Date Syrup 101: How to Make It, How to Use It, and Why It’s Good for You
Date Syrup is an excellent natural sweetener for coffee or tea, and a great healthy pancakes topping. Dates have a low glycemic index rating, so they won’t cause your blood sugar levels to spike. This means that, although very sweet, they’re safe for people with diabetes. They’re also a great source of dietary fiber. Oh, and let’s not forget the science-backed evidence of numerous benefits of eating dates while pregnant!
The following is a classic, simple vegan recipe for homemade syrup from sticky Medjool dates. Although there are more complicated recipes out there, this is a great one for beginners.
MJandHungryMan.com’s Recipe
This is very affordable and easy to make at home, so the ingredients below belong on any cheap vegan grocery list!
Ingredients
.3lb or 6 Medjool Dates (Pitted)
A half teaspoon of Cinnamon
1/2-1 cup Hot Water
Instructions
Put pitted dates in a medium-sized bowl and then pour the hot water over them. They should be completely submerged. After that, just leave them alone to soak for at least half an hour or until they are soft and gooey.
Once they are ready, remove each the date from the bowl. (You will be re-using the same water soon, so don’t dump it out.)
Begin blending the dates while at you slowly add the water from the bowl. Keep pouring in the water until you’re happy with the consistency of the syrup. (If you add more water, then it will be thinner.)
Once you’ve finished, store in a glass container. Refrigerate until use.
How to Use
This natural sugar alternative is perfect for a variety of healthy breakfast foods! Check out these top three vegetarian breakfast recipes:
This 3 Ingredient Strawberry Smoothie Recipe with Yogurt is great for adults. But it’s also one of the best clean eating recipes for kids around because it’s easily drinkable and easy to make ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. Below, you’ll find an easy recipe complete with nutrition facts and health benefits. I’ll also show you how versatile this recipe is; you can transform it into a veggie fruit smoothie or intentionally increase its protein content.