More than 70,000 people attended this year's Liwa Date Festival, which finished yesterday.
The 10-day event included several competitions for the best date in various categories.
There were fewer entries this year in the main competition of Mzainat Al Rutab - half-ripe dates.
According to Obaid Khalfan Al Mazrouei, the director of the festival, the organisers were keen to improve the quality of entries and wanted to focus on quality rather than quantity.
On display were the Al Khalas, Al Dabbas, Boumaan, Kunaizi, Al Fard, Al Nukhbah, Akbar Azej dates varieties, plus mangoes and lemons - the first time these fruits had been included in the seven-year history of the festival.
Ghabisha Saeed Al Murar won first place and Dh3,000 in the Best Ripe Date Table contest.
Entries were judged on the table's appearance, degree of difficulty in preparing the presented meal, its health benefits and degree of consistency.
Mr Al Mazrouei said the size of the exhibition area increased by 20 per cent, with more than 50 pavilions.
The average daily sales at the festival were Dh250,000.
About 75,000 people attended last year's festival.
eharnan@thenational.ae
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The biog
Fast facts on Neil Armstrong’s personal life:
- Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio
- He earned his private pilot’s license when he was 16 – he could fly before he could drive
- There was tragedy in his married life: Neil and Janet Armstrong’s daughter Karen died at the age of two in 1962 after suffering a brain tumour. She was the couple’s only daughter. Their two sons, Rick and Mark, consulted on the film
- After Armstrong departed Nasa, he bought a farm in the town of Lebanon, Ohio, in 1971 – its airstrip allowed him to tap back into his love of flying
- In 1994, Janet divorced Neil after 38 years of marriage. Two years earlier, Neil met Carol Knight, who became his second wife in 1994
Personalities on the Plate: The Lives and Minds of Animals We Eat
Barbara J King, University of Chicago Press
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
'THE WORST THING YOU CAN EAT'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
