Reasons Why Dates Are So Popular Among Fitness Lovers

This page asks a plain question: what do dates offer someone who exercises? We have no survey showing whether dates rank among the most popular fruits with people who exercise, so it sticks to what is measurable: what a date contains, what has actually been tested, and which of the old claims on this page did not hold up.

Carbohydrate first

The first benefit of dates for anyone training is carbohydrate. Per 100 g, USDA FoodData Central lists Medjool dates at 277 kcal and 75.0 g of carbohydrate, of which 66.5 g is sugars. Deglet Noor has 282 kcal, 75.0 g of carbohydrate and 63.4 g of sugars. One pitted Medjool date weighs 24 g in that record, so three of them carry roughly 54 g of carbohydrate.

How fast that sugar reaches the blood has been measured. A study of 17 Saudi date varieties in 19 healthy adults found a mean glycaemic index of 55.2, ranging from 42.8 to 74.6, with no significant difference in GI between the varieties. A study by researchers at United Arab Emirates University, testing five varieties in 13 healthy volunteers, found GI values between 46.3 and 55.1, and its authors described them as low.

What has been tested in exercise

Less than you might expect. We searched PubMed for date fruit together with exercise, athlete, performance, glycogen or muscle terms, limited to trials. It returned three records: one in Muscovy ducks, one on taste loss after COVID-19, and one on date seed powder. None tested people eating the fruit around exercise.

The seed study is worth separating out, because it tested the seed, not the fruit. In that trial, 36 recreational runners were randomly assigned to 26 g a day of date seed powder or wheat bran powder for 14 days of high-intensity interval training. Compared with placebo, the seed group showed significant downward trends in some inflammation and muscle-damage markers, including C-reactive protein and creatine kinase, while others such as myoglobin did not change significantly. Body composition did not change either. That was ground seed, not the fruit you eat.

A 2026 review argues that dates provide rapid and sustained energy while supporting glycogen replenishment, and calls them a candidate for sports products such as energy bars. The same review says future research should focus on optimising formulations for athlete recovery and performance. That is a case for testing, not a finished result.

Potassium and fibre

Medjool has 696 mg of potassium per 100 g and Deglet Noor 656 mg. The NHS says potassium helps control the balance of fluids in the body and that adults aged 19 to 64 need 3,500mg a day, which it says you should be able to get from your daily diet.

Fibre is 6.7 g per 100 g for Medjool and 8.0 g for Deglet Noor. The NHS counts foods with 6g or more of fibre in every 100g as high-fibre. In a randomized crossover study, 22 healthy volunteers ate seven dates (approximately 50 g) in a 21-day intervention arm, and bowel movements and stool frequency rose significantly compared with baseline.

What the old version got wrong

This page used to say dates are high in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, fat, protein and iron. The USDA records say otherwise. Medjool has 0.15 g of fat and 1.81 g of protein per 100 g, 7 µg of vitamin A (RAE) and 0.0 mg of vitamin C. Deglet Noor has 0.4 mg of vitamin C, 0.05 mg of vitamin E and 1.02 mg of iron. The NHS says men aged 19 and over need 8.7mg of iron a day and women aged 19 to 49 need 14.8mg, so 100 g of Deglet Noor gives less than an eighth of the men’s figure. The NHS list of foods to eat more of for iron deficiency anaemia names dried apricots, prunes and raisins, not dates.

It also said dates lower bad cholesterol. In a small pilot study, ten healthy people ate 100 g a day of Medjool or Hallawi dates for 4 weeks. Their total, LDL and HDL cholesterol did not change significantly; triglycerides fell by 8% with Medjool and 15% with Hallawi. The hormone, body temperature and detox claims had no source at all, so they are gone.

Fitting dates into a training week

The NHS asks adults for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity, plus strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week. Dates can be part of the food around that. The NHS says a 30g portion of dried fruit, such as currants, dates, sultanas and figs, counts as 1 of your 5 A Day, but should be eaten at mealtimes, not as a snack between meals, to reduce the impact on teeth. More on everyday eating is in our healthy foods section. See also our about us page.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor about any health concern.

References

1. USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, 2019). Dates, medjool, FDC ID 168191. fdc.nal.usda.gov
2. USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, 2019). Dates, deglet noor, FDC ID 171726. fdc.nal.usda.gov
3. AlGeffari MA, Almogbel ES, Alhomaidan HT, et al. Glycemic indices, glycemic load and glycemic response for seventeen varieties of dates grown in Saudi Arabia. Ann Saudi Med. 2016;36(6):397-403. PubMed 27920411
4. Alkaabi JM, Al-Dabbagh B, Ahmad S, et al. Glycemic indices of five varieties of dates in healthy and diabetic subjects. Nutr J. 2011;10:59. PubMed 21619670
5. Moslemi E, Dehghan P, Khalafi M. Effectiveness of supplementation with date seed (Phoenix dactylifera) as a functional food on inflammatory markers, muscle damage, and BDNF following high-intensity interval training. Eur J Nutr. 2023;62(5):2001-2014. PubMed 36881179
6. Khedr EH, Alomran MM. Harnessing the power of date fruit: nutritional, bioactive, and functional roles in sustainable nutrition. Biodegradation. 2026;37(4):108. PubMed 42384208
7. Eid N, Osmanova H, Natchez C, et al. Impact of palm date consumption on microbiota growth and large intestinal health. Br J Nutr. 2015;114(8):1226-36. PubMed 26428278
8. Rock W, Rosenblat M, Borochov-Neori H, et al. Effects of date (Phoenix dactylifera L., Medjool or Hallawi variety) consumption by healthy subjects on serum glucose and lipid levels and on serum oxidative status: a pilot study. J Agric Food Chem. 2009;57(17):8010-7. PubMed 19681613
9. NHS. Vitamins and minerals: others. nhs.uk
10. NHS. Vitamins and minerals: iron. nhs.uk
11. NHS. Iron deficiency anaemia. nhs.uk
12. NHS. How to get more fibre into your diet. nhs.uk
13. NHS. Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64. nhs.uk
14. NHS. 5 A Day: what counts? nhs.uk