Are dried dates good for you?

In this article we are going to answer: are dried dates good for you, what are dates, are dried dates healthy to eat, what are the benefits of eating dried dates, what are the side effects of eating dried dates and how can you add dried dates to your diet. 

Are dried dates good for you?

Yes, dried dates are good for you. They are one of the healthiest dried fruits packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Even if they are high-sugar fruit, they are considered low glycemic fruit because it has a high amount of fiber.

Dried dates have a lot of benefits and can be eaten regularly in moderation as long as you don’t have diabetes or insulin resistance. 

What are dates?

Dates are a fruit that comes from date palms and are among the sweetest fruits. They are native to the middle east where they have been eating dates for centuries. 

Dates can be sold fresh or dried and are very famous to add to some desserts and salads. Fresh dates are the ones that are most easily found in the United States and they contain more sugar content than dried dates. 

Medjool dates are more expensive than fresh or dried dates because their harvests take more time and work. Medjool and Deglet are the most common varieties of dates that you can find in the supermarket or local stores. 

Are dried dates healthy to eat?

Yes, dried dates are a healthy dried fruit to add to your diet. Even if dried dates are one of the fruits with the highest amount of sugar, they are packed with a lot of nutrients. 

100 grams of dried dates contains 282 calories, 0 grams of fat, 656 mg of potassium, 75 grams of carbohydrates of which 63 grams are from sugar and 8 grams are from fiber, and 2.5 grams of protein. 

They also contain a good amount of iron and calcium and a very small amount of vitamin C and vitamin A. 

What is the difference between fresh dates and dried dates?

Fresh dates and dried dates are very healthy to eat. Dried dates undergo a process of drying that loses water content and has higher sugar content. 

Fresh datesDried dates
Calories20 calories66 calories
Carbohydrates5.33 grams18 grams 
Fat0 grams0 grams

Dried dates have almost three times more carbohydrates than fresh fruit because in the process of drying fruit water is lost and sugar content increases. 

What are the benefits of eating dried dates?

Dried dates are literally fresh dates that have been dried. The water content of dried dates is lower than fresh dates and sugar content is also higher in dried dates. Even if they have been through this process of drying, they are packed with a lot of benefits such as

  • Help with better heart health
  • Improving digestion
  • Relieves constipation
  • Helping maintain bone health
  • Energy boosters

Help with better heart health

Dates are high in potassium and dietary fiber. These two nutrients are essential for proper heart health. Potassium helps the heart work properly and dietary fiber lowers cholesterol. 

Improves digestion

Dates are an excellent source of dietary fiber which helps promote a healthy gut microbe. 

Relieves constipation

Fiber is essential to fight constipation. Dates together with a good amount of water and exercise are the perfect combo to fight constipation. 

Helps maintain bone health

Dates are high in magnesium, calcium, and potassium which are essential for proper bone health. Magnesium helps calcium to be absorbed correctly. 

Energy boosters

Dates have a high amount of sugar which gives you an extra boost of energy when needed. 

What are the side effects of eating dried dates?

Dried dates are very nutritious fruit but it comes with some side effects such as

  • Abdominal discomfort if eaten in high amounts
  • Might lead to weight gain if eaten in high amounts
  • If you have a kidney problem, do not eat them because they are high in potassium which can lead to heart problems. 
  • There have been allergic reactions to dates reported. 
  • If you have fructose intolerance you might get diarrhea

How can you add dried dates to your diet? 

Dried dates can be added in different ways to your diet, some ideas are

  • Make a date shake
  • Bake them in a delicious dessert
  • Add them to your favorite salad
  • Add them to your trail mix
  • Mix them with some milk and add it to cereal.

Other FAQs about Dates that you may be interested in.

Can diabetics eat dates and figs?

Are dried dates good for you?

Is it safe to eat fermented dates?

Conclusion

This article answered: Are dried dates good for you, what are dates, are dried dates healthy to eat, what are the benefits of eating dried dates, what are the side effects of eating dried dates and how can you add dried dates to your diet. 

Citation

https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/7-fantastic-dry-dates-chhuara-benefits-from-bone-health-to-boosting-energy-and-more-1767872

https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/serious-side-effects-of-dates/

https://food.ndtv.com/festivals/6-interesting-ways-to-include-dates-khajur-in-your-diet-1756831

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