Health Benefits of Dates Seed

Health Benefits of Dates – Promoting Heart, Brain, and Digestive Health

by Mike Barrett
Posted on March 5, 2013

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A product of the date palm and cultivated since approximately 6000 B.C, the date fruit is one of the sweetest fruits around and also happens to come in many different varieties. Although dates can be eaten fresh, the fruit is very often dried, resembling raisins or plums. But whether fresh or dry, the health benefits of dates are still just as plentiful.

Nutritional Content of Dates

If you’re looking for fiber, potassium, or copper, look no further than dates. While dates are rich in many vital nutrients and therefore offer many health benefits, the fruit is so small that you’ll need to consume a larger quantity to intake the necessary amount.

The following nutritional data outlines some of the key nutrients found in dates, and is based on a 100g serving of the fruit.

• Fiber – 6.7 grams. 27% RDA.

• Potassium – 696 milligrams. 20% RDA.

• Copper – 0.4 milligrams. 18% RDA.

• Manganese – 0.3 milligrams. 15% RDA.

• Magnesium – 54 milligrams. 14% RDA.

• Vitamin B6 – 0.2 milligrams. 12% RDA.

Note: Dates are high in sugar content – coming in at a whopping 66.5 grams per 100 gram serving of the fruit. It is recommended to lessen sugar consumption as much as possible, even when the sugar is being consumed from fruit.

Check out the USDA Nutrient Database for a full nutritional profile of dates.

The Known Health Benefits of Dates – What the Date Fruit Has to Offer

Dates aren’t exactly a nutritional powerhouse when compared to some other foods like kiwi or sesame seeds, but the fruit does still offer numerous health benefits along with great taste. Here are some health benefits of dates.

• 1. Promoting Digestive Health, Relieving Constipation – Fiber is essential for promoting colon health and making for regular bowel movements. The insoluble and soluble fiber found in dates help to clean out the gastrointestinal system, allowing the colon to work at greater levels of efficiency. Some other benefits relating to fiber and colon health are reduced risks of colitis, colon cancer, and hemorrhoids. (Dates could even be coupled with other home remedies for hemorrhoids.)

• 2. Boosting Heart Health – In addition to promoting colon health, fiber is also known to boost heart health.

• 3. Anti-Inflammatory – Dates are rich in magnesium – a mineral known for its anti-inflammatory benefits. One study found that “inflammatory indicators in the body such as CRP (C-reactive protein), TNF (tumor necrosis factor alpha), and IL6 (interleukin 6) were all reduced when magnesium intake was increased.” Further, inflammation in the arterial walls was also reduced with magnesium intake. Based on magnesium’s anti-inflammatory properties and the findings of this study, magnesium can effectively reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and other inflammation-related health ailments.

• 4. Reduced Blood Pressure – Magnesium has been shown to help lower blood pressure – and again, dates are full of the mineral. Additionally, potassium is another mineral in dates that has several functions within the body, aiding with the proper workings of the heart and helping to reduce blood pressure.

• 5. Reduced Stroke Risk – After evaluating 7 studies published over a 14 year time period, researchers found stroke risk was reduced by 9% for every every 100 milligrams of magnesium a person consumes per day. The research can be found in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

• 6. A Healthy Pregnancy and Delivery – Further adding to the health benefits of dates, one study performed by researchers at the University of Science and Technology set out to discover how the date fruit impacted labor parameters and delivery outcomes. After studying 69 women for a year and 1 month, the researchers found that “the consumption of date fruit in the last 4 weeks before labour significantly reduced the need for induction and augmentation of labour, and produced a more favourable, but non-significant, delivery outcome. The results warrant a randomised controlled trial.”

• 7. Boosting Brain Health – Some studies, such as one found in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that sufficient vitamin B6 levels are associated with improved brain performance and better test scores.

A Summary of Dates Health Benefits: Dates are Great for:

• Weight loss
• Relieving constipation, supporting regular bowel movements
• Promoting heart health, reducing heart disease risk
• Diarrhea
• Iron-deficiency anemia
• Reducing blood pressure
• Impotence
• Promoting respiratory and digestive health
• Pregnancy deliveries
• Hemorrhoid prevention
• Chronic conditions such as arthritis
• Reducing colitis risk
• Preventing colon cancer

Remember to share all of the health benefits of dates with your friends and family!

Additional Sources:

Why You Should Know your Genotype Before Considering Getting Married

Why You Should Know your Genotype Before Considering Getting Married

A lot of Medical doctors and marriage counselors advise that couples who are about to get married should go for specific medical tests before tying the knot.
While this is very important, many couples don't heed this advice for fear of probably incompatible results, especially as regards their haemoglobin genotype, emerging to become a reason for not getting married after such a long and deep emotional investment into each other (it can be very heart-breaking and some people might go into depression that would require psychiatric care if they're compelled to cut off the relationship and marriage after such a long time of planning about their future together).

Instead of waiting till you meet that special half with whom you will spend your lifetime before realizing the importance of such specific medical tests, why not go for these medical tests now that you're probably single or have not met that special someone yet?

Whether you're a man or woman, you should undergo a haemoglobin genotype test now before you meet your lifetime partner when it might either be too late or the outcome of your incompatibility could drive you into a mental breakdown.

The Importance of knowing your Haemoglobin genotype

There are several disease variants of the haemoglobin gene, but the commonest ones are haemoglobin S and C. The normal haemoglobin gene present in adult humans is A which exist as AA.

However, some people have the A and S pairing as AS; some have the S and another S pairing as SS which is known as sickle cell disease; and a few people have S and C pairing to form SC which is also as bad as SS.

If your haemoglobin genotype test comes out as AS, SS or SC, it means you can give birth to a child with SS if you marry someone who is AS or SS. For instance, if a man with AS marries a woman with AS, one in every 4 children they have will be SS. But that's probability in theory. In reality that one child could be the first child; and that one child in every 4 children could manifest as 4 children in every 16 children, meaning the first 4 children can be SS and the couple has to give birth to more than 10 children to stand a chance of having a child who is either AA or AS!

Thats huge!!

Taking care of a child who is SS can be a nightmare especially for couples who don't have the financial capacity; and even for those with the financial resources, the child may still die from a crisis or complication that can occur when nobody expects it. Hence, knowing your haemoglobin genotype before entering a relationship that could lead to marriage will enable you talk about it with your partner, and if you're incompatible, the possibility of marriage can easily be ruled out at this early stage of the relationship, unlike when you're getting to know your haemoglobin genotype after proposal and the wedding is a few weeks away!

What's your genotype? Go find out today!

Culled from Nairaland.com

Why You Should Know your Genotype Before Considering Getting Married

Why You Should Know your Genotype Before Considering Getting Married

A lot of Medical doctors and marriage counselors advise that couples who are about to get married should go for specific medical tests before tying the knot.
While this is very important, many couples don't heed this advice for fear of probably incompatible results, especially as regards their haemoglobin genotype, emerging to become a reason for not getting married after such a long and deep emotional investment into each other (it can be very heart-breaking and some people might go into depression that would require psychiatric care if they're compelled to cut off the relationship and marriage after such a long time of planning about their future together).

Instead of waiting till you meet that special half with whom you will spend your lifetime before realizing the importance of such specific medical tests, why not go for these medical tests now that you're probably single or have not met that special someone yet?

Whether you're a man or woman, you should undergo a haemoglobin genotype test now before you meet your lifetime partner when it might either be too late or the outcome of your incompatibility could drive you into a mental breakdown.

The Importance of knowing your Haemoglobin genotype

There are several disease variants of the haemoglobin gene, but the commonest ones are haemoglobin S and C. The normal haemoglobin gene present in adult humans is A which exist as AA.

However, some people have the A and S pairing as AS; some have the S and another S pairing as SS which is known as sickle cell disease; and a few people have S and C pairing to form SC which is also as bad as SS.

If your haemoglobin genotype test comes out as AS, SS or SC, it means you can give birth to a child with SS if you marry someone who is AS or SS. For instance, if a man with AS marries a woman with AS, one in every 4 children they have will be SS. But that's probability in theory. In reality that one child could be the first child; and that one child in every 4 children could manifest as 4 children in every 16 children, meaning the first 4 children can be SS and the couple has to give birth to more than 10 children to stand a chance of having a child who is either AA or AS!

Thats huge!!

Taking care of a child who is SS can be a nightmare especially for couples who don't have the financial capacity; and even for those with the financial resources, the child may still die from a crisis or complication that can occur when nobody expects it. Hence, knowing your haemoglobin genotype before entering a relationship that could lead to marriage will enable you talk about it with your partner, and if you're incompatible, the possibility of marriage can easily be ruled out at this early stage of the relationship, unlike when you're getting to know your haemoglobin genotype after proposal and the wedding is a few weeks away!

What's your genotype? Go find out today!

Culled from Nairaland.com

How To Register A Business In Nigeria

How To Register A Business In Nigeria

There are thousands of Businesses being set up every day in Nigeria by individuals, companies and associations. Setting up a business is the first step towards being an entrepreneur and owning a highly successful venture. Setting up a business requires that you follow these steps.

What type of Business

Deciding what type of business you wish to go into is the first tough decision you have to make. A lot of people often find it difficult to settle into a particular type of business as they often find themselves clogged by multiple ideas. If you however, wish to start a business then it is important that you quickly decide on the type of business you want to do. It is also important to decide early as several businesses operate under a legal and regulatory frameworks that may require further stringent rules before registering.

Do you need partners or wish to start solo?

The next decision you should be making is whether you want to fly solo with your business or if you need a partner. Whilst most entrepreneurs do not require any partners or shareholders to start their businesses, there are some businesses that may require unique expertise that you may not have. Even if you decide to start solo nothing stops you from adding new partners or shareholders in future.

What is the legal form of the business?

A business can take so many legal forms. It can either be a sole proprietorship, a partnership or a limited liability company. It can also be a company Limited by Guarantee (NGO) or a non for profit business. Each form operates under a unique legal framework and tax jurisdictions. For example, if you want to start a business and do not want any shareholder or partner then a Sole Proprietorship may just be the right way to go. With a Sole Proprietorship you do not need a shareholder and your tax jurisdiction will be with the state government where you reside. Sole proprietorship also do not have the acronym “Ltd” after their business names.

How much capital do you have?

Starting a business also requires some form of capital. If your business is one that you want registered then you will have to set aside some cash for the incorporation of your company. Unofficial price for this can range between N40,000 to N100,000 depending on how you are getting it done. You can also register online from what we understand. Company Registration fees can be found here.

Do you have a business name?

The next thing on the plate will be a business name. A business name is important for any form of business that you want to venture into. For your business name to be registered it will have to be unique to you at least within the same industry. As such before you get a business name you will have to run a search in the website of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) or go through your lawyer. Once the name is approved you can pay to reserve it.

What is your registered address?

Part of the requirements to fill during your application to the CAC will be the registered address of the company. The registered address is the official address of your company and will also likely be the basis for deciding your place of residence by the tax authorities.

Get a lawyer & Register your company

With all of the above in place already, you can get ready to meet your lawyer. Hand the documents over the lawyer along with the fees. Your company should be registered within days if it is not for a company limited by guarantee.


Get a logo

Once your company in registered you should start thinking about branding and publicity. Get a catchy logo for your company and make sure it is in every material or thing that represents your business. With a good logo your brand can be immensely boosted.

Get a stamp and a seal

Every business MUST have a legal stamp and seal which is unique to it. Seals in particular will come in handy when the filling application forms or signing important contractual documents for your business

Get a letter head

A letter head is the official piece of paper used by the company to communicate official messages or information to third parties. Your letter head will include logo, company address and name as well as the board of directors.

Open a Bank account

Once your company is registered, you should take the incorporation documents to a commercial bank and have them open a corporate account for you. Corporate accounts can sometimes take time to be open, however banks are more efficient at opening one and should not take more than 48 hours.

Get a TIN Number

A TIN is a Tax Identity Number for individuals and corporate organisations. New businesses can easily obtain a Tin from the local branch of the tax office where the registered business is located. Without a TIN it can be difficult to get contracts or get deals from the private or public sector. It can also mean that the company is not tax compliance resulting in potential tax liabilities.

Get a website & social media account

Now that your business has been registered, the next thing to do is to have a website for it. Your website and social media handles help give your businesses the much needed visibility it requires to flourish. Your web accounts will also help you set up your official email and those of your staff.