Figs and dates are both sweet, healthy fruits that can provide you with vitamins and minerals. However these fruits are different, both structurally and nutritionally. Depending on your dietary preferences, one fruit may suit your taste, dietary goals and requirements better than the other.
Figs and Dates
Although they offer similar nutritional benefits, dates and figs are not related to each other. Figs are the soft fruit of the ficus tree. They grow in warm, tropical climates and are typically in season June through September.
Dates grow on the date palm. This small stone fruit is typically eaten dried or softened, as raw dates are quite crunchy. You can find dates available whole, with the pit intact, as well as pitted.
Nutrition Facts
Dates are high in calories and carbohydrates. In 100 g of dates there are 277 calories, 1.8 g of protein, 6.7 g of fiber, 696 mg of potassium, 64 mg of calcium and 0.90 mg of iron.
Figs are lower in calories and carbohydrates than dates. In 100 g of fresh figs there are 74 calories, 18 g of carbohydrates, 17 g of sugar, 3 g of fiber and 232 mg of potassium.
Health Benefits of Dates
Dates are a high glycemic food, meaning they are dense in sugar and will have a significant affect on your blood sugar when you eat them. As the sugars in dates are digested and absorbed into your bloodstream, they cause a sudden spike, then crash, in blood sugar levels.
Dates are also high in potassium. Potassium can help regulate your blood pressure. This mineral is especially important if you eat a diet high in sodium, which has been linked to high blood pressure.
Health Benefits of Figs
Like dates, figs are an excellent source of fiber and potassium. Fiber is an important nutrient that offers many potential health benefits. A diet high in fiber fiber promotes healthy and regular bowels, may help you to manage and regulate your weight, and has been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes. 100 g of figs provide you with 15 percent of your daily recommended value of fiber.
While dates provide more fiber per gram than figs, if you're following a reduced-sugar or low carbohydrate diet, you can still get a healthy serving of fiber from figs without the additional sugar found in dates.
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