Raisins & Dates

Raisins and dates are two of the oldest dried fruits that have been consumed and enjoyed since ancient times.  They are still valuable and convenient additions to modern diets.

Raisins

Raisins are dried grapes and have been popular wherever grapes are grow from ancient times.  The Romans for instance even used them in barter and as currency, and used them as prizes in competition. Raisins are always good as a snack food and also fit well into granolas, salads and various baked dishes.  They add a wonderful sweetness to all sorts of dishes such as poultry stuffing. Grapes have high boron content with helps with bone health, and help protect against macular degeneration.  They also have a high antioxidant content. Usually the only danger with raisins is whether they might contain trace elements of insecticides or other chemicals that they have been exposed to in modern farming. Try to use reliable sources for this dried fruit.

Dates

The date palm is believed to have originated in the Persian Gulf, and the fruit has been consumed since prehistoric times.  They are now raised in many parts of the world, but the Middle East is where most dates grow.  Iraq remains the world leader in date production. Dry or soft dates are eaten right off the tree.  Often they are pitted and stuffed with fillings such as walnut, almonds, marzipan etc. They of course are a part of endless recipes, and are often ground and dehydrated and ground up used sometimes as animal feed.  They are very nutritious and keep people alive who have little else as well as  This is definitely a fruit that has been and continues to be a gift to the human race.