Dates

For thousands of years dates have been a staple of the Middle East. The date palm most likely originated in the Persian Gulf and has been cultivated possibly as early as 6000 BC!
Later Arabs began to spread dates around northern Africa and Spain. Finally they were introduced into California by the Spaniards in 1765. When unripe, dates range from bright red to bright yellow in color, depending on variety. They are an excellent source of Vitamin C and fiber.