Choose dates that are shiny, uniformly colored and not broken. Harvest by hand because the best fruit is ripened on the tree.
Store dates at room temperature in an airtight container for several months or refrigerate for up to a year.
Dates are fat free, saturated fat free, cholesterol free, sodium free, and a good source of fiber (1/4 cup provides 12% of the daily value for fiber). Dates also provide 8% of your daily potassium recommendation and 6% of your daily manganese recommendation in a ¼ cup.
