Vol. 2, Issue 1, Part A (2025)

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) present juice (also known as neera or fresh sap) and its concentrated derivative, gur, are widely consumed traditional products valued for their natural sweetness, rich phenolic constituents, and antioxidant potential. Despite their cultural significance, limited scientific attention has been directed towards systematically evaluating their phytopharmacological attributes. This research investigates the phenolic profiles, antioxidant capabilities, and bioactive components of present juice and gur derived from traditionally tapped date palm trees. Standard analytical procedures, including Folin-Ciocalteu estimation for total phenolics, aluminium chloride assays for flavonoids, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging methods for antioxidant capacity, and spectrophotometric quantification of reducing sugars, were employed to comprehensively assess their phytochemical characteristics. The results indicate that present juice possesses significantly higher total phenolic content and free radical scavenging activity compared to gur, suggesting that thermal processing during gur preparation may cause partial degradation of heat-sensitive compounds while simultaneously concentrating stable antioxidant constituents. Gur samples demonstrated notable levels of reducing sugars and non-enzymatic browning products, potentially contributing to their moderate antioxidant nature through Maillard reaction derivatives. The research reinforces the nutritional and therapeutic potential of both products as functional food candidates, highlighting their relevance in traditional dietary practices and contemporary nutraceutical applications. The findings provide a scientific basis for promoting date palm derivatives as natural antioxidant sources and support their integration into food-based health strategies aimed at combating oxidative stress-related disorders. The research opens further avenues for advanced chromatographic profiling, pharmacokinetic analyses, and in vivo evaluation of their bio efficacy for improved utilization within food, pharmaceutical, and public health domains.