Got dates?
According to this article by the AACC, breads can be improved by substituting 4-8% of wheat flour with date paste.
Addition of 4% date paste resulted in a bread with 3% more volume and a longer shelf-life. When adding 12% date paste (or more), a reversed effect can be observed; it produces an inferior loaf of bread.
As for the positive effects on prolonged shelf-life, the high level of fructose in dates is being held responsible.
(Source: http://www.aaccnet.org)
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