Comparative Analysis of the Nutritional Value of Bangladeshi and Saudi Arabian Date Palms Fruit Varieties

The date palm fruit (Phoenix dactylifera) is considered one of the primitive crops to be harvested in the Middle East. Nowadays, several varieties of dates are frequently available and being marketed at different price ranges, especially in the local markets of Bangladesh. However, there is no standardized data available to recognize the differences in the quality (nutritional quality) of Bangladeshi dates and Saudi Arabian dates. The current study aimed to conduct a comparative analysis of the nutrient contents of dates cultivated in Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia. Date samples were collected from the garden area of Bangladesh Open University, Gazipur, and then the samples were in the laboratory to find out the differences in the macro-nutrient level among the Bangladeshi and Saudi Arabian dates. To measure the protein, carbohydrates, fat, and fiber levels within these two varieties we performed Kjeldahl digestion, colorimeter test, Soxhlet extraction, and muffle furnace method respectively. The biochemical analysis of date varieties in our study revealed that protein content was 3.08%, carbohydrate 75%, fat 1.20%, and fiber 3.22% in Bangladeshi dates, while in Saudi Arabian varieties, the protein content was 2.15%, carbohydrate 67%, fat 2.30%, and fiber 7.14%. The results indicated that in Bangladeshi varieties protein and carbohydrate contents are higher than the Saudi Arabian varieties but fat and fiber contents are lower in Bangladeshi varieties. As we could not analyze the quality of macronutrients in Bangladeshi and Saudi Arabian date varieties, it is difficult to make any conclusion about the health benefits of these date varieties.