Can you eat fresh dates on keto?
In this article we are going to answer can you eat fresh dates on the keto diet, what is the keto diet, what are dates, what is the difference between fresh dates and dried dates, and what is the risk of eating fresh dates on keto and what fruits and vegetables can you eat when on keto.
Can you eat fresh dates on the keto diet?
Yes, you can eat fresh dates on the keto diet but you need to eat them in small amounts. Even if a fresh date has less sugar than dried dates you need to eat up to 1 or 2 dates per day or they will take you out of ketosis.
If you are craving something sweet try some low carbohydrate fruit that is better for you when on the keto diet.
What is the keto diet?
Keto or ketogenic diet is a term to refer to very low carbohydrate diets. The main idea of the keto diet is that you eat your whole calories from fat and protein. Fat is the main source of energy for your body in this diet.
When on keto, you have to cut all carbohydrates like sugar, soda, pastries, white bread, rice, and high carbohydrates fruits and vegetables.
Keto works when you eat less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day, your body starts running out of its main source of energy, carbohydrates, so it starts using fat as the main source of energy. It takes about 4 to 7 days to achieve this process known as ketosis.
You need to eat enough fat so you can ensure that your body dont use proteins from your muscles as energy or you will lose muscle mass. This whole process has one objective and it is to lose weight.
Keto diets are also used with patients that have epilepsy. When you are on keto, your brain activity decreases because you are not using carbohydrates as the main source. This process helps epilepsy or the brain activity that causes convulsion to decrease.
The ketogenic diet is also used to prevent heart disease, brain disease, acne, and other medical conditions. If you are trying to lose weight, you need to do the keto diet always with a doctor or nutritionist’s supervision because it can lead to other health problems.
When you achieve a metabolic state of using fat as the main source you can use blood, urine, or breath tests to confirm you have entered ketosis.
What are the 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.
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 dates | Dried dates | |
| Calories | 20 calories | 66 calories |
| Carbohydrates | 5.33 grams | 18 grams |
| Fat | 0 grams | 0 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.
Fresh dates are a better option for you to keep you satisfied for longer, control blood sugar levels, and help you with constipation without eating the high amount of sugar you can eat with dried dates.
Fresh dates are also an excellent source of calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc. Also, the USDA has proven that fresh dates have a high concentration of antioxidants which brings a lot of benefits to your health. They might help prevent heart disease and some types of cancer.
Fresh dates are a better option than dried dates for diabetic patients. Even if fresh dates do have a high amount of sugar, they are full of fiber, and paired with proteins glucose can be controlled.
What is the risk of eating fresh dates on keto?
The risk of overeating fresh dates when on the keto diet is that they can take you out of ketosis very quickly. You don’t need to eat a huge amount of dates so you stop working on ketosis. So, try to stay away from them as much as you can and eat no more than 2 pieces.
What fruits and vegetables can you eat when on keto?
Try to add as much low carbohydrate vegetables and low carbohydrate food and healthy fats so you do a ‘clean keto’. There is a type of keto that is called dirty keto where you focus your calories on processed food. Dirty keto can lead you to health problems.
Some vegetables and fruits you can add when on keto are
- Asparagus
- Celery
- Tomatoes
- Spinach
- Mushrooms
- Cucumber
- Zucchini
- Strawberries (only ½ cup per day)
- Raspberries (only 1 cup per day)
Follow this link for the best low-carb fruits to eat on a keto diet.
Other FAQs about Dates that you may be interested in.
How many dates to eat per day?
Conclusion
This article answered can you eat fresh dates on the keto diet, what is the keto diet, what are dates, what is the difference between fresh dates and dried dates, what is the risk of eating fresh dates on keto, and what fruits and vegetables can you eat when on keto.
Citation
https://www.boldsky.com/health/nutrition/2014/fresh-dates-vs-dried-dates-058310.html
