Dates are one of the most delicious dried fruits to exist. Whether you eat them on their own, use them as a natural sweetener, or turn them into these carrot cake protein balls, their caramel-like flavour always shines through. Which is why their nickname ‘nature’s candy’ is well and truly an accurate one. Of course, there’s also something satisfying about knowing that the ‘candy’ you’re eating is providing you with essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. But if you’re starting your keto or low-carb journey, you may be wondering a very important question: are dates keto?
While dates provide plenty of health benefits, their high carb content make it difficult to fit into a ketogenic diet.
The full story has a little more nuance, so let’s take a further look into why dates might not be keto-friendly, their health benefits, and some better alternatives for those on a keto diet.
What makes a food keto?
A ketogenic diet is a low carb, high fat diet, so limiting your daily carb intake is crucial – especially since this is how you reach the state of ketosis (when your body starts burning fat for fuel instead of carbs). And staying in ketosis means limiting your daily carb intake to no more than ~ 50 grams. So most foods that are low carb (and often high fat) are keto-friendly. Think eggs, meat, avocados, and leafy greens.
Dates are made up of around 75% carbs, with the majority coming from naturally occurring sugars like fructose and glucose. This means that a 100 gram serving of medjool dates is already enough to push you out of ketosis. So unless you’re only eating 1 or 2 dates at a time (let’s be real, most of us aren’t), their carb content doesn’t make them the most suitable for a ketogenic diet.
Nutritional breakdown of dates
According to Healthline, a 100 gram serving of dried medjool dates (approx. 4 large dates) contains the following nutrients:
- Calories: 277
- Carbs: 77 grams
- Fiber: 7 grams
- Sugar: 66 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
- Potassium: 15% Daily Value (DV)
- Copper: 40% DV
- Iron: 5% DV
- Vitamin B6: 15% DV
- Magnesium: 13% DV
There’s no denying that dates are a nutrient-dense fruit, but as mentioned earlier, they are contain significant amounts of carbs/sugar.
Health benefits of dates
While dates might not be keto friendly, there are plenty of health benefits that are worth noting for those not on a strict ketogenic diet.
- High in fiber: Dates contain plenty of fiber which is crucial for our digestive health (like going to the toilet regularly)
- Full of antioxidants: These protect your body from certain diseases, increase heart health, and reduce inflammation.
- Improve brain function: Some studies have suggested that dates lower inflammation and plaques from forming in the brain – which can decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
- Better bone health: The minerals found in dates are great in keeping out bones healthy and preventing bone disease.
How to fit dates into a keto diet
If you are someone who just can’t give up dates, you might be able to get away with eating up to 1 or 2 a day. However, this number will vary depending on the type of date you eat and the other carbs you’re consuming that day, so a little calculating will definitely be necessary.
Fresh dates are also a better option than dried, since these are less concentrated and contain less carbs.
The reality is that since dates take up so much of the daily carb limit on a keto diet, it is probably better to have them as an occasional treat, rather than every day.
Keto friendly alternatives to dates
While dates aren’t best suited for a ketogenic diet, there are plenty of other low-carb fruits and sweet snacks you can choose instead.
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Peaches
- Dried or fresh coconut
- 70% or higher dark chocolate
- Keto bars
Final answer: Are dates keto?
While dates are nutritious and offer many health benefits, they are not a keto friendly fruit. It might be possible to consume 1 or 2 without coming out of ketosis, but a single date will take up a huge portion of your daily carb allowance.
This raises an important question: Are dates the best use of your daily carb intake?
If you’re craving something sweet on a keto diet, low-carb fruits like berries, higher percentage dark chocolate, or keto bars might be better alternatives.
And if you prefer something more satisfying than sweets, try my Low-Carb, High-Protein bread. It’s keto friendly (only 4 grams of carbs per slice) and makes a great everyday snack.
FAQs
Can you eat dates on a low-carb (not strict keto) diet?
If you’re following a moderate low-carb diet (50–100g carbs per day), you may be able to fit in a small portion of dates. However, you’ll still need to calculate how many dates you can eat depending on your carb limit.
Are other date products like date syrup, date sugar, or date paste, keto friendly?
Sadly, no. All of these date-based sweeteners are made from blended or ground dates, so consuming these is incompatible with a keto diet in most cases.
Are dried dates more concentrated in sugar than fresh dates?
Dried dates have a higher sugar and carb content, since most of the water has been removed. Keep in mind, most dates on the market are dried.
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