Fiber can benefit your digestive health by preventing constipation. It promotes regular bowel movements by contributing to the formation of stool. In one study, 21 people who consumed 7 dates per day for 21 days experienced improvements in stool frequency and had a significant increase in bowel movements compared to when they did not eat dates.
Furthermore, the fiber in dates may be beneficial
for blood sugar control. Fiber slows digestion and may help prevent blood sugar
levels from spiking too high after eating. Laboratory studies have found dates
to be helpful for lowering inflammatory markers, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6),
in the brain. High levels of IL-6 are associated with a higher risk of
neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Eating these fruits throughout the last few weeks
of pregnancy may promote cervical dilation and lower the need for induced
labor. They may also be helpful for reducing labor time. In one study, 69 women
who consumed 6 dates per day for 4 weeks prior to their due date were 20% more
likely to go into labor naturally and were in labor for significantly less time
than those who did not eat them. Another study of 154 pregnant women found that
those who ate dates were much less likely to be induced compared to those who
did not.