Dates have an impressive
nutritional profile and a natural sweetness.
Dates are the
sweet succulent fruit of the date palm tree. They are usually sold as dried
fruits and can be enjoyed alone or in smoothies, desserts, smallmouth, and
other dishes.
Due to their
natural sweetness, their effect on blood sugar may be a concern for people with
diabetes.
This article
explores whether it is safe for people with diabetes to consume dates.
Why is the date a
problem?
Dates contain a
lot of sweetness in a relatively small mouth. They are a natural source of
fructose, a type of sugar in fruits.
Each dried
denucleated date (~24 g) contains 67 calories and approximately 18 g of
carbohydrates (1).
Controlling
blood sugar levels in people with diabetes can be challenging, and people with
the disease are often advised to pay attention to their carbohydrate intake.
Given its high
carbohydrate content, the date may be of concern.
However, if you have
diabetes, consuming dates in moderation can be part of a healthy diet (2, 3).
A dried date
contains nearly 2 grams of fiber, or 8% of the Daily Value (DV) (1, 2).
This is
important because dietary fiber can help your body absorb carbohydrates at a
slower rate, which is especially important for people with diabetes. The more
slowly carbohydrates are digested, the less likely it is that blood sugar will
spike after eating (4).
Summary: dates
have an impressive nutritional profile, but are very sweet. However, they are
rich in fiber and help your body absorb sugar more slowly. When consumed in
moderation, they are a safe and healthy choice for diabetics.
How
dates affect blood sugar
The
glycemic index (GI) is one way to measure the effectiveness of carbohydrates in
your blood sugar levels (5).
It measures from
0 to 100, and pure glucose (sugar) is specified as 100 — the highest value your
blood sugar can spike after you've eaten food.
Low GI
carbohydrates have a GI of 55 or less, while high GI carbohydrates are 70 or
higher. Medium GI carbohydrates are in the middle, with GI levels 56-69(5).
In other words,
foods with low gi do not cause significant fluctuations in blood sugar and
insulin levels.
Foods with high QI,
on the other hand, can cause blood sugar to rise rapidly. This often causes a
sharp drop in blood sugar, especially in diabetics, whose bodies have a harder
time controlling these changes.
People with
diabetes should generally try to stick to foods with low gi. This helps them
control blood sugar levels. In people with type 2 diabetes, sugar accumulates
in the blood and rises to dangerously high levels.
Fortunately,
although they are sweet, dates have a low gi. This means that they are safe for
people with diabetes if consumed in moderation.
One study
examined 1.8 ounces (50 grams) of GI in five common date palm varieties. It
found that their GI was generally lower, between 44 and 53, and could vary
slightly depending on the type of date (6).
There was no
significant difference in THE GI measured in diabetics and non-diabetics (6).
Another useful
measure of the effect of food on blood sugar is blood glucose load (GL). Unlike
GI, GL takes into account the portion consumed in that particular service and
the number of carbohydrates (7).
To calculate gl,
multiply the gi of the food by the grams of carbohydrates you consume, and then
divide by 100.
This means that two
dried dates (48 grams) will contain about 36 grams of carbohydrates and about
49 gigs. The calculated GL is approximately 18(1, 6, 7).
Low gl carbs are
between 1 and 10; medium gl carbs are between 11 and 19, and high gl carbs are
measured at 20 or higher. This means that a snack consisting of 2 dates
contains medium gl.
If you have
diabetes, the goal is to eat no more than 1 or 2 dates at a time. Eating them
with a protein source, such as a handful of nuts, can also make their
carbohydrates digest more slowly, further helping to prevent blood sugar
spikes.
Summary: Dates
have a lower GI, which means they are less likely to send your blood sugar
levels soaring, making them a safe choice for people with diabetes. In
addition, dates have medium GL, which means that 1 or 2 fruits at a time are a
good choice.
Conclusion
Dates have an
impressive nutritional profile and a natural sweetness.
Because they are
a natural source of fructose, diabetics may be concerned about them.
However, because
they have low gi and medium gl, they are safe for moderately diabetics – which
means no more than 1 to 2 appointments at a time.