Dates are weird. They look like giant raisins, feel like sticky caramel, and contain enough sugar to make a dentist sweat. But everyone calls them a "superfood." If you've ever sat down with a box of Medjools and realized you accidentally ate six of them in five minutes, your first thought was probably: Wait, how many calories in a date anyway?
You aren't alone. It's a tricky question because "a date" isn't a standard unit of measurement. It’s like asking how much a dog weighs. Are we talking about a Chihuahua or a Great Dane? In the world of dried fruit, that’s the difference between a tiny Deglet Noor and a plump, trophy-sized Medjool.
Most of the time, a single Medjool date packs about 66 calories.
That might sound like a lot for one bite. It is. But that number doesn't tell the whole story of how your body actually processes that sugar or why athletes swear by them.
The Medjool vs. Deglet Noor calorie showdown
If you walk into a grocery store like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, you’re basically looking at two main contenders.
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The Medjool is the king. It's soft, maple-syrupy, and expensive. One average Medjool (about 24 grams) hits that 66-calorie mark. If you eat three of them, you’ve just consumed 198 calories. That’s roughly the same as a medium-sized candy bar, but with way more potassium and fiber.
Then there’s the Deglet Noor. These are the "common" dates. They’re smaller, firmer, and often sold pitted in bags for baking. A single Deglet Noor is usually only 20 calories. You can eat three of these for the caloric "price" of one Medjool.
Why the size matters for your waistline
The USDA FoodData Central database breaks this down by weight, which is honestly the only way to be precise. Dates are roughly 80% sugar by dry weight. Whether it's glucose, fructose, or sucrose depends on the variety and ripeness. For every 100 grams of dates, you’re looking at about 277 to 282 calories.
Think about it this way: 100 grams is about four large Medjools.
Are these "empty" calories?
Actually, no. Not even close.
If you ate 66 calories of pure white table sugar, your blood glucose would spike like a heart rate monitor during a horror movie. Dates are different because they are loaded with insoluble and soluble fiber. One Medjool gives you nearly 2 grams of fiber. That fiber acts like a speed bump. It slows down how fast the sugar hits your bloodstream.
I’ve seen hikers and ultra-marathoners pull these out of their packs instead of those expensive chemical gels. There’s a reason for that. According to a study published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, dates have a low glycemic index (GI). Despite being sweet, they don’t usually cause the massive insulin dump people expect.
But—and this is a big "but"—you still have to count them.
Calories are units of energy. If you don't burn that energy, your body stores it. Eating five Medjools as a "light snack" adds 330 calories to your day. That’s more than a glazed donut from Dunkin'.
Micronutrients: What you get for your 66 calories
Most people focus on the sugar, but dates are basically a multivitamin grew on a palm tree.
- Potassium: They have more per gram than bananas. This helps with muscle contractions and heart rhythm.
- Magnesium: Great for bone health and reducing inflammation.
- Copper and Manganese: Trace minerals that your metabolism needs to function.
- Antioxidants: Dates are high in flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic acid. These are the compounds that help your cells fight off oxidative stress.
Honestly, the antioxidant profile of dates is actually higher than many other dried fruits like figs or plums. Research from the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine suggests that these compounds might even help with brain health by reducing plaque formation.
The "Date Myth" in pregnancy and labor
There is this fascinating bit of medical folklore that actually turned out to be true. You’ll often hear people ask how many calories in a date because they’re trying to eat exactly six a day during their third trimester.
Why six?
A famous study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology followed women who ate six Deglet Noor dates (roughly 120 calories total) daily for the last four weeks of pregnancy. The results were wild. The women who ate the dates had significantly higher cervical dilation upon arrival at the hospital and a much shorter first stage of labor.
It wasn't magic. It was likely the way compounds in the dates mimic oxytocin and help the body prepare for birth. So, in that specific context, those 120 calories are some of the most productive calories a person could eat.
How to use dates without overdoing the calories
If you're watching your weight, you've gotta be smart. Don't just mindlessly snack on them while watching Netflix. You'll finish the bag before the first commercial break.
Try the "Stuffed Nut" trick.
Take one Medjool (66 calories). Split it open. Remove the pit. Put one almond or half a walnut inside. The fat and protein from the nut further slow down the sugar absorption and make you feel fuller. You get a "dessert" for under 100 calories that actually satisfies a craving.
The Smoothie Sweetener
Stop using honey or agave. Drop one or two dates into your blender. You get the sweetness plus the fiber. Just remember to subtract those 132 calories from whatever else you were planning to put in there.
The "Caramel" Hack
If you soak dates in hot water and then blend them, you get a paste. It looks and tastes exactly like caramel. Bakers use this to make "healthy" Snickers bars or vegan brownies. It's a great substitute, but it isn't "free." The calorie count remains the same.
A quick reality check on "Fresh" vs "Dried"
Here is something that trips people up: almost all dates sold in the US are technically "dried," even the ones that feel squishy and fresh. They are left on the tree until they lose most of their moisture.
If you ever find truly "fresh" dates (Kimri or Khalal stages), they look like yellow or red grapes. They are crunchy and astringent. They also have much lower calories because they are full of water. But most of us are eating the "Tamr" stage—the dark, wrinkled, calorie-dense version.
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The bottom line on date nutrition
You shouldn't be afraid of dates, but you should respect them.
They are dense. They are heavy. They are delicious.
If you are a 180-pound athlete, eating four dates before a workout is a brilliant move for sustained energy. If you are sitting at a desk all day, those same four dates might be more than your body needs at once.
The calorie count is just a number on a page until you put it into the context of your life.
Actionable takeaways for your diet
- Treat Medjools like a dessert, not a snack. One is usually enough to kill a sugar craving.
- Check the ingredients. Some cheap brands add "glucose syrup" to make them shinier. You don't need extra sugar on a fruit that is already 80% sugar. Buy them plain.
- Store them in the fridge. They stay fresher longer, and the cold temperature makes them chewier, which forces you to eat them slower.
- Watch the "pitted" trap. Pitted dates are easier to eat, which means you'll likely eat more of them. Buying them with pits intact makes you work for your food, giving your brain time to realize it’s full.
- Pair them wisely. Always eat a date with a source of protein or fat—like a piece of cheese or a few nuts—to keep your insulin levels stable.
Understanding how many calories in a date is the first step toward using them as a tool for health rather than a trap for weight gain. Use them as a natural replacement for processed sugars, and your body will definitely notice the difference.
Next Steps for Your Health Journey
To manage your caloric intake effectively, start by weighing your dates on a kitchen scale for one week. Since sizes vary wildly, getting a feel for what 24 grams (one Medjool) actually looks like will prevent "portion creep." If you're using them for athletic performance, try consuming two Medjools exactly 30 minutes before your next HIIT session or long run to see how your energy levels respond compared to artificial gels. For those using dates for digestive health, stick to two Deglet Noors a day to increase fiber without overloading on fructose.