If you’re an athlete, you know that proper nutrition and energy balance are key factors for performing at your best and achieving your desired results. Nutrients like carbohydrates, protein, potassium, sodium and magnesium can help not only performance but also the recovery process.

Cue in the date fruit—a wonderfully delicious but also nutritious snack that can support overall health and provide the essential nutrients needed to achieve your athletic performance goals.

In this article, we’ll explore the nutritional profile of dates, their benefits for athletes, and our best tips for consuming dates to optimize performance and recovery.

Nutritional Profile of Dates

This sweet, fleshy stone fruit comes from the date palm. Primarily grown in the Canary Islands, northern Africa, the Middle East, Pakistan, India, Mexico and California, the date fruit is one of the oldest plants in the world. It has long been used as a quick energy source across many cultures.

But dates are so much more than a delicious, naturally carby snack. Research has found that dates also contain a rich nutritional profile. The primary nutrients found in dates include:

• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Phosphorous
• Selenium
• Copper
• Iron
• Vitamin Bs
• Vitamin C
• Fiber
• Antioxidants such as carotenoids and polyphenols
• Small amounts of protein

The Benefits of Dates for Athletes

Dates can provide a range of benefits for athletes. From providing energy to supplying essential nutrients that aid muscle recovery and promote heart health, they can be a great addition to an athlete’s diet. 

They’re an excellent source of energy

Perhaps one of the most well-known benefits of dates is that they are a good energy source due to their high carbohydrate content. Dates contain sucrose, fructose and glucose, making them an ideal pre-workout snack. For example, 100 g of dried Deglet Noor dates contain 282 calories, making them beneficial to consume before your workout to ensure you have the energy needed to get through that long-distance run or while lifting heavy weights.

The best part is that dates have a low glycemic index (GI) since they also contain fiber. Due to this, the digestive system absorbs the sugars slower, preventing a sugar spike and providing you with a slow-burning energy source.

Coupled with protein after a workout, they can also be a great way to replenish your energy stores while promoting recovery.

They may support athletic performance

The magnesium found in dates may boost performance by moving blood sugar into your muscles and promoting lactate disposal, which can build up and cause fatigue during exercise. 

Further, a 2016 study of 2570 women found that higher magnesium intake was positively associated with increased muscle mass and power.

They can help support muscle recovery and cramping

Dates are full of nutrients that can support muscle health and recovery. The potassium found in dates can help prevent muscle cramps during and post-workout. 

The magnesium found in dates aids in protein formation, essential for repairing muscle tissue after a workout. Magnesium also benefits muscle contractions with the potential to ease muscle soreness.

Finally, magnesium is also helpful for promoting relaxation and sleep quality, which are vital components of the recovery process.

They may help reduce inflammation

The antioxidant phenolic acids and flavonoids found in dates can potentially aid in reducing inflammation from sore muscles, promoting a quicker recovery time.

Further, studies have found that supplementing magnesium decreases levels of inflammation in those with chronic inflammation. Just another reason to eat your dates!

They can support bone health

Bone health is essential to lessen the chances of injury while working out and ensure longevity. Minerals such as calcium, phosphorous and magnesium are vital for bone health. Luckily, all these nutrients are found in dates, which can be easily incorporated into your diet.

 

They can help with electrolyte balance

When we sweat during a workout, we lose minerals that are responsible for maintaining fluid balance in the body, such as sodium and potassium, which is why it’s so important to replenish them post-workout. The potassium found in dates functions as an electrolyte once inside the body and helps restore fluid balance.

 

They’re beneficial for heart health

Heart health is essential when you have performance goals to achieve. Without a healthy heart, we wouldn’t be able to run as fast or for as long, and we wouldn’t be able to push our bodies in order to see the gains we desire.

 

The antioxidant carotenoids and phenolic acids found in dates help promote heart health.

 

The potassium in dates also helps regulate heart contractions. This is because potassium dissolves into positive or negative ions that help conduct electricity and maintain a regular heartbeat.

How To Consume Dates to Enhance Recovery and Athletic Performance

Dates are great as pre-workout fuel or for post-workout recovery. This sweet snack is wonderfully versatile and can be consumed in various ways.

Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy them:

Use date syrup or date sugar instead of white sugar: You can add date syrup or date sugar to just about anything you add a sweetener to, from your coffee and tea to your baked goods. You can even use date syrup in place of mixers when enjoying a mocktail or cocktail.

 

Add them to a protein shake: Just a couple of pitted dates added to your protein shake can give it a creamier consistency and sweeter taste. And with a hint of cinnamon, it’s just chef’s kiss!

 

Consume them on a long run or hike: The high-calorie content of dates makes them ideal for endurance endeavors. Eat a couple when you start to feel depleted, and they’ll provide a good energy boost to see you through the end. Dates can be a more favorable option to energy gels, which can come with artificial ingredients and flavorings.

 

Enjoy them with a protein post-workout: Dates stuffed with nuts, nut butter and/or cheese are a snack you don’t want to sleep on!

 

Conclusion

Dates can be a beneficial addition to an athlete’s diet. Their high carbohydrate content provides a good source of energy pre-and post-workout. While the magnesium, potassium and protein found in dates can promote muscle recovery and growth, as well as heart and bone health. Finally, the antioxidant polyphenols can help support anti-inflammatory processes as you recover from your workouts.

 

If you’re ready to ditch artificial sweeteners and processed sugars in favor of a more natural option, we’d love for you to visit our store. We offer a range of date-sweetened products, from our original date syrup, date paste and date sugar to BBQ and sweet chili sauce. And, if you’re as obsessed with dates as we are, you can also join our Date Club and receive a recurring whole-date delivery right to your door!