Long live dates - Reasons to sweeten with date puree

Bye-bye refined sugar,
hello date puree!

We're waging war on refined sugar, one bite at a time.

It’s a fact! At Madame Labriski, EVERYTHING is sweetened with date puree. Why? Because there’s just too much refined sugar everywhere and in everything. Is it really necessary? We need to stop and think about it…

My energizing world was created to meet my personal energy needs as an active woman and also because I was somewhat appalled at what was available on the market. Tada-ski! After months of research, I reached the conclusion that sweetening with date puree was a tasty solution. A hippie food fad? Not at all. Just delicious, simple as that.

Why did I choose dates?
Because they are a dried fruit (yes, they are indeed fruit!) that contains natural sugar, and also because they are neutral tasting so you won’t actually be able to taste them. Dates are high in fibre and can therefore keep us going for long periods of time. It’s almost magical how good they are!

We need to stop cooking in the same way as people did in the 50s, with loads of butter, margarine, sugar and brown sugar. Sweetening with date puree is a means of decreasing the empty calories while taking pleasure in what we eat.

How could anyone resist?

Sweetening with date puree is a winning solution for reducing the intake of added sugars in our diet. What a coincidence! That was the starting point for Madame Labriski‘s quest to change our eating habits. Ta-dahski! Here are 5 good reasons to sweeten with date puree.

1) They are rich in energy

During the drying process, the water content of dates drops from 70-80% to 10-20%. This has the effect of concentrating the fruit’s natural sugars and increasing its carbohydrate content. A serving of 10 regular dates or 3 Medjool dates (approx. 70 g in both cases) contains about 55 g of carbohydrates. They are therefore a perfect snack during prolonged sports activities because they can quickly provide the body with a source of energy and help us keep on going.

2) They are a high source of dietary fibre

Dietary fibre is essential in maintaining a healthy digestive system because it increases the satiating effects of the food we consume. Moreover, the presence of fibre in the food we eat helps regulate blood sugar levels. It is much better to choose sweet foods that contain fibre than concentrated sources of sugar which don’t contain any dietary fibre whatsoever, such as table sugar, honey and maple syrup. Yes, you read it right!

3) They are high in magnesium

A simple 70 g serving of dates meets around 15% of our daily requirement for magnesium. Magnesium is essential to our health, particularly for the role it plays in regulating muscular contractions, bone mineralization and the energy metabolism of nutrients. Magnesium also plays a part in helping to control blood pressure and in the functioning of the immune system.

4) They are rich in antioxidants

Antioxidants play an important role in helping the body fight against the production of free radicals, molecules which, among other things, can cause damage to cells. In order to maintain a balance, our body naturally produces a certain number of antioxidants, but eating antioxidant-rich food helps strengthen these defences.

5) They are sweet and will easily satisfy a little craving for sugar or dessert

Because it doesn’t contain salt or any added fat and is a source of natural sugar and dietary fibre, date puree is a great alternative when you need to satisfy your sweet tooth. This is also the reason behind the creation of flavoured date purees (vanilla, caramel and chocolate) with no added sugar, so you indulge in even more pure bliss. It’s a delicious option, and so much better than candy!