A Bowl of Antioxidants & Health

One of the most important decisions one can make every day is what is consumed. Experts tell us that what we eat is equally important as what we don't eat. Fresh, whole foods, minimally processed- particularly dark colored vegetables and fruits are excellent. Processed, prepared foods laden with too much salt and sugars are bad. Everyone knows that, right? If I had one piece of advice to give, it would be to avoid things ready-to-eat in a package, and look for fresh foods. I've been trying to consume more berries. Deep, dark colors like blueberries, blackberries and strawberries are packed with antioxidants whose health benefits are numerous and well documented.

I am also a fan of dates. Living in Palm Springs, we grow all sorts of dates right here in the Coachella Valley, so its easy and inexpensive to buy dates. Dates are pretty good for you too. They are rich in potassium, calcium, sulfur, iron, phosphorus, copper, manganese and natural oils. Just one a day helps add to a balanced diet. Interestingly, dates are known to help with intestinal disorders, weight gain, heart problems, diarrhea, and relieve constipation too. Dates are not like prunes. I dislike prunes, but love dates. You can cook and bake with them, or eat them raw. I like to slice up dates and saute them with things like chicken or pork. I like them up for salads too. Lots of ways to enjoy dates and get the health benefits along the way.

So the next time you are thinking about what to snack on, go for a bowl of fresh mixed berries, and throw in some dates too. If you want to buy some dates grown here in the Palm Springs area, there is a local date farm called Shields  You can order dates online from their website. You can even follow them on Twitter @ShieldsDateGrdn (As always this is not a paid post, just me offering information).

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