What are the benefits of dates? A kilogram of dates that have receivedsuch a loud name, can be bought in the Land of the Pyramids for only seven Egyptian pounds (a little more than one US dollar), while other dates cost an average of 25-30 pounds per kilogram. Giving new names to dates of all types and varieties is a long-standing custom in Egypt. Every year, before the beginning of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, traders at local bazaars compete in ingenuity, coming up with new names for these. Recently, dates have often been named after politicians and actors - cheap varieties are named after the most unpopular people in the Arab world, and expensive ones - on the contrary, the most respected. Dates are an obligatory treat in Arab countries throughout Ramadan. According to tradition, the evening meal after a day of fasting begins with dates and milk.
