what is Khassui dates? Imagine that you have dried some ripe and sweet plums and put them in a container of natural and fresh honey, and after a few days you go to it; When you open a package of Khassui dates, expect to see something like this. This attractive date, which people also know as Khasse or plum date, is grown in Bushehr province, one of the most date-growing regions of Iran.
This type of date is one of the most famous and popular commercial dates of Bushehr and Iran due to its juicy and attractive characteristics of appearance and taste. Although farmers plant Khassui dates in other provinces and cities, according to many experts and consumers, their quality does not reach Bushehr’s product.
What is Khassui Date?
In the next sections you can see different characteristics of Khassui dates:
Attributes
This date turns a light red-brown color when fully ripe. Its skin is thin and clings to the palm. We see cracks on the skin of dates, which is a reason for the presence of a lot of juice. Most people think that dried dates have less sugar when it is quite the opposite and the riper and drier the date, the more sugar it has. That is why Khassui has relatively less sugar and is recommended for people with diabetes. It also helps to reduce body stress and strengthen memory.
There are two types of Khassui dates: nectar-bearing and semi-nectarized (semi-dry). Despite its small size, this tropical fruit is highly energizing and is recommended for athletes and people who do a lot of physical activity.
Nutritional Characteristics
Khassui is one of the sweetest dates, although its sweetness does not bother the throat, and because of its small size, usually, every three Khassui dates are considered as one unit of other dates (like Piarom dates or Rabbi dates). It is recommended to consume about 5 dates per day as usual, but in the case of Khassui dates, this number can be increased to 15 per day.
The nature of this date is warm, like most of the dates we know, even warmer than other types. For this reason, it may not be suitable for some people, especially those with hot and dry temperaments. But people who have a soda or phlegmatic nature can easily adjust their mood by including this date in their diet.
Origin and shape
Khassui grows in the foothills, that’s why you can find it mainly in the cities located in the foothills of Zagros such as Jam City, Asaluyeh, Firouzabad, Kazeroun, Kangan, Farashband, and some villages in this region. This type of date is known as a rare species in other regions. In a way, we can say that Khassui is a special souvenir of Bushehr.
When dates are fully ripe or so-called cooked, they are seen in a light brown color, which has a special resemblance to plums. When fully ripe, they look like dried plums.
Juicy Little One
Khassui dates are classified as wet dates because they have a lot of juice and syrup, and this is a unique feature of this date. If we keep them in a closed container for several hours, they will drown in nectar. The thick juice and syrup of this date as a side product of the groves of Iran has become world-famous. This date has a lot of sweetness, and for this reason, this date is considered a good sugar substitute.
Successful in export
Although the Khasse date is not as well known in Iran as other dates like Zahedi dates and other types of dates, it has found a lot of demand in Persian Gulf countries and many European countries these days. The amount of export of Khassui dates is very high. Especially in recent years and with the efforts of some date production companies, by changing the type of packaging and mechanizing the classification and sales processes, they have been able to introduce this original product to more parts of the world.
Of course, It must be considered that in Iran, due to the lack of proper introduction, it became not so popular among the people, but recently the value of this date has been proven for many people.
The storage and handling conditions of this date are very challenging because it is moist and juicy. You must keep it at a temperature below 5 degrees Celsius, or use its semi-dry version, which has a longer shelf life. But despite all these difficulties, Khassui has had many fans in the global market and has succeeded in attracting the attention of buyers.
Side Uses and Benefits
Confectioners and food manufacturers use Khassui date nectar to produce a variety of sweet treats such as biscuits, cakes, and even energy drinks. This has caused the negative effects of sugar in manufactured products to be extremely less.
Khassui nutrients are so high that physicians prescribe its puree as a complete food for convalescent patients (especially children). This date has a large amount of vitamin C and D, based on this fact, researchers have proven the effectiveness of this tropical fruit on the youth and beauty of the skin.
