Dates

Dates are small, sweet fruits that grow on date palm trees. They look like oblong brown nuggets. Dates are very chewy and taste a lot like caramel or honey. They have a long seed in the middle that you do not eat.

Date Palm Trees

Date palms are tall trees that can grow over 70 feet high. They have been grown in the Middle East and North Africa for over 6,000 years. These trees love hot weather and lots of sunshine. They can grow even in the desert where few other plants can live. A single tree can give more than 100 pounds of dates each year.

Eating Dates

Dates are a favorite snack in many parts of the world. People often eat them plain or stuffed with nuts or cheese. Dates are also used to sweeten smoothies, cakes, and energy bars. Because they are so sugary, dates give you quick energy. They also have lots of fiber, potassium, and other good nutrients.

Fun Facts

• There are over 600 kinds of dates around the world.
• Medjool dates are sometimes called 'the king of dates' because they are so big and sweet.
• A date palm can live and produce fruit for more than 100 years.

Did You Know?

Scientists once grew a date palm from a 2,000-year-old seed they found in an ancient archaeological dig in Israel.