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Dates: An Energy-Dense Ally
By Alexandria Hardy, RDN, LDN
Dates are a versatile little fruit, and their history of cultivation can be traced to 3000 BC in present-day Iraq. Over the last 300 years, cultivation spread from the Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula, and North Africa to other regions, including Australia, the United States, and South America.1 Ancient civilizations like the Egyptians, Babylonians, and Sumerians not only valued dates as food but also viewed them as spiritual and cultural cornerstones.
These sweet, chewy fruits grow on date palm trees and can be eaten fresh or dried while boasting a rich, caramel-like flavor. They’re featured in various cuisines, especially Middle Eastern and North African dishes, and are used to make a variety of products such as date syrup, date sugar, and date paste. This article will explore dates’ nutritional content, traditional use, and ways clients can incorporate this fruit into their meal plans.
Nutrients
Mature dates are an energy-dense food source consisting of a high percentage of carbohydrates, including dietary and functional fiber from fructans, cellulose, and beta-glucans.2 Dates are rich in potassium, which is cited as a nutrient of concern in the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines.3,4 Dates are also a source of antioxidants in the form of phenolic compounds like flavonoids which may help fight inflammation in the body.2,4
Consumption
In the United States, dates are often eaten dried or incorporated into smoothies, desserts, oatmeal, or snack bars. With growing consumer interest in whole food-based sweetening agents as alternatives for added sugar from ultraprocessed sources, food manufacturers are finding novel ways to add dates to their products. Other date preparations may include date syrup, date sugar, and date paste. These are gaining popularity due to their natural sweetness, nutrient profile, and versatility in cooking and baking.5,6
Date Syrup
Date syrup, made by boiling and blending dates, can serve as an alternative to other syrups like maple syrup. It can be used as a topping for pancakes and waffles, an added kick of sweetness to oatmeal or salad dressings, and even aid the fermentation process of alcohol.6 In addition, date sugar can be used in baking or cooking as a sugar substitute.6
Date Paste
Date paste is made of steamed, ground, and skinned pitted dates.6 It’s added to some meat products to decrease fat, boost fiber, and enhance texture and can be incorporated into jams, snack bars, and candies.6 As research continues, new opportunities to use date pulp and date extract in dairy and other products are expanding.7
Innovative Products
Innovation abounds as companies spring into action and try new techniques and recipes with this nutritional ally.
For example, date spreads, such as those offered by Wanna Date?, offer a unique twist by blending dates with other flavors like cocoa powder, cinnamon, vanilla, or pumpkin spice.8 These spreads mimic the texture of nut or seed butters, making them a delicious addition to toast, smoothies, or even as a sauce in savory dishes. They also make several flavors of date dough, a dry blend that can be used to create edible cookie dough or baked cookies. The company’s products are vegan, paleo, and Whole 30 compliant.8
Spicekick, a meal spice kit company developed by Michelle Dudash, RDN, uses dates to naturally sweeten its spice blends. The company’s Sweet n’ Smoky Sloppy Joe, Saucy & Sassy Tikka Masala, and Sizzling Stir-fry Lettuce Wrap seasonings all contain organic ground dates.9
In the sauce world, Date Lady offers savory options like Sweet Chili and BBQ that boast organic dates as the first ingredient and can be used in the same manner as traditional condiments.10
Datehini, a blend of dates and tahini, offers a Middle Eastern flair and can be used in similar ways as date spreads, adding a rich, creamy texture with a hint of nuttiness to dishes. It’s available in plain, vanilla, and cinnamon and can be spread anywhere you would usually use jam.11
Bottom Line
Dates are a budget-friendly, nutrient-dense, and shelf-stable addition to any kitchen. For clients looking to increase date intake easily, Let ’s Date and the Date Lady are good starting points to incorporate more of these versatile fruits.10,12 Dietitians can encourage their clients who follow plant-based or gluten-free diets to incorporate dates and date products into their snacks and meal patterns.
— Alexandria Hardy, RDN, LDN, is a nutrition educator and the owner of Pennsylvania Nutrition Services, an insurance-based private practice located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
References
1. Alkaloid S, Colleran HL, Ibrahim SA. Nutritional value of date fruits and potential use in nutritional bars for athletes. Food Nutr Sci. 2020;11(6):463-480.
2. Alvi T, Khan MKI, Maan AA, Razzaq ZU. Date fruit as a promising source of functional carbohydrates and bioactive compounds: a review on its nutraceutical potential. J Food Biochem. 2022;46(9):e14325.
3. US Department of Agriculture; US Department of Health and Human Services. 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf. Published December 2020. Accessed April 12, 2024.
4. Siddiqi SA, Rahman S, Khan MM, et al. Potential of dates (Phoenix dactylifera L.) as natural antioxidant source and functional food for healthy diet. Sci Total Environ. 2020;748:141234.
5. Tang ZX, Shi LE, Aleid SM. Date fruit: chemical composition, nutritional and medicinal values, product. J Sci Food Agric. 2013;93(10):2351-2361.
6. Sayas-Barberá E, Paredes C, Saldago-Ramos M, et al. Approaches to enhance sugar content in foods: is the date palm fruit a natural alternative to sweeteners? Foods. 2024;13(1):129.
7. Muñoz-Tebar N, Viuda-Martos M, Lorenzo JM, Fernandez-Lopez J, Perez-Alvarez JA. Strategies for the valorization of date fruit and its co-products: a new ingredient in the development of value-added foods. Foods. 2023;12(7):1456.
8. Wanna Date? website. https://eatwannadate.com. Accessed April 12, 2024.
9. Products. SPICEK!CK website. https://spicekick.com/collections/all. Accessed April 12, 2024.
10. Products. Date Lady website. https://ilovedatelady.com/collections/date-lady-date-syrup-products. Accessed April 12, 2024.
11. Datehini Original. Sepoli Organics website. https://sepoli.com/products/datehini-original. Accessed April 12, 2024.
12. Products. Let’s Date website. https://letsdate-usa.com/products/. Accessed April 12, 2024.