Series: In the Garden/Fruits in Scripture~The Date

The date - the fruit itself - is mentioned approximately 50 times in Scripture, and is almost always associated with the tree that  bears it. Some believe that the honey mentioned when referring to Canaan as the land of milk and honey, is actually referring to to the sweetness of the dates, and not the product of honey bees. And, along with raisins and figs, dates were pressed into ‘cakes’ in ancient times, and were used as food on-the-go.

A cup of dates has 93 grams of sugar, which is 80%, yet are very healthy to eat, and can be eaten by diabetics without fear of raising their blood sugar. The remainder of their nutritional value is protein and fiber, plus several trace elements. In the Sahara, dates are ground and added to to the feed of camels, horses, and dogs. And, in a non-food use, a syrup is made from them to coat leather bags and water pipes to keep them from leaking!