Medjool dates are a variety of dates enjoyed for their natural sweetness. They’re larger, darker, and more caramel-like in taste than other common types like Deglet Noor.
As tropical stone fruits, they have a single pit surrounded by edible flesh.
Native to Morocco, Medjool dates come from the date palm tree (Phoenix dactylifera) and are now grown in warm regions of the United States, the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa.
They’re often sold dried but not dehydrated, making them soft and sticky. Their sugars become more concentrated as they dry, which further increases their sweetness.
This article tells you all you need to know about the nutritional content, benefits, and uses of Medjool dates.
Medjool dates are a concentrated source of healthy nutrients. Just 2 dates (48 grams) provide (1Trusted Source):
- Calories: 133
- Carbs: 36 grams
- Fiber: 3.2 grams
- Protein: 0.8 grams
- Sugar: 32 grams
- Fat: 0 grams
- Calcium: 2% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Iron: 2% of the DV
- Potassium: 7% of the DV
- Copper: 19% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 7% of the DV
- Magnesium: 6% of the DV
Dates offer a significant amount of fiber and variety of vitamins and minerals, including iron, potassium, B vitamins, copper, and magnesium (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source).
Compared with other common varieties like Deglet Noor, Medjool dates contain significantly more calcium (1Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).
Calorie and sugar content
Dates are a concentrated source of natural sugars.
While people who monitor their blood sugar may need to moderate their intake of dates, one small study found that this stone fruit has a low glycemic index (GI) and shouldn’t cause large increases in blood sugar (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).
Yet, Medjool dates pack many calories in a small serving. For this reason, you may want to keep your intake in check.
Dried fruits, which also include raisins, dried apricots, and prunes, contain more calories per serving than their fresh counterparts because they have less water (6Trusted Source).
Most of the calories in Medjool dates come from their sugars (2Trusted Source).
SUMMARYMedjool dates are rich in natural sugars, fiber, and several vitamins and minerals. Like other dried fruits, they pack a lot of calories in a small serving.
