Dried dates without pit

Dates are oblong fruits of a special type of palm tree - Date palm. They grow in countries with a dry hot climate, mainly in northern Africa, as well as in other regions with similar natural conditions. However, the largest producers and exporters of these dried fruits are Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and most countries in the Arab world.

The color of dates varies from yellow to bright red depending on the variety, and there are about 1,500 species in total. Dates are among those fruits that are much healthier when dried than when fresh. High-quality dates are dried naturally: immediately after harvesting, they are laid out on the ground under the scorching sun, sometimes they are even buried in hot sand, and then the stones are manually removed, washed and sorted. They are not treated with oils and syrups, so they are dull, slightly wrinkled and may taste dry. But in this form they can be stored for years. Dates are considered the sweetest fruits in the world: they contain about 50% sugar, and this is fructose, which is beneficial for the body. Dates are characterized by a very delicate texture and a rich honey-caramel taste, while the sweetness is moderate, not cloying. Dried dates are widely used as an independent dish, as part of muesli and energy bars, and also perfectly replace sweets, while having a low calorie content, which puts them on a par with the best varieties of honey.