Boost Your Gut Health: Discover the Benefits of Dates for Digestive Health

In today’s modern world, and especially for those consuming a Western diet, it’s not uncommon to experience digestive disturbances such as food sensitivities, indigestion, constipation, acid reflux, or some iteration of irritable bowel syndrome.

While our ancestors consumed exclusively whole foods from plants and animals, we’ve come to rely more and more on pre-packaged and processed foods while consuming less of the foods that promote healthy bodily functions, like digestion. 

Digestion plays a pivotal role in metabolizing and absorbing the nutrients from the foods we eat. When it’s not working at peak levels, our bodies may not be reaping all the benefits of those foods, leading to potential illness or disease.

Fiber is an essential piece of the digestive health puzzle. According to a 2017 study, only 5% of Americans get the recommended daily amount of dietary fiber. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends teen and adult women consume 25-30g per day, while adolescent and adult men should be consuming 30-35g per day. Alarmingly, most Americans are only getting 10-15g per day.

That’s where the date fruit comes into play as not only a great source of fiber but also as a nutrient-dense snack that promotes digestive health.

 

The Nutritional Profile of Dates for Digestive Health

According to Food Data Central, 100 grams of Deglet Noor dates contain:

• 282 calories
• 45 g of protein
• 75 g of carbohydrates. Of those, 8 g are fiber and 63 g are natural sugars
• 39 mg of calcium
• 43 mg of magnesium
• 62 mg of phosphorous
• 656 mg of potassium

 

Other nutrients such as iron, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, vitamin Bs and vitamin C are also found in dates in smaller amounts.

 

 

Fiber and Its Role in Digestion 

Dietary fiber is essential for healthy digestion. Although the body can’t break down and absorb fiber, it acts as rough matter that helps move food along the digestive tract while bulking up stool.

There are two types of fiber classification.

 

Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like mass. This type of fiber helps keep blood sugar levels balanced and promotes lower cholesterol levels. It’s found in foods such as apples, citrus, carrots, pears, beans, oats and barley.

 

Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, helps move the food through the digestive system, increasing stool bulk. This type of fiber can be found in whole-wheat flour, beans, nuts and vegetables such as cauliflower, potatoes and green beans.

 

A high-fiber diet promotes regular bowel movements and bowel health, lowers cholesterol, helps control blood sugar levels, contributes to achieving a healthy weight and even helps you live longer.

 

Do Dates Help with Constipation? 

Dates are a rich source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, with about 84-94% being insoluble and 6-16% soluble. With just 100 grams of dates per day, you can achieve 1/3 – 1/4 of the recommended daily intake for women and men, respectively.

 

Because of their high fiber content, dates can help promote regular bowel movements and prevent constipation.

 

The natural sugars and potassium found in dates also act as a natural laxative, benefiting individuals with irregular bowel movements.

 

The Prebiotic Benefits of Dates for Digestive Health 

Dates are also a good source of prebiotics. They contain compounds called fructans, which are fermentable fibers that feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut, helping them grow stronger and multiply and reduce the presence of harmful bacteria.

 

Good gut bacteria are essential to preserving the lining of the gut. When the lining is compromised, partially digested food can leak through the lining and cause uncomfortable symptoms such as bloating, gas, indigestion and food sensitivities.

 

Are Dates Anti-Inflammatory? 

The antioxidant polyphenols found in dates can reduce inflammation in the digestive tract. They can be particularly beneficial for those suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s.

 

Chronic inflammation, if left untreated, can lead to a host of diseases, including cancer and diabetes.

 

Antioxidants are chemicals that deactivate free radicals—an unstable molecule made during normal cell metabolism. When these build up in cells, they can cause damage to other molecules such as lipids, DNA and proteins, increasing the risk of cancer and other diseases. 

 

Dates contain several antioxidant compounds that can help reduce chronic gut inflammation, leading to better digestive health.

 

Dates and Blood Sugar Control

The fiber found in dates can help promote healthy blood sugar regulation. The fiber naturally slows digestion so the body doesn’t absorb too much sugar at once, preventing excessive sugar spikes and promoting insulin sensitivity. Maintaining healthy blood sugars is essential for preventing type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases. Studies have also found that consuming dates benefits glycemic control among patients with an existing diabetes diagnosis.

Read more about dates and the glycemic index here.

 

Dates as a Better Alternative to Refined Sugar 

Dates contain abundant natural sugars, including sucrose, glucose and fructose. These natural sugars are digested slower than refined sugar and help keep your metabolism stable. These sugars are safe to consume, of course, in moderation.

 

Diets high in refined sugars and artificial sweeteners promote the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut, which compete with good bacteria and can cause disruptions to the intestinal barrier.

 

Conclusion

Eating dates is a delicious and natural way to supplement and boost your digestive health. Dates contain high amounts of dietary fiber and antioxidants, which are key to maintaining regular bowel movements and preventing constipation and inflammatory conditions such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. Dates are also great allies for the beneficial bacteria in your gut as they contain compounds that act as prebiotics.

 

We love how versatile and easy they are to incorporate into our diet. You can consume them as a snack stuffed with peanut butter and dipped in chocolate, toss them in your breakfast smoothie, or try our Nutrient Rich Date Syrup, Recipe-Ready Date Paste, or Nutrient-Dense Date Sugar as alternatives to refined sugars.

 

If you’re in the mood for a sweet treat, try our recipe for Chewy No-Bake Strawberry Granola Bars or our Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies. For a sweet and tasty beverage free of refined sugars, try our Vegan Gingerbread Spiced Iced Coffee or Golden Milk recipes. Enjoy!