Date is a very nutritious fruit. Different varieties are grown--Amir Hajj, Saidy, Khadrawy and Medjool--but their nutritional value is similar when compared by weight. They can be eaten for desert, as a snack or incorporated in your favorite recipes. Dried dates can be kept at room temperatures for several months.
Medjool Dates
One Medjool date weighs on average 24g and contains 66 calories, 0.4g protein, 18g carbohydrate, 16g natural fruit sugar and is almost fat-free. There are 277 calories in 100g of Medjool dates.
Deglet Noor Dates
One Deglet Noor date weighs only 7g, and is smaller than Medjool dates. A Deglet Noor date contains 20 calories, 0.2g protein, 5g carbohydrates, 4.5g natural fruit sugars and very little fat. A 100g serving of Deglet Noor Dates contains 282 calories and 1 cup chopped, which is about 147g, provides 415 calories.
Fibre
Dates are an excellent source of fiber. A large date, like the Medjool dates, contain 1.6g of fiber and a small date, such as the Deglet Noor, provides 0.6g of fiber. On average, dates contain 6.7 to 8.0g of dietary fiber per 100g. The fiber recommendation from the Institute of Medicine for healthy adults is 25g a day for females and 38g a day for males.
Vitamins
The California Date Administrative Committee mentions that dates are rich in B vitamins such as thiamin, or B1; riboflavin, or B2; niacin, or B3; pyridoxine, or B6 and pantothenic acid, or B5. These vitamins, which are involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats, help release energy and also participate in the formation of red and white blood cells.
Minerals
Dates contain many important minerals, including potassium and to a lesser extent, magnesium and iron. A single Medjool date contains 167mg of potassium and a smaller Deglet Noor date contains 47mg. The dietary reference intake for healthy adults is 4,700mg. This means that 5 to 6 Medjool dates would provide about 20 percent of the daily value for potassium.
Glycemic Index
Dates have a low glycemic index, which is defined as being less than a value of 55. Dates' glycemic index ranges between 29 and 50 depending on the variety. The glycemic index ranks carbohydrate-containing foods according to their ability to raise blood sugar levels. Low-glycemic index foods are preferable as they have been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, improved diabetes control as well as weight loss.
References
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Nutrient Data Laboratory
- University of Sydney: Glycemic Index Database
- The California Date Administrative Committee: Dates Are Great Nutrition
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
- HealthCastle: Nutrition 101: Potassium
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