Detailed Nutritional Information per Person for this Recipe
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
This date syrup, made from dates, water and lemon, is a natural sweetener. It is easy to prepare and has many uses.
Nutrient profile: Please note that this recipe serves more than 10 depending on how it is used. One tablespoon is about 16-18 grams, so the nutrient profile shown for 10 servings can be considered as 2 tablespoons.
Serving size: One ingredient for 10 servings yields approx. 375 ml of date syrup.
Green sweeteners are hard to find. Date sugar, which is simply dried and ground dates, can be used as a full-fledged caster sugar. Molasses is a good choice if you need a healthy liquid sweetener, but it has a very strong taste of its own (Dr. M. Greger)
Date: The date fruit with its honey-like sweet taste is actually a berry fruit. It is rich in vitamins A, C and B and the minerals potassium, calcium and magnesium. It also contains more fiber than conventional wholemeal bread. Dried dates keep well for up to a year. If stored for longer, they continue to dry out and eventually begin to crystallize, which increases their sweetness and gives them a crunchy, soft consistency.Compared to other types of dates, Medjool dates are characterized by their unique fruity taste and usually softer consistency.
Tips
Pureed whole lemons:Instead of cooking with lemon juice, use the full nutrient-rich variety of this fruit and simply puree it whole. If you only use the juice, all the fiber and the nutrients it contains are lost. Try the following trick to really save time: Peel and puree a very large lemon and freeze the puree in teaspoon-sized portions. A small silicone ice cube tray is perfect for this. Then, when you need it, all you have to do is remove a puree cube from the tray! (Dr. M. Greger)
Suitable glass: A preserving jar is ideal for filling and especially for reusing. Do not use bottles, as the date syrup quickly becomes viscous when stored in the fridge. With a wide glass, however, the cooled date syrup can be easily spooned out.
Minimum serving size: You can make less, but we recommend not making less than 250 ml (⅔ of our chosen serving size), otherwise it can be difficult to puree, even with a hand blender.
Other uses: Despite the name, date syrup is not a real syrup. However, it can be used as a natural sweetener in dessert creations or muesli.
Alternate preparation
Raw food recipe: Instead of boiling water, simply use lukewarm water (< 40° C) and close the bowl with a lid.
