7 Ways to Enjoy Medjool Dates, Your New Performance Partner
Medjool dates are a whole fresh fruit, full of natural energy. Here’s how to incorporate them in your regular diet as a healthier alternative to other sources of sweetness.
You already know that fruit plays an important role in any healthy diet, serving up natural sugars in a world full of chemically processed, ‘added’ variations of the sweet stuff. But there’s one fruit that arguably reigns king in the realm of long-lasting energy (via complex carbs), healthy fiber (to slow down sugar’s absorption), antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals: the ancient Medjool date.
Dates—the fruit of the date palm tree, an indigenous plant to the Middle East, Africa, and Asia—have been around for more the 5,000 years. And the Medjool date—a larger, softer, sweeter variation grown in the United States’ Southwest—has some serious benefits for athletes.
Medjool dates pack at least 15 minerals, 23 amino acids, healthy fats, and fiber, research finds. Consequently, Medjool dates have enough fuel to energize your day and workout, boosting both performance and recovery.
Medjool dates are versatile—you can eat them whole, blend them in smoothies, or make a syrup—and work well in a ton of different meals and foods. Here are seven easy ways to fit them into your diet.
7 Ways to Enjoy Medjool Dates, Your New Performance Partner
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As a Syrup in Your Coffee
Coffee’s supposed to give you energy, right? Well, if you’re loading your joe up with table sugar or processed syrups from the coffee shop counter, crashes are in your future.“Medjool dates are a good source of fiber and a natural source of sugar with a lower glycemic index [a measure of how quickly a food impacts blood sugar levels] than table sugar most often used to sweeten coffee,” says Beth Warren, R.D.N., author of Living a Real Life with Real Food. “When you opt for date sugar as opposed to white sugar, you are also getting a load of antioxidants and a slower release of sugar into the blood.”You can also swap out honey, maple, or agave for Medjool date syrup. “It’s a very versatile sweetener made from a whole food; thus, you pack in the nutrients of dates along with the sweetening power,” says Sharon Palmer, R.D., author of The Plant-Powered Diet.By the way, here’s a primer on making your own date syrup.
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On Your Long Run
Runners who forgo goo and instead swear by whole foods on long runs likely already know all about Medjool dates. That’s because just two Medjool dates provide about 33 grams of carbohydrates—the long-lasting energy you’ll need during an endurance workout. (Plus, they’re small enough to store away in a pocket or pack). “Nutritionally, Medjool dates are perfect for athletic performance, both pre- and post-workout: slow-digesting carbs, potassium, and B vitamins, plus phytochemicals with antioxidant capacity,” says Palmer.Just make sure to train with Medjool dates on your long runs if you’re thinking about using them on race day. Remember: nothing new on race day.
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In Your Smoothie
Always looking for the right kind of fruit to add to your smoothie—but pretty darn sick of bananas and blueberries? “Medjool dates add natural sweetness with fiber that most other sweeteners do not have—even the natural ones, like honey,” says Warren.Whipped up Medjool dates have a creamy texture and a sweet caramel flavor. And because they’re so sweet, you don’t have to add as much as you would other fruits—they punch way above their weight.Try mixing up this Medjool date green smoothie and this blueberry superfood smoothie.
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In Your Game Day Recipes
Game day eats—wings, cheese and crackers, baked stuffed potatoes—don’t exactly go hand-in-hand with health. But a savvy chef can help reduce calorie counts and add flavor by subbing out certain ingredients like Medjool dates.“I love to use whole dates as a go-to snack on fruit platters, or on cheese or nut trays as a whole food option rich in fiber, potassium, B vitamins, and magnesium,” says Palmer.By adding a boost of fiber (1 cup of dates have 12g), dates will keep you fuller much longer than wings could ever could.Try: spicy jalapeño and chipotle cheese stuffed Medjool dates; Medjool date, pear, and brie cheese skewers; or candied black pepper and Medjool date bacon (you’re allowed to splurge on game day).
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As a Post-workout Snack
Medjool dates have 281g of potassium per serving—that’s 50% more of the mineral by weight than bananas.Why that matters: “Potassium is an important nutrient as an electrolyte essential for health and helpful for athletic performance, but also for optimal heart health by helping to control blood pressure,” says Palmer. Plus, the mineral is missing from most Americans’ diets. Medjool dates are also packed with magnesium, another mineral your muscles need to recover.
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As a Paste Instead of Jam or Dessert Sauce
Before you spread a store-bought jam (which could be sky-high in added sweeteners, preservatives, and chemicals), consider using an all-natural Medjool date paste, says Warren. Think of it as a sweetener with all the nutritional benefits plain (or artificial) sugar lacks.“I love to use Medjool date paste not only in place of jam—on toast or on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches—but also in cooking,” says Palmer. “It tastes delicious in the layers of a homemade bar, or stirred into baked goods—breads, cookies, and pancakes—as a natural sweetener.”Since Medjool date paste is naturally sweet, you can use it to replace processed sugar completely in a wide variety of applications.Here’s a guide to making your own date paste.
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In Syrup Form as a Mixer
Think about your go-to drink mixes. Do they come from a packet? A pre-packaged bottle? They likely contain artificial colors, flavorings, and other unpronounceable ingredients.“By opting to use Medjool date syrup, you are ensure you are using a whole-food ingredient,” notes Warren.Added bonus: Your cocktail will be packed with a slew of healthy antioxidants. (Can you say that about your rum and Coke?).
Coffee’s supposed to give you energy, right? Well, if you’re loading your joe up with table sugar or processed syrups from the coffee shop counter, crashes are in your future.
“Medjool dates are a good source of fiber and a natural source of sugar with a lower glycemic index [a measure of how quickly a food impacts blood sugar levels] than table sugar most often used to sweeten coffee,” says Beth Warren, R.D.N., author of Living a Real Life with Real Food. “When you opt for date sugar as opposed to white sugar, you are also getting a load of antioxidants and a slower release of sugar into the blood.”
You can also swap out honey, maple, or agave for Medjool date syrup. “It’s a very versatile sweetener made from a whole food; thus, you pack in the nutrients of dates along with the sweetening power,” says Sharon Palmer, R.D., author of The Plant-Powered Diet.
Runners who forgo goo and instead swear by whole foods on long runs likely already know all about Medjool dates. That’s because just two Medjool dates provide about 33 grams of carbohydrates—the long-lasting energy you’ll need during an endurance workout. (Plus, they’re small enough to store away in a pocket or pack). “Nutritionally, Medjool dates are perfect for athletic performance, both pre- and post-workout: slow-digesting carbs, potassium, and B vitamins, plus phytochemicals with antioxidant capacity,” says Palmer.
Just make sure to train with Medjool dates on your long runs if you’re thinking about using them on race day. Remember: nothing new on race day.
In Your Smoothie
Always looking for the right kind of fruit to add to your smoothie—but pretty darn sick of bananas and blueberries? “Medjool dates add natural sweetness with fiber that most other sweeteners do not have—even the natural ones, like honey,” says Warren.
Whipped up Medjool dates have a creamy texture and a sweet caramel flavor. And because they’re so sweet, you don’t have to add as much as you would other fruits—they punch way above their weight.
Game day eats—wings, cheese and crackers, baked stuffed potatoes—don’t exactly go hand-in-hand with health. But a savvy chef can help reduce calorie counts and add flavor by subbing out certain ingredients like Medjool dates.
“I love to use whole dates as a go-to snack on fruit platters, or on cheese or nut trays as a whole food option rich in fiber, potassium, B vitamins, and magnesium,” says Palmer.
By adding a boost of fiber (1 cup of dates have 12g), dates will keep you fuller much longer than wings could ever could.
Medjool dates have 281g of potassium per serving—that’s 50% more of the mineral by weight than bananas.
Why that matters: “Potassium is an important nutrient as an electrolyte essential for health and helpful for athletic performance, but also for optimal heart health by helping to control blood pressure,” says Palmer. Plus, the mineral is missing from most Americans’ diets. Medjool dates are also packed with magnesium, another mineral your muscles need to recover.
As a Paste Instead of Jam or Dessert Sauce
Before you spread a store-bought jam (which could be sky-high in added sweeteners, preservatives, and chemicals), consider using an all-natural Medjool date paste, says Warren. Think of it as a sweetener with all the nutritional benefits plain (or artificial) sugar lacks.
“I love to use Medjool date paste not only in place of jam—on toast or on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches—but also in cooking,” says Palmer. “It tastes delicious in the layers of a homemade bar, or stirred into baked goods—breads, cookies, and pancakes—as a natural sweetener.”
Since Medjool date paste is naturally sweet, you can use it to replace processed sugar completely in a wide variety of applications.
Think about your go-to drink mixes. Do they come from a packet? A pre-packaged bottle? They likely contain artificial colors, flavorings, and other unpronounceable ingredients.
“By opting to use Medjool date syrup, you are ensure you are using a whole-food ingredient,” notes Warren.
Added bonus: Your cocktail will be packed with a slew of healthy antioxidants. (Can you say that about your rum and Coke?).
