. The only condition: do not freeze and defrost them several times. It is better to immediately distribute the dates into bags in equal portions.

Another way to extend the shelf life is to process the dates into another product. For example, in date paste, which can be spread on bread in the morning. You will get a hearty, tasty and healthy breakfast. It's rare that these three conditions come together.

So, for the paste you will need:

dates – 400 g;
drinking water – 200 ml.

Preparation:

Before preparing the paste, rinse the dates thoroughly under hot water (you can treat them with baking soda) and remove the seeds.
Boil dates in water until softened over low heat. The consistency of the paste can be adjusted by adding/reducing water.
At the end of cooking, distribute the finished paste into jars that are tightly screwed and leave to cool at room temperature. These twists can be stored for a whole season, just like homemade jam.

There are ways to prepare healthy pasta without cooking - dates are simply ground in a blender with various additives. But the finished product prepared in this way can be stored for a maximum of 14 days.

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What can you do if the fruits start to spoil?

If apricots stored for storage show the first signs of spoilage, you should immediately sort through the entire crop. Under no circumstances should fruits with defects be stored together with good ones.

Spoiled fruits can be frozen or processed into delicious treats:

jam;
jam;
paste.

If the housewife has absolutely no time for preparations, then you can choose an original recipe from the “Five Minute” series. Overripe apricots are even better for jam. The basic rule of preparation is that the amount of sugar by weight is exactly the same as the amount of fruit. The sorted and washed fruits are covered with the required amount of granulated sugar and left for several hours to release the juice. After this, put it on the stove, bring to a boil and leave for 5 minutes. The resulting mass is cooled and the procedure is repeated, and then sent to jars and preserved.