Super-Food Dates Potently Boost the Immune System

Want to boost your immune system with one simple snack?

If you’re looking for a healthy snack to fend off colds this winter, the common date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) may be it. A hot water extract of dates was found in this study to potently boost the cellular-mediated immunity of mice, significantly increasing the spleen levels of CD4+, CD49+ and CD11b+ cells. Extracts of prunes and figs also boosted their immunity, but dates were the clear winner. (Note also that CD4+ cells are involved in fighting cancer as they infiltrate solid tumours.)

The researchers noted that the date’s polyphenols, caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid all contributed to the increase in immunity. Dates are the single most concentrated source of polyphenols of any known fruit: 100 grams of dried dates delivers over 2100 mg polyphenols, more than double any other dried fruit (prunes are next at 1012 mg / 100 grams. But get dates fresh if you can: 100 grams of fresh dates deliver an amazing 12,730 mg of polyphenols – 10 times more than most other fruits, and 4 times more than the number two fruit which is fresh figs (2800 mg polyphenols / 100 grams). As for immune-boosting chlorogenic acid, other good sources include coffee, peaches and nectarines.

According to NauralSociety.com dates have some amazing health benefits:

1. Promoting Digestive Health, Relieving Constipation – Fiber is essential for promoting colon health and making for regular bowel movements. The insoluble and soluble fiber found in dates help to clean out the gastrointestinal system, allowing the colon to work at greater levels of efficiency. Some other benefits relating to fiber and colon health are reduced risks of colitis, colon cancer, and hemorrhoids. (Dates could even be coupled with other home remedies for hemorrhoids.)

2. Boosting Heart Health – In addition to promoting colon health, fiber is also known to boost heart health.

3. Anti-Inflammatory – Dates are rich in magnesium – a mineral known for its anti-inflammatory benefits. One study found that “inflammatory indicators in the body such as CRP (C-reactive protein), TNF (tumor necrosis factor alpha), and IL6 (interleukin 6) were all reduced when magnesium intake was increased.” Further, inflammation in the arterial walls was also reduced with magnesium intake. Based on magnesium’s anti-inflammatory properties and the findings of this study, magnesium can effectively reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and other inflammation-related health ailments.

4. Reduced Blood Pressure – Magnesium has been shown to help lower blood pressure – and again, dates are full of the mineral. Additionally, potassium is another mineral in dates that has several functions within the body, aiding with the proper workings of the heart and helping to reduce blood pressure.

5. Reduced Stroke Risk – After evaluating 7 studies published over a 14 year time period, researchers found stroke risk was reduced by 9% for every every 100 milligrams of magnesium a person consumes per day. The research can be found in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

6. A Healthy Pregnancy and Delivery – Further adding to the health benefits of dates, one study performed by researchers at the University of Science and Technology set out to discover how the date fruit impacted labor parameters and delivery outcomes. After studying 69 women for a year and 1 month, the researchers found that “the consumption of date fruit in the last 4 weeks before labour significantly reduced the need for induction and augmentation of labour, and produced a more favourable, but non-significant, delivery outcome. The results warrant a randomised controlled trial.”

7. Boosting Brain Health – Some studies, such as one found in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that sufficient vitamin B6 levels are associated with improved brain performance and better test scores.

Study Source

Post source: The Eden Prescription