View source for Date honey

{{Short description|Syrup extracted from dates}}
[[File:Rub-libyan-syrup.JPG|right|thumb|300px|Rub is a thick syrup extracted from dates.]]
'''Date honey''', '''date syrup''', '''date molasses''', '''Debes''' ({{langx|ar|دِبس}}, {{IPA|ar|dibs|pron}}), or '''rub''' ({{langx|ar|رُب}}, {{IPA|ar|rubb|pron}}; {{langx|he|דְּבַש תמרים}} ''dvash tmarim'' or סילאן, ''silan''; {{langx|fa|شیره خرما}}) is a thick dark brown, very sweet [[fruit syrup]] extracted from [[Phoenix dactylifera|dates]]. It is widely used in [[Middle Eastern cuisine]] and [[Maghrebi cuisine]].

== History ==
The [[Book of Deuteronomy]] in the [[Hebrew Bible]], in describing the abundance of the [[Holy Land]], includes honey among its bounties. [[Rabbinic literature|Rabbinic texts]] such as the [[Jerusalem Talmud]] and [[Sifre]] interpret this honey as date honey rather than bee honey.<ref>Deuteronomy, 8:8; Jerusalem Talmud, ''Bikkurim'' 1:3; Sifri, ''Tavo'' 60</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Goor |first=Asaph |date=1967 |title=The History of the Date through the Ages in the Holy Land |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4252895 |journal=Economic Botany |volume=21 |issue=4 |pages=324, 326 |issn=0013-0001}}</ref> Archaeological evidence from Jerusalem supports the use of date honey during this period. A storage jar, marked with a palm tree and found in a room of a building destroyed during the [[Siege of Jerusalem (587 BC)|siege of Jerusalem]] in 586 BCE, indicates that date honey was stored there.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Magness |first=Jodi |title=Jerusalem through the ages: from its beginnings to the Crusades |date=2024 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-093780-5 |location=New York, NY |pages=98}}</ref>

First-century Jewish historian [[Josephus]], in his account of the oases of [[Jericho]] and the various date varieties grown in this region of [[Judea|Judaea]], notes that "the better kinds [of dates], when pressed, yield an excellent honey not much inferior in sweetness to other honey."<ref name=":0" />

==Nutritional aspects==
Date syrup is rich in the monosaccharides [[glucose]] and [[fructose]].<ref name="Bouhlali">{{cite journal |last1= Bouhlali |first1= Emiad dine Tariq |last2= Derouich |first2= Mgal |last3= Meziani |first3= Reda |last4= Bourkhis |first4= Boucha |last5= Filali-Zegzouti |first5= Younes |last6= Alem |first6= Chakib |date= 2020 |title= Nutritional, mineral and organic acid composition of syrups produced from six Moroccan date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) varieties |url= https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889157520302374 |journal= Journal of Food Composition and Analysis |volume= 93 |page= 103591 |doi= 10.1016/j.jfca.2020.103591|s2cid= 225554702 }}</ref> This means that most of its sugar content is absorbed into the bloodstream, and it raises the blood glucose levels more efficiently and immediately than other syrups. It is therefore highly suitable for people suffering from [[hypoglycaemia]], for those with [[sucrose intolerance]] or those with pancreatic problems who have difficulty absorbing disaccharides.{{fact|date=May 2015}} Date syrup is higher in magnesium and potassium than some natural sweeteners such as [[maple syrup]] and [[honey]], and it has been a popular alternative to sugar in recent years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ilovedatelady.com/pages/nutrition-info|title=Date Lady Nutrition Information|website=Date Lady|access-date=2018-11-09}}</ref> It is also rich in antioxidants due to its high phenolic and flavonoid content<ref name="Abbès">{{cite journal |last1= Abbès |first1= Fatma |last2= Kchaou |first2= Wissal |last3= Blecker |first3= Christophe |last4= Ongena |first4= Marc |last5= Lognay |first5= Georges |last6= Attia |first6= Hamadi |last7= Besbes |first7= Souhail |date= 2013 |title= Effect of processing conditions on phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties of date syrup |url= https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0926669012005158 |journal= Industrial Crops and Products |volume= 44 |pages= 634–642 |doi= 10.1016/j.indcrop.2012.09.008}}</ref><ref name="Bouhlali2">{{cite journal |last1= Bouhlali |first1= Emiad dine Tariq |last2= Bammou |first2= Mohamed |last3= Sellam |first3= Khalid |last4= Benlyas |first4= Mohamed |last5= Alem |first5= Chakib |last6= Filali-Zegzouti |first6= Younes |date= 2016 |title= Evaluation of antioxidant, antihemolytic and antibacterial potential of six Moroccan date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) varieties |journal= Journal of King Saud University - Science |volume= 28 |issue= 2 |pages= 136–142 |doi= 10.1016/j.jksus.2016.01.002|doi-access= free }}</ref><ref name="Taleb">{{cite journal |last1= Taleb |first1= Hajer |last2= Maddocks |first2= Sarah |last3= Morris |first3= Keith |last4= Kanekanian |first4= Ara |date= 2016 |title= The Antibacterial Activity of Date Syrup Polyphenols against S. aureus and E. coli |journal= Frontiers in Microbiology |volume= 7 |issue= 198 |page= 198 |doi= 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00198|pmid= 26952177 |pmc= 4768629 |doi-access= free }}</ref> and has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity.<ref name="Taleb2">{{cite journal |last1= Taleb |first1= Hajer |last2= Morris |first2= Keith |last3= Withycombe |first3= Cathryn |last4= Maddocks |first4= Sarah |last5= Kanekanian |first5= Ara |date= 2016 |title= Date syrup–derived polyphenols attenuate angiogenic responses and exhibits anti-inflammatory activity mediated by vascular endothelial growth factor and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in endothelial cells |url= https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0271531716000518 |journal= Nutrition Research |volume= 36 |issue= 7 |pages= 636–647 |doi= 10.1016/j.nutres.2016.02.010|pmid= 27333954 }}</ref><ref name="Bouhlali3">{{cite journal |last1= Bouhlali |first1= Emiad dine Tariq |last2= Hilaly |first2= Jaouad El |last3= Ennassir |first3= Jamal |last4= Benlyas |first4= Mohamed |last5= Alem |first5= Chakib |last6= Amamrouch |first6= Mohamed-Yassine |last7= Filali-Zegzouti |first7= Younes |date= 2018 |title= Anti-inflammatory properties and phenolic profile of six Moroccan date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) varieties |journal= Journal of King Saud University - Science |volume= 30 |issue= 4 |pages= 519–526 |doi= 10.1016/j.jksus.2017.08.011|doi-access= free }}</ref>

==In national cuisines==
It is used widely in [[Libya]], usually with [[asida]], a porridge-like dessert.

In [[Iranian cuisine|Iranian]] and [[Iraqi cuisine|Iraqi]] cuisine, date syrup is used to sweeten [[tahini]], consumed at breakfast. An alternative is [[grape syrup]].

In [[Algeria]], date syrup is used in desserts such as [[baghrir]].

In the [[Middle East]], date syrup is used for flavoring chicken and potatoes. They are rubbed in date syrup mixed with cardamom, salt, and olive oil, and then rolled in sesame before being fried in olive oil or baked it in the oven as a whole. Date honey is also used as a sauce for stuffed vegetables, such as onions and turnips, and as an ingredient in a semolina cake called [[basbousa]], which gives the cake a honey-like taste.

Bangladesh produces around 20,000 tonnes of date molasses in each year. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Admin |first=Mr |date=2021-12-19 |title=Production of Molasses with Date Juice: Many rural people find source of livelihood |url=https://banglamirrornews.com/2021/12/19/production-of-molasses-with-date-juice-many-rural-people-find-source-of-livelihood/ |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=Weekly Bangla Mirror {{!}} |language=en-US}}</ref> The [[Kalkini Upazila]] region of Bangladesh is famous for its [[date juice]] and date molasses.

==See also==
* [[Grape syrup]]
* [[Pomegranate molasses]]
* [[Pekmez]]
* [[List of syrups]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Commonscatinline}}

[[Category:Arab cuisine]]
[[Category:Arabic drinks]]
[[Category:Algerian cuisine]]
[[Category:Honey]]
[[Category:Syrup]]
[[Category:Libyan cuisine]]
[[Category:Iraqi cuisine]]
[[Category:Palestinian cuisine]]
[[Category:Israeli cuisine]]
[[Category:Date dishes]]

{{arab-cuisine-stub}}