Date, a major dried fruit, extends the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Dried fruits have many advantages on condensed nutrients, food preservation, and availability through all seasons. This study investigated the longevity effects of five commercially available dried fruits (date, pineapple, fig, mango, and prune) on Caenorhabditis elegans. Each of the five dried fruits remarkably increased the lifespan compared with the control group. Especially, date fruit had the longest mean and maximum lifespan. In the analysis for the ratio of mean lifespan (MLS) to maximum lifespan in order to clarify their relationship, the ratio for date fruit was approximately 0.9, showing that it results in a longer MLS than other dried fruits. These results imply that date fruit consumption leads to a significantly greater increase in the MLS of C. elegans. The date fruit examined in this study did not contain syringic acid, a previously reported factor known to extend lifespan in date fruit, suggesting that other unidentified component(s) may contribute to its longevity-promoting effect.