Dates (Khajoor) - Break Your Fast By Eating It!

With the onset of Ramadan season, one of the most common food products is the dates. Dried, deseeded, syrup, milkshakes, and sweets they are available in all forms all over the place. The vendors in and around the mosques stock them up in large amounts. While most of us enjoy them, not many know the actual reasons for their popularity. There is both a historical/religious as well as the scientific reason for their popularity.

1. In the Hadith literature, it has been mentioned that dates were one of Prophet’s favourite foods. Breaking the fast with dates is widely mentioned, and so continues to be one of the best ways even to date
2. There are references to Prophet stating that dates are the best way to break a fast, and when not available, water should be used, as they are both pure and curative
3. Eating 7 dates in the morning every day is believed to help get rid of body poison and envy
4. After a full day of fast, the body requires energy, and so dates are packed with sugars, which gives it the much-required boost. Other foods take time and may not help get rid of the fatigue from fasting so quickly
5. In addition, dates are also rich in various minerals and vitamins. Vitamin A, B6, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, and sodium are found in good quantities in dates. Given the full day fasting, these help in energizing the body.
6. Dates are easy on the fasting stomach, are easy to digest, and so do not take a toll on the stomach
7. Eating dates first also reduces the hunger pangs, and so excessive eating during ifthar can be controlled. This indirectly helps in weight control too.
8. Dates are rich in fibre, and so help in avoiding constipation, which is very likely otherwise
9. They are alkaline in nature, and so help in balancing out the acids in the stomach after a full day of fasting.

Go ahead and indulge in dates; they have multiple benefits and so very helpful during the month of Ramadan. Eat them in any form, and get the benefits.