Is Date Sugar Healthy?
Here’s how it stacks up against regular white sugar.
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Date sugar is sugar made from dates. So you may be thinking: dates are fruit, and most of us should eat more fruit. So date sugar must be healthy, right?
Let’s explore.
Is Date Sugar Actually Fruit?
Yes. Date sugar is made from 100-percent pure dates. The dates are harvested, dried and then ground into a granulated powder. The processing of dates into sugar does not involve any chemicals or additives. The only ingredient in date sugar is dates.
Dates are stone fruit, with a pit in the middle, like peaches. But unlike peaches which grow on branches of a leafy deciduous tree, dates grow in grape-like clusters on a date palm tree. Date palms require a substantial amount of labor to harvest off of these very tall palms, but they can be a sustainable crop. Dates are grown in hot climates around the world, especially in the Middle East where the history of date sugar goes back centuries. Dates are also grown domestically; 95 percent of U.S.-grown dates are produced in Southern California.
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Does Date Sugar Have Unique Nutritional Value?
Dates are rich in potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin K and zinc. A typical serving size of date sugar is small, so the amount of vitamins and minerals in date sugar is very small. By comparison, there are essentially no nutrients in conventional refined sugar.
Using numbers from PurDate Date Sugar, we calculated that one tablespoon of date sugar has the following percentages of the daily value for these nutrients:
- 2 percent for magnesium
- 2 percent for potassium
- 2 percent for calcium
- 1 percent for iron
- 1.5 percent for thiamin
Dates are also rich in a variety of antioxidants including polyphenols, flavonoids and carotenoids.
Date sugar contains fiber. This is important for a few reasons. Most Americans do not get enough fiber. And while the amount of fiber in a tablespoon of date sugar is small, about 1.5 grams, this could add up to almost five grams of fiber (and about 100 calories) if a spoon-full is used at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The fiber content of date sugar contributes to its lower glycemic index. Dates are considered a low-glycemic food which means they tend not to spike blood sugar.
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Is Date Sugar Healthier Than White Sugar?
Yes. If you are comparing sugar to sugar, date sugar contains small amounts of several important nutrients including calcium, potassium, magnesium, B vitamins and fiber, along with antioxidants. But regular granulated sugar contains virtually zero nutrients beyond pure carbohydrates.
And while it is called date sugar, it is not actually sugar, it is ground-up dried fruit. However, date sugar is used like sugar. It is not often eaten plain, like fruit.
Surprisingly, 100 grams of dates and 100 grams of date sugar have similar amounts of nutrients.
So if you sprinkled two tablespoon of date sugar on your oatmeal, it would be about the same as slicing one Medjool date over your oatmeal.
However, it’s worth noting that date sugar is often used as an added sugar, which should be eaten in moderation. For example, it sweetens baked goods such as cookies, cakes, muffins and quick breads.
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In Recipes, How Can You Substitute Date Sugar for Refined Sugar?
In baked goods, date sugar can be substituted 1:1 for brown or white granulated sugar, but Date Lady Date Sugar suggests also decreasing the dry ingredients by 25 percent. For example, if a banana bread recipe calls for two cups of flour, decrease the flour amount to 1 ½ cups of flour.
Because date sugar contains fiber, and is hygroscopic (absorbs water easily), it absorbs moisture. This is why the dry ingredients in a recipe should be slightly decreased, so that there is less total volume of dry ingredients to soak up the wet ingredients and make a baked good dry. This is also why date sugar should be tightly sealed in a package – to avoid it from absorbing moisture in the air and clumping together. If clumping occurs, shake it through a mesh strainer. It can be stored in the pantry, or in the freezer for long-term storage.
Date sugar can also be used in savory recipes like barbecue sauce and peanut sauce. Add a little extra liquid to ensure a pourable sauce and stir thoroughly for a smooth texture.
The fiber in date sugar keeps it from completely dissolving in water-based liquids like coffee or tea; however, the slightly grainy texture may be less noticeable in thick liquids like milk-based hot cocoa or thick smoothies. Date syrup dissolves in liquids more completely.
What Does Date Sugar Taste Like?
It can add slightly caramel or malt-like flavor to a variety of sweet or savory foods.
Bottom Line: Date sugar can be a healthier alternative to refined white sugar because it contains important nutrients and antioxidants. This is especially true when it is used to sweeten nutrient-dense foods like whole-grain oatmeal, plain yogurt or fruit smoothies.
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