Dates Deliver Surprising Health Benefits You're Probably Overlooking

If you're searching for a fuss-free, sweet snack that's also good for you, consider the benefits of dates. The fruit of the date palm tree, with Middle Eastern roots dating back thousands of years, these satisfying treats are beloved by home cooks and health professionals alike, for ample reason. We spoke to registered dietitians to learn more about their nourishing properties and how eating them regularly can benefit our bodies.

Dates, Explained

Dates are sold fresh and sun-dried, but the latter is more readily available in the U.S. Of the hundreds of varieties, Medjool and Deglet Noor are the most widely available. Moist and deliciously sticky with rich, concentrated flavor, these brown and amber-colored fruits are sold with or without pits.

The Benefits of Dates

Dates are considered a superfood, says Connie Elick, MS, RD, and instructor of plant-based culinary arts at the Institute of Culinary Education’s Los Angeles campus. "Their nutritional benefits relate to bone health, digestive health, and heart health," she says.

Gut Health

"We often forget that dates are fruit; like all fruits, they do contain fiber—1.6 grams per date—as well as small amounts of vitamins and minerals," says Desiree Nielsen, RD, host of The Allsorts podcast, and author of the cookbooks, Plant Magic and Good for Your Gut.

Helps with constipation: Fiber supports digestion and is integral to other bodily functions. "Adequate fiber intake is crucial for bowel regularity, proper digestion, blood sugar management, weight management, and satiety," says Amanda Holtzer, MS, RD.

Beneficial compounds: But the fruit's fiber content isn't solely responsible for keeping the gut in working order. "Dates are a great gut health food, both because of their fiber but also because they contain compounds that help feed the gut microbiome, like polyphenols, sorbitol, and fructans,” explains Nielsen. A healthy microbiome can help influence our overall health, she adds.

Heart Health

Dates' fiber content also helps support heart health. "As fiber moves through the GI tract, one of the things it binds to is LDL cholesterol particles (aka 'bad' cholesterol)," Holtzer says. Fiber helps remove these LDL particles through the stool, which helps reduce LDL cholesterol in the blood.

Potassium: Dates are a good source of potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure, a marker of cardiovascular health, Holtzer says.

Antioxidants: The polyphenols also make a valuable contribution, helping to decrease inflammation and reduce damage from free radicals, Elick says.

Strong Bones

Dates contain calcium, which works with phosphorus, minerals that are essential for the formation and health of bones and teeth, Holtzer says."Magnesium plays a role in activating vitamin D (needed for bone health) and promoting the absorption of calcium, and contributes to bone density," Elick adds.

Related Stories

6 of the Best Dried Fruits to Eat, According to Nutritionists

How to Eat Dates 15 Delicious Ways, From Sauces and Sweets to Sandwiches

Big Picture

For all of their merits, Nielsen is wary of overstating the nutritional value of dates. "While their fiber content is substantial, you would need to consume a lot of dates to get meaningful amounts of vitamins and minerals," she says. One Medjool date, she points out, has about 15 mg of calcium (about 2 percent of your daily needs) and 167 mg of potassium (our daily requirement is 2600 to 3400 mg).

How Much to Eat

While you could double down on your intake to move the needle, our experts caution against going whole hog.  

Moderation: "Dates should be consumed as part of a balanced, varied, portion-controlled diet," Elick says, noting that some studies indicate that eating 2 to 3 dates per day can contribute to health benefits.

Carbs and sugars: "They are a plant-based, nutrient-dense, wonderfully healthy food. But when it comes down to brass tacks, 132 calories, 36 grams of carbs, and 32 grams of sugar for just two dates is significant," Holtzer says. 

Diabetic conditions: For most healthy people, those numbers aren't cause for worry—and for some, the high levels of carbohydrates, in combination with their iron content, may be an energy boost—but for others, they can be a forbidden fruit. "If you are someone with pre-diabetes or diabetes, dates may not be the best option for you because of the high carb and sugar content," Holtzer says.

Glycemic Index

As we bump up our serving size, the glycemic impact (GI) also increases, Nielsen says. "For folks who are watching their blood sugars, I would caution against what I often see online, which is characterizing dates almost as a 'freebie’ when it comes to blood sugars." 

Glycemic load: While Medjool dates have a GI of 55, which is at the edge of the low category, Nielsen says, that number doesn't tell the whole story. "The true glycemic impact of a food—if we're eating it on its own—is the glycemic load, or the GL. This measures the glycemic impact of the carbs, as well as the carbs themselves. So, a single date has a GL of 8, which is also low ... and roughly the same as a dried fig."

Food Pairings

How you eat them also makes a difference. When dates are enjoyed with foods rich in fiber, protein, and healthy fats, these nutrients help moderate the impact of carbohydrate-containing foods on our blood sugar, Nielsen says.

What About Date Products?

Dates are also a star ingredient in other products, most notably date syrup and date sugar.

Processed Products: Date syrup that contains the whole date fruit will have a similar nutrient profile, Nielsen says, while date sugars may be derived from the whole food or more refined. "Some of the nutritional benefits of dates may be lost during processing, but still remain in date syrup or date sugar, and these may be more nutritious than typical refined white sugar," Elick says. 

Limit Intake: These alternative sweeteners should be consumed in moderation, she notes, since they still contain sugar, carbohydrates, and calories. "As with most foods, it is better to eat dates in their whole form, rather than heavily processed forms."