Date Syrup, The Natural Sweetener Of Choice

Amber Dias digs into why date syrup is overtaking honey as the natural sweetener of choice.

- Amber Dias

Dark, gooey, sticky and sensationally sweet, date syrup is winning taste buds across the globe and could possibly be the solution to satisfying your sweet tooth without going overboard on the calories. Date syrup is one of the oldest sweeteners available today. Ancient manuscripts from Mesopotamia mention it as the primary sweetener of that time. Still favoured in the Middle East and growing in popularity the world over, date syrup contains 33% less sugar than processed table sugar and is a naturally sweet, vegan alternative to honey.

BOILED DOWN

Date syrup is unique to other sweeteners in the process through which it is derived and the final product is dark nectar with a rich, smooth and complex flavour.

According to celebrity nutritionist Kashish Alimchandani, date syrup contains 64 calories per tablespoon. She avers, “Date syrup is considered a super food, thanks to its increasing popularity. It’s a great way to reduce your consumption of refined sugar without compromising on flavour. However, it comes in two variants, the commercially produced type which is made by extracting the thick, sticky juice from cooked dates, a process through which some of the minerals and vitamins are lost, plus it reduces the fiber content. And homemade raw date syrup which is made by mixing puréed (preferably Medjool dates) with water, which allows it to retain the fiber, minerals and vitamins of whole dates. The bottom line is that the store bought date syrup is high in calories and low in healthy nutrients, compared to the homemade type.”

A HEALTHY CHOICE

Kashish points out that date syrup is extremely utile and when consumed in moderation, contributes to our overall wellbeing. Some of the benefits include: