Dates, red

Name: Jujube / Chinese Date (Deutsch: Jujube / Chinesische Dattel)
Latin name: Ziziphus jujuba Mill.
Product form: Fruits, whole, dried
Ingredients: 100 % dried jujube fruits (Fructus Jujubae), conventional farming

The jujube, also known as the Chinese date, is one of the oldest cultivated fruits in Asia and has been grown there for over 4,000 years. Its reddish-brown, date-like fruits impress with their mild, sweet taste and versatile range of uses. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the jujube is one of the most widely used medicinal fruits of all.

Uses and Effects

As tea and cooking ingredient: The dried jujube fruits can be prepared in a variety of ways. The classic method is to bring 3 to 5 dates to the boil with 300 to 500 ml of water and simmer gently for 15 to 30 minutes. The resulting liquid makes a mild, sweet tea, and the softened fruits can be eaten alongside it. A particularly popular preparation is the combination with goji berries as a jujube-goji tea, one of the most classic preparations in Chinese home cooking. Further preparation instructions, including a quick infusion method, can be found in the "Preparation" tab. 

As a snack and food ingredient: Dried jujubes also make a naturally sweet snack eaten straight. Their mild flavour with a slight caramel note makes them a pleasant alternative to other dried fruits. They are also used in Asian cuisine as an ingredient in soups, rice dishes and herbal recipes. 

Traditional use in TCM: Jujube fruits (Fructus Jujubae) have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. They are traditionally used to support relief from reduced appetite, general fatigue and nervous restlessness and states of stress. The recommended daily intake is 3 to 10 fruits. Further information on use can be found in the "Indications" tab.

About the Plant

Ziziphus jujuba is a thorny deciduous tree from the buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae) and reaches a height of 5 to 10 metres. The alternate, oval leaves are glossy green and have three prominent veins at the base. The small, yellowish-white flowers appear in the leaf axils and are pollinated by insects. The fruits ripen from green through yellow to reddish-brown and have a smooth, thin skin with firm, sweet flesh. In their dried form they resemble the common date in appearance, but belong to an entirely different plant family. The stone inside the fruit is elongated and contains one to two seeds. 

Other names: Jujube is also known in English as Chinese date, red date, Chinese jujube or Korean date. In Chinese it is known as Da Zao, and in German as Chinesische Dattel or Brustbeere.

Habitat and harvest time: Ziziphus jujuba originates from northern China and Central Asia and is today cultivated across large parts of Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean region. China is by far the world's largest producer of jujube fruits. Depending on the growing region, the harvest takes place between September and November, when the fruits are fully ripe and are subsequently dried.

Historical roots: The jujube is one of the oldest documented cultivated plants in human history. Its cultivation in China is recorded for at least 4,000 years, and it is described as a medicinal fruit in the oldest Chinese herbal compendium, the Shennong Bencao Jing. In traditional Chinese medicine it is regarded as a tonic to strengthen the spleen and stomach and calm the mind. The jujube was also used for centuries in Persian and Ayurvedic healing traditions. In Europe it was known in antiquity and the Middle Ages as a remedy for coughs, before gradually falling into obscurity.

Key active constituents:

• Triterpenic acids (betulinic, oleanolic and ursolic acid): Characteristic secondary plant compounds of the jujube fruit that have attracted attention in traditional natural medicine.
• Flavonoids (incl. rutin, quercetin, spinosin): Secondary plant compounds with antioxidant activity; spinosin is a flavonoid characteristic of jujube.
• Polysaccharides: Plant sugar complexes found in high concentrations in the jujube fruit, which may have prebiotic properties.
• Vitamin C: The fresh jujube fruit is among the most vitamin-rich fruits available; in the dried form the content is reduced but still present.
• Natural sugars (glucose, fructose): Responsible for the characteristic mild sweetness of the dried fruits.
• Minerals (potassium, calcium, phosphorus): Present in notable quantities in the jujube fruit.

Herbathek Stands for the Highest Quality

All products available at Herbathek are exclusively selected and of the highest quality. Our jujube fruits are also 100 % naturally pure: free from preservatives, flavourings and other artificial additives - laboratory tested for purity, residues and product safety. 

Origin: Our dried jujube fruits come from Chinese farming, the traditional main growing region for this fruit. The raw material is carefully selected and tested for purity and quality.

Careful cultivation & gentle processing: Throughout the entire growth and harvesting process, careful handling of the plant is ensured. This preserves its natural, plant-specific properties as fully as possible. The specifically cultivated form of the plant differs significantly from wild-growing variants and shows a considerably higher density of plant constituents.