Date Palm - History of dates

The Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera is a palm, extensively cultivated for its edible fruit. Due to its long history of cultivation for fruit, its exact native distribution is unknown, but the date palm probably originated somewhere in the desert oases of north Africa, and perhaps also southwest Asia. It is a medium-sized tree, 15-25 m tall, often clumped with several trunks from a single root system, but also often growing singly. The leaves are pinnate, up to 3 m long, with spines on the petiole and about 150 leaflets; the leafl ...

Including:

• Date Palm - History of dates
• Date Palm - Fruit
• Date Palm - Cultivars of dates
• Date Palm - Production
• Date Palm - Food uses of Dates
• Date Palm - Other uses of Date Palms
• Date Palm - Traditional Medicinal Uses
• Date Palm - Diseases

Read more here: » Date Palm: Encyclopedia - Date Palm

Dates have been a staple food of the Middle East for thousands of years. The date palm is believed to have originated around the Persian Gulf, and has been cultivated in ancient times from Mesopotamia to prehistoric Egypt, possibly as early as 6000 BC. There is archeological evidence of cultivation in eastern Arabia in 4,000 BC. In later times, Arabs spread dates around northern Africa and into Spain, and dates were introduced into California by the ...

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Date Palm, Date Palm - History of dates, Date Palm - Fruit, Date Palm - Cultivars of dates, Date Palm - Production, Date Palm - Food uses of Dates, Date Palm - Other uses of Date Palms, Date Palm - Traditional Medicinal Uses, Date Palm - Diseases

Read more here: » Date Palm: Encyclopedia II - Date Palm - History of dates

The fruit of the Date Palm is known as a date. They are oval-cylindrical, 3-7 cm long, and 2-3 cm diameter, and when unripe, range from bright red to bright yellow in colour, depending on variety. Dates contain a single seed about 2-2.5 cm long and 6-8 mm thick. Three main types of date exist; soft (Barhee, Halawy, Khadrawy, Medjool), semi-dry (Dayri, Deglet Noor, Zahidi), and dry (Thoory). The type of fruit depends on the glu ...

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Date Palm, Date Palm - History of dates, Date Palm - Fruit, Date Palm - Cultivars of dates, Date Palm - Production, Date Palm - Food uses of Dates, Date Palm - Other uses of Date Palms, Date Palm - Traditional Medicinal Uses, Date Palm - Diseases

Read more here: » Date Palm: Encyclopedia II - Date Palm - Fruit

Dates have a high tannin content and are used medicinally as a detersive and astringent in intestinal troubles. As an infusion, decoction, syrup or paste, is administered for sore throat, colds, bronchial catarrh, and taken to relieve fever and number of other complaints. One traditional belief is that it can counteract alcohol intoxication. The seed powder is also used in some traditional medicines. A gum that exudes from the wounded trunk is employed in India for treating diarrhea and genito-urinary ailments. The roots are used against toothache. The pollen yields an estrogenic principl ...

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Date Palm, Date Palm - History of dates, Date Palm - Fruit, Date Palm - Cultivars of dates, Date Palm - Production, Date Palm - Food uses of Dates, Date Palm - Other uses of Date Palms, Date Palm - Traditional Medicinal Uses, Date Palm - Diseases

Read more here: » Date Palm: Encyclopedia II - Date Palm - Traditional Medicinal Uses

Dry or soft dates are eaten out-of-hand, or may be seeded and stuffed with fillings such as almonds, candied orange and lemon peel, and marzipan. Dates can also be chopped and used in a range of sweet and savoury dishes: from tajines (tagines) in Morocco to puddings, bread, cakes and other dessert items. Dates are also processed into cubes, paste, spread, date syrup or "honey", powder (date sugar), vinegar or alcohol. Recent innovations include products such as sparkling date juice, used in some Islamic countries as a non-alcoholic version of champagne, for specia ...

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Date Palm, Date Palm - History of dates, Date Palm - Fruit, Date Palm - Cultivars of dates, Date Palm - Production, Date Palm - Food uses of Dates, Date Palm - Other uses of Date Palms, Date Palm - Traditional Medicinal Uses, Date Palm - Diseases

Read more here: » Date Palm: Encyclopedia II - Date Palm - Food uses of Dates

World production of dates was approximately 6.7 Mio tonnes in 2004 (FAO statistics [1]). The major producers are: Egypt: 1,100,000 t (16.2% of world production) Iran: 880,000 t (13.0%) Saudi Arabia: 830,000 t (12.3%) United Arab Emirates: 760,000 t (11.2%) Pakistan: 650,000 t (9.6%) Algeria: 450,000 t (6.6%) Sudan: 330,000 t Oman: 240,000 t Libya: 140,000 t Others: 1,140,000 t Iraq used to be a major producer of dates but in recent years production ...

See also:

Date Palm, Date Palm - History of dates, Date Palm - Fruit, Date Palm - Cultivars of dates, Date Palm - Production, Date Palm - Food uses of Dates, Date Palm - Other uses of Date Palms, Date Palm - Traditional Medicinal Uses, Date Palm - Diseases

Read more here: » Date Palm: Encyclopedia II - Date Palm - Production

Date seeds are soaked and ground up for animal feed. Their oil is suitable for use in soap and cosmetic products. They can also be processed chemically as a source of oxalic acid. The seeds are also burned to make charcoal for silversmiths, and can be strung in necklaces. Date Palm leaves are used for Palm Sunday in the Christian religion. In North Africa, they are commonly used for making huts. Mature leaves are also made into mats, screens, baskets and fans. Processed leaves can be used for insulating board. Dried leaf petioles are ...

See also:

Date Palm, Date Palm - History of dates, Date Palm - Fruit, Date Palm - Cultivars of dates, Date Palm - Production, Date Palm - Food uses of Dates, Date Palm - Other uses of Date Palms, Date Palm - Traditional Medicinal Uses, Date Palm - Diseases

Read more here: » Date Palm: Encyclopedia II - Date Palm - Other uses of Date Palms