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Date Palm

Reviewed on 6/11/2021
Other Name(s):

Dade, Date, Datte, Datte Comestible, Dattel, Datter, Dattero, Dattier, Datil, Edible Date, Kharjura, Palmera Datilera, Palmier Dattier, Palmier-Dattier, Phoenix dactylifera, Tamera.

Overview

Date palm is a plant. Juice from the dates, the plant's fruit, is sun-dried to a “honey” and taken by mouth as medicine.

People use this date palm juice for coughs and breathing problems.

How does it work?

There isn't enough information to know how date palm might work.

QUESTION

Next to red peppers, you can get the most vitamin C from ________________. See Answer

Uses & Effectiveness

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

  • Wrinkled skin. Early research suggests that applying a cream containing 5% date palm seed extract around the eyes for 5 weeks reduces the depth and improves the appearance of wrinkles.
  • Coughs.
  • Breathing problems.
  • Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of date palm for these uses.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).

Side Effects

Dates are LIKELY SAFE for most people when taken in food amounts. But there isn't enough information to know if the larger amounts that are used as medicine are safe or what the possible side effects might be.

SLIDESHOW

Vitamin D Deficiency: How Much Vitamin D Is Enough? See Slideshow

Special Precautions & Warnings

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Dates are safe in the amounts commonly found in food, but there's not enough information to know if dates are safe in the larger amounts that are used as medicine. Play it safe and stick to food amounts if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Dosing

The appropriate dose of date palm depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for date palm. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.

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References

Adams, C. D., Timms, F. J., and Hanlon, M. Phoenix date palm injuries: a review of injuries from the Phoenix date palm treated at the Starship Children's Hospital. Aust.N.Z.J.Surg. 2000;70(5):355-357. View abstract.

Agrawal, R. L., Agrawal, J. M., Bhasin, S., and Nagar, C. K. Intraocular foreign body (date palm leaf). Indian J.Ophthalmol. 1980;28(3):151-154. View abstract.

Al Farsi, M., Alasalvar, C., Morris, A., Baron, M., and Shahidi, F. Compositional and sensory characteristics of three native sun-dried date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) varieties grown in Oman. J Agric Food Chem 9-21-2005;53(19):7586-7591. View abstract.

Al Shahib, W. and Marshall, R. J. The fruit of the date palm: its possible use as the best food for the future? Int.J.Food Sci.Nutr. 2003;54(4):247-259. View abstract.

Almehdi, A. M., Maraqa, M., and Abdulkhalik, S. Aerobiological studies and low allerginicity of date-palm pollen in the UAE. Int J Environ.Health Res 2005;15(3):217-224. View abstract.

Bauza, E., Dal Farra, C., Berghi, A., Oberto, G., Peyronel, D., and Domloge, N. Date palm kernel extract exhibits antiaging properties and significantly reduces skin wrinkles. Int.J.Tissue React. 2002;24(4):131-136. View abstract.

Bener, A., Safa, W., Abdulhalik, S., and Lestringant, G. G. An analysis of skin prick test reactions in asthmatics in a hot climate and desert environment. Allerg.Immunol.(Paris) 2002;34(8):281-286. View abstract.

Blanco, C., Carrillo, T., Quiralte, J., Pascual, C., Martin, Esteban M., and Castillo, R. Occupational rhinoconjunctivitis and bronchial asthma due to Phoenix canariensis pollen allergy. Allergy 1995;50(3):277-280. View abstract.

Copley, M. S., Rose, P. J., Clapham, A., Edwards, D. N., Horton, M. C., and Evershed, R. P. Detection of palm fruit lipids in archaeological pottery from Qasr Ibrim, Egyptian Nubia. Proc Biol Sci 3-22-2001;268(1467):593-597. View abstract.

Cracchiolo, A., III and Goldberg, L. Local and systemic reactions to puncture injuries by the sea urchin spine and the date palm thorn. Arthritis Rheum. 1977;20(6):1206-1212. View abstract.

Culikova, V. Assortment of the plants in the Medieval diet in Czech countries (based on archaeobotanical finds). Acta Univ Carol.Med (Praha) 2000;41(1-4):105-118. View abstract.

Hughes, S. F., Maffulli, N., and Fixsen, J. A. Thorn-induced granuloma of the medial cuneiform. J Foot Surg 1992;31(3):247-249. View abstract.

Kwaasi, A. A., Harfi, H. A., Parhar, R. S., Al Sedairy, S. T., Collison, K. S., Panzani, R. C., and Al Mohanna, F. A. Allergy to date fruits: characterization of antigens and allergens of fruits of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.). Allergy 1999;54(12):1270-1277. View abstract.

Kwaasi, A. A., Harfi, H. A., Parhar, R. S., Saleh, S., Collison, K. S., Panzani, R. C., Al Sedairy, S. T., and Al Mohanna, F. A. Cross-reactivities between date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) polypeptides and foods implicated in the oral allergy syndrome. Allergy 2002;57(6):508-518. View abstract.

Luby, S. P., Rahman, M., Hossain, M. J., Blum, L. S., Husain, M. M., Gurley, E., Khan, R., Ahmed, B. N., Rahman, S., Nahar, N., Kenah, E., Comer, J. A., and Ksiazek, T. G. Foodborne transmission of Nipah virus, Bangladesh. Emerg.Infect.Dis 2006;12(12):1888-1894. View abstract.

Moore, J. E., Xu, J., Millar, B. C., and Elshibly, S. Edible dates (Phoenix dactylifera), a potential source of Cladosporium cladosporioides and Sporobolomyces roseus: implications for public health. Mycopathologia 2002;154(1):25-28. View abstract.

Nyska, M., Sperber, A. D., Howard, C. B., Nyska, A., and Dekel, S. Ankle extensor tendon synovitis due to a date palm thorn. Foot Ankle 1989;10(3):180-183. View abstract.

Sankaran-Kutty, M., Das, P. K., and Kannan, Kutty M. Synovial biopsy. A comparative study from Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. Int Orthop. 1998;22(3):189-192. View abstract.

Taskiran, E. and Toros, T. Chronic synovitis caused by a date palm thorn: An unusual clinical picture. Arthroscopy 2002;18(2):E7. View abstract.