A single pitted Medjool date contains about 66 calories. A Deglet Noor date, the smaller variety you’ll often find in boxes at the grocery store, has roughly 23 calories per piece. That size difference matters a lot when you’re snacking, so knowing which type you’re eating is the first step to tracking your intake accurately.
Calories by Variety
Medjool dates are the large, soft, caramel-like dates often sold loose in the produce section. One pitted Medjool date weighs about 24 grams and delivers 66 calories, with 18 grams of carbohydrates. Of those carbs, nearly 16 grams come from natural sugars and about 1.6 grams from fiber. Fat and protein are negligible.
Deglet Noor dates are smaller, firmer, and slightly less sweet. A single pitted Deglet Noor date contains 23 calories and 6 grams of carbohydrates, with 5.3 grams of sugar and 0.7 grams of fiber. You’d need to eat roughly three Deglet Noor dates to match the calories of one Medjool. This makes Deglet Noor a better option if you want to eat more pieces while keeping calories in check.
Fresh Dates vs. Dried Dates
Most dates sold in Western grocery stores are semi-dried or fully dried, not fresh. The distinction matters because drying concentrates both calories and sugar. Fresh dates are about 60% water, while dried dates contain only about 25% water. Per 100 grams, fresh dates have roughly 142 calories compared to 277 for dried. That’s nearly double the calorie density.
Dried dates are more convenient and available year-round, but they’re also easier to overeat because each bite packs more calories without the water content that helps you feel full. If you come across fresh dates (they’re sometimes available in late summer and fall), they’ll taste less intensely sweet and be noticeably juicier.
Sugar Content and Blood Sugar Effects
Dates are one of the sweetest whole fruits you can eat. A single Medjool date is roughly 89% sugar by carbohydrate weight, which understandably makes people wonder about blood sugar spikes. The glycemic index of dates varies by variety and ripeness, ranging from about 36 to 75. Many common varieties fall in the low-to-medium GI range (55 or below), which means they raise blood sugar more gradually than you might expect from something so sweet.
The fiber in dates slows digestion, which helps moderate the blood sugar response. Dates that are more commercially processed and fully dried tend to have a lower glycemic index (around 35) than semi-ripe dates (around 47). The glycemic load of a single date is low simply because you’re eating a small amount of carbohydrate per piece. Eating three or four at a time changes that equation, though, so portion size still matters.
What Else Dates Offer Nutritionally
Dates aren’t just sugar. They’re a meaningful source of potassium, providing roughly 167 milligrams per Medjool date. That’s comparable to half a small banana. Per 100 grams, dates deliver around 850 to 890 milligrams of potassium and about 56 to 59 milligrams of magnesium. They also contain vitamin B6, copper, and manganese in smaller amounts.
The fiber in dates is mostly insoluble, the type that supports digestive regularity by adding bulk. Across varieties, insoluble fiber makes up 78% to 92% of total fiber content. The remaining 8% to 22% is soluble fiber, which helps feed beneficial gut bacteria and can support healthy cholesterol levels. Total fiber content ranges from about 6 to 10 grams per 100 grams of fruit depending on variety.
How Many Dates Per Day
A reasonable daily portion is two to four Medjool dates or six to eight Deglet Noor dates, depending on your overall calorie needs. Four Medjool dates add up to about 265 calories and 64 grams of sugar, which is a significant chunk of a 2,000-calorie diet. If you’re using dates as a sweetener in smoothies or energy balls, it’s worth counting them as part of your sugar and calorie totals rather than treating them as a “free” health food.
Two Medjool dates (about 48 grams) make a practical serving: enough to satisfy a sweet craving with around 133 calories while delivering fiber, potassium, and quick energy. They pair well with a small handful of nuts or a spoonful of nut butter, which adds protein and fat to slow digestion even further.