Dates

Phoenix dactylifera · Palm family (Arecaceae)

Hi, I'm a Date! I'm sweet and sticky, and I grow in big bunches on palm trees.

Dates
Image: ORGANIChouse · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What does it help with?

  • Energy

    Dates are full of natural sugar, so they give you quick energy to run and play.

    🟢 Scientists are sure

  • Vitamins & good food

    Dates also give you fiber The chewy part of plants that helps your tummy and poop move well. for your tummy and potassium for your muscles.

    🟢 Scientists are sure

What do the colored dots mean?
  • 🟢 Scientists are sure Strong evidence (several good human trials)
  • 🟡 Scientists think so Some evidence (small human studies)
  • 🟠 Still being studied Early evidence (lab or animal studies only)
  • 🔵 Grandma's wisdom Traditional use (not scientifically confirmed)

How we grade evidence

Careful if…

For kids OK in normal food Pills, powders & oils: ask a grown-up first

Dates are a great snack for kids. Take out the pit first — it is hard and can make little kids choke. Brush your teeth after sticky snacks!

  • Pregnancy

    👀 Be careful

    Mums near the end of pregnancy can talk to their midwife about eating dates.

  • Diabetes medicines

    👀 Be careful

    People with diabetes should count their dates, because dates are very sweet.

Natural does not always mean safe. Always ask a grown-up before trying something new, and a doctor or pharmacist before taking any supplement. Try the safety check →

What is it?

Dates are the fruit of the date palm. The tall palm grows in hot oases, where its roots can find water.

Dates are very sweet and give quick energy. In Morocco, families break the Ramadan fast with dates and milk.

How people use it

In the kitchen

  • Eaten with milk to break the fast in Ramadan.
  • In tagines, couscous and pastries.
  • Blended into smoothies as a natural sweetener.

Traditional uses

🔵 Grandma's wisdom — not proven by science

  • Offered to guests as a sign of welcome.

Home & garden

  • Palm leaves are woven into baskets and mats.

Fun facts

  1. The famous Medjool (Majhoul) date comes from Morocco!

  2. Dates grow in big, heavy bunches at the top of the palm tree.

  3. Date palms grow in oases, green islands of life in the desert.

Grow it yourself

  • Tricky
  • Lots of sun
  • Regular water
  • Grows in a pot
  • Many years — date palms take a long time to give fruit
  1. Wash a date pit and soak it in water for a few days.
  2. Plant it in a tall pot with sandy soil.
  3. Keep it warm. A thin green shoot can take weeks to appear.
  4. Enjoy your baby palm as a houseplant!

Quiz time!

Answer 3 questions. Get 2 right to win this plant’s badge for your garden!

  1. Where do date palms grow best?

  2. Which famous date comes from Morocco?

  3. What should you do before giving a date to a little kid?

Your plant card

Print it, cut it out and collect them all!

Dates

Phoenix dactylifera

Superpowers
Energy Vitamins & good food
Careful
Pregnancy, Diabetes medicines
Growing
⭐⭐⭐

🤩 The famous Medjool (Majhoul) date comes from Morocco!

supplementsmorocco.com

For grown-ups: science, amounts & safety

Tap to open

General information, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before using any herbal supplement — especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding, for children, before surgery, or if you take medicines. Medical disclaimer

What the research says

Use Evidence Details
Energy 🟢 Strong evidence (several good human trials) Per 100 g, Medjool dates provide about 277 kcal and 66 g of sugars[1].
Vitamins & good food 🟢 Strong evidence (several good human trials) Per 100 g, Medjool dates provide 6.7 g fibre, 696 mg potassium and 54 mg magnesium[1].

Who should be careful & interactions

  • 👀 Be careful Pregnancy: A 2024 meta-analysis of 48 studies found that eating dates in late pregnancy was linked to shorter labour and less need for induction, with no clear differences in infant outcomes; the authors call for better-designed studies[2]. Discuss with your midwife or doctor, especially if you have gestational diabetes.
  • 👀 Be careful Diabetes medicines: With about 66 g of sugars per 100 g[1], dates should be counted as part of carbohydrate intake by people with diabetes.

Nutrition (per 100 g of Medjool dates (about 4 dates))[1]

Energy 277 kcal
Carbohydrates 75 g
Sugars 66.5 g
Fiber 6.7 g
Protein 1.8 g
Potassium 696 mg
Magnesium 54 mg
Calcium 64 mg
Iron 0.9 mg

Names & identifiers

Scientific name
Phoenix dactylifera
Also called
Date palm, Medjool
Wikidata
Q25292

Sources

  1. Dates, medjool (FDC ID 168191) USDA FoodData Central · Database
  2. Is oral consumption of dates (Phoenix dactylifera L. fruit) in the peripartum period effective and safe integrative care to facilitate childbirth and improve perinatal outcomes: a comprehensive revised systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth · 2024 · Research review · PubMed

✅ Reviewed by sm_owner on September 26, 2026.

Last updated September 25, 2026. How we write and check our pages

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