Dates, Calories, Nutrition
Carbs, Dietary Fiber, Fats, Sugars

Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites

How About a Date for Your Diet Plan

A gentleman at my church who was close to 100 years old told me a joke about a date one Sunday morning that cracked me up. I still smile when I think about that joke, and about him.

It went something like...'Do you know why the raisin took the fig to the fair? Because he couldn't get a date..."

It was even funnier because of the precious gentleman who told me the joke.

But as for all of us - we can indeed get a date for our diet plan! It's a healthy choice, even in its dried state. It contains from just under 1 upwards to 2 dietary fiber grams per date. Because a serving size is generally five dates, that could mean about 10 fiber grams added to your daily diet!

And they are so sweet, they are more like a dessert than not.

Recipes Using Dates

Generally they are used for desserts or appetizers. Where appetizers are concerned, chefs like to stuff them with cream cheese. Now of course, that takes the otherwise healthy choice and twists it into a very bad choice.

My mother had a recipe for date nut roll. As a child I couldn't wait for her to make this during the holidays - and that's the only time of the year that she did such.

The recipe was basically pounds of white sugar and cream that were cooked to a soft stage, then plied with lots of chopped dates and pecans. Sometimes she would use walnuts if they were cheaper at the market, but generally it was pecans. My dad and I loved to hunt pecans on the road sides when I was a kid and it's still one of my favorite memories of him.

When my mother made the date nut roll, she would yell at me and my brother to get out of the kitchen because the sugary mixture had to be boiled. It pays to be cautious!

After it reached the correct stage, she would pour the boiling liquid onto a cheese cloth. When it was cool enough to be handled, she would form the mixture into a roll and put it into the freezer section of our icebox to cool.

Once it was set, she would unroll it, then slice it into layers. It was so delicious - but probably contained a zillion calories per slice.

Healthier ways to use dates includes putting them into your hot or warm cereal.

They are also great as a trail mix when combined with nuts and other dried fruits. When enjoyed in moderation, they can fit into almost any diet plan.

Nutritional Values for Deglet Noor & Medjool Dates

Return to Food Calorie & Nutrition Index