Dates are the fruit of the date palm tree, which is grown in many tropical regions of the world. Dates have become quite popular in recent years.
Almost all dates sold in Western countries are dried.
You can tell whether or not dates are dried based on their appearance. Wrinkled skin indicates they are dried, whereas smooth skin indicates freshness.
Depending on the variety, fresh dates are fairly small in size and range in color from bright red to bright yellow. Commonly consumed varieties include Medjool and Deglet Noor dates.
Dates are chewy with a sweet flavor. They are also high in some important nutrients and have a variety of advantages and uses.
This article will discuss 8 health benefits of eating dates and how to incorporate them into your diet.
Dates have an excellent nutrition profile.
Since they’re dried, their calorie content is higher than most fresh fruit. The calorie content of dates is similar to that of other dried fruits, such as raisins and figs (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).
Most of the calories in dates come from carbs. The rest are from a very small amount of protein.
Despite their calories, dates contain some important vitamins and minerals in addition to a significant amount of fiber.
A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of Medjool dates provides the following nutrients (1Trusted Source):
Calories: 277
Carbs: 75 grams
Fiber: 7 grams
Protein: 2 grams
Potassium: 15% DV
Magnesium: 13% DV
Copper: 40% DV
Manganese: 13% DV
Iron: 5% DV
Vitamin B6: 15% DV
Dates are also high in antioxidants, which may contribute to many of their health benefits (4Trusted Source).2.
High in fiber
Getting enough fiber is important for your overall health.
With almost 7 grams of fiber in a 3.5-ounce serving, including dates in your diet is a great way to increase your fiber intake (1Trusted Source).
Fiber can benefit your digestive health by preventing constipation. It promotes regular bowel movements by contributing to the formation of stool (5Trusted Source).
In one study, 21 people who consumed 7 dates per day for 21 days experienced improvements in stool frequency and had a significant increase in bowel movements compared to when they did not eat dates (6Trusted Source).
Furthermore, the fiber in dates may be beneficial for blood sugar control. Fiber slows digestion and may help prevent blood sugar levels from spiking too high after eating (7Trusted Source).
For this reason, dates have a low glycemic index (GI), which measures how quickly your blood sugar rises after eating a certain food (8Trusted Source).
3. High in disease-fighting antioxidants
Dates provide various antioxidants that have a number of health benefits, including a reduced risk of several diseases.
Antioxidants protect your cells from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that may cause harmful reactions in your body and lead to disease (9Trusted Source).
Carotenoids: Carotenoids are proven to promote heart health and may also reduce the risk of eye-related disorders, such as macular degeneration (14Trusted Source).
Phenolic acid: Known for their anti-inflammatory properties, phenolic acids may help lower the risk of cancer and heart disease (4Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).
5. May promote natural labor
Dates have been studied for their potential to promote and ease late-term labor in pregnant people.
Eating these fruits throughout the last few weeks of pregnancy may promote cervical dilation and lower the need for induced labor.
They may also be helpful in reducing labor time (20Trusted Source).
An older meta-analysis from 2011 looking at studies where pregnant people took dates prior to their due date found those who ate dates were in labor for less time than those who did not eat them, but also notes that the link between eating dates and a faster delivery needs to be researched further (21Trusted Source).
A 2017 study of 154 pregnant people found that those who ate dates were much less likely to be induced compared to those who did not (22Trusted Source).
A third study found similar results in 91 pregnant people who consumed 70–76 grams of dates daily starting the 37th week of pregnancy.
They were in active labor for an average of 4 fewer hours than those who did not eat dates (20Trusted Source).
Although eating dates appears to help promote labor and reduce labor duration, more research is needed to confirm these effects.
The role dates may have in pregnancy is likely due to compounds that bind to oxytocin receptors and appear to mimic the effects of oxytocin in the body. Oxytocin is a hormone that causes labor contractions during childbirth (23Trusted Source).
Natural sweetener
Dates are a source of fructose, which is a natural type of sugar found in fruit (1Trusted Source).
For this reason, dates are very sweet and also have a subtle caramel-like taste. They make a great healthy substitute for white sugar in recipes due to the nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants that they provide.
The best way to substitute dates for white sugar is to make date paste, as in this recipe. It is made by mixing dates with water in a blender. A rule of thumb is to replace sugar with date paste at a 1:1 ratio.
For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, you’ll replace it with 1 cup of date paste.
It is important to note that although dates are high in fiber and nutrients, they are still fairly high in calories and best consumed in moderation.
7. Other potential health benefits
People claim dates have a few other health benefits that have not yet been extensively studied.
Bone health: Dates contain several minerals, including phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. All of these have been studied for their potential to prevent bone-related conditions like osteoporosis (1Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source).
Blood sugar control: Dates have the potential to help with blood sugar regulation due to their low glycemic index, fiber, and antioxidants.
Thus, eating them may support diabetes management (25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source).
Although these potential health benefits are promising, more human studies are needed before conclusions can be made.
8. Easy to add to your diet
Dates are incredibly versatile and make a delicious snack.
They are often paired with other foods, such as almonds, nut butter, or soft cheese.
Dates are also very sticky, which makes them useful as a binder in baked goods, such as cookies and bars.
You can also combine dates with nuts and seeds to make healthy snack bars or energy balls, as in this recipe.
What’s more, you can use dates to sweeten up sauces, such as salad dressings and marinades, or blend them into smoothies and oatmeal.
It is important to note that dates are high in calories and their sweet taste makes them easy to overeat.
For this reason, they are best consumed in moderation.
The bottom line
Dates are a healthy fruit to include in your diet.
They are high in several nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants, all of which may provide health benefits ranging from improved digestion to a reduced risk of disease.
There are several ways to add dates to your diet.
One popular way to eat them is as a natural sweetener in various dishes. They also make a great snack.
It’s easiest to find dates in their dried form, though these are higher in calories than fresh fruit so it is important to eat them in moderation.
Dates are definitely worth adding to your diet, as they are both nutritious and delicious.
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