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December 29, 2023

Dates and Heart Health: What the Research Shows

Dates Wholesaler Malaysia

Ah, dates! Those sun-kissed nuggets of sweetness that grace our Ramadan bazaars and Hari Raya Puasa feasts. You will often read that they are good for your heart. So we looked at what dates actually contain and what the studies on people found. The short answer: dates have useful fibre and potassium, but no study has shown that eating them prevents heart disease.

This is general information, not medical advice. If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, talk to your doctor before changing your diet.

Where Malaysia's dates come from

Malaysia does not grow dates commercially, so every date on sale here is imported. A wholesaler such as Dates Wholesaler Malaysia brings in varieties like Medjool, a large, very soft date from Palestine and the Jordan Valley, and Ajwa, the small near-black date from Madinah. If you buy in bulk, our guide on finding a trusted dates wholesaler covers what to check.

Dates and heart health: what the evidence says

Here is what is in 100 g of dates, about four Medjool, according to USDA FoodData Central (Medjool, Deglet Noor), and what research says about each part:

  • Fibre. 6.7 g in Medjool and 8 g in Deglet Noor. The NHS says eating plenty of fibre is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, and that adults should aim for 30 g a day (NHS). That is a link across whole diets, not proof that dates lower cholesterol. In a small pilot study, 10 healthy adults ate 100 g of Medjool or Hallawi dates a day for four weeks. Their total and LDL cholesterol did not change, and their triglycerides fell by 8 to 15% (Rock et al., 2009).
  • Potassium. 696 mg in Medjool and 656 mg in Deglet Noor. The NHS says potassium helps the heart muscle work properly and that adults need 3,500 mg a day (NHS). A WHO-led review of 22 trials found that eating more potassium lowered blood pressure in people with high blood pressure, but not in people whose blood pressure was normal (Aburto et al., 2013). Those trials tested potassium, not dates. Dates are also very low in sodium, 1 to 2 mg per 100 g.
  • Antioxidants. Dates contain phenolic compounds. In lab tests, extracts from nine date varieties slowed the oxidation of LDL cholesterol (Borochov-Neori et al., 2013), and in the same 10-person pilot the Hallawi dates, but not the Medjool, lowered a blood marker of oxidative stress (Rock et al., 2009). Test-tube results and one small group of volunteers do not show that dates protect the heart.
  • Sugar. Dates are about 63 to 66 g sugar per 100 g (USDA), and one pitted Medjool weighs about 24 g. A UAE study measured the glycaemic index of five date varieties at 46 to 55 in healthy adults, with similar results in people with type 2 diabetes (Alkaabi et al., 2011). A moderate GI does not make dates a low-sugar food, so portions still matter.

A 2025 review of dates and blood pressure collected the human studies that exist and found encouraging results, but its authors say the trials are few and not standardised, and they call for larger randomised trials before firm advice can be given (Jim et al., 2025). Our post on the nutrients in dates covers the rest of the label.

dates fruit

Ways to fit dates into your day

If you enjoy dates, here are simple ways to eat them as part of a balanced diet:

  • Swap chips and cookies for two or three dates. They are still sweet, at about 277 kcal per 100 g for Medjool (USDA), so a handful is plenty. The NHS suggests eating dried fruit with a meal rather than between meals, as it is sticky and can harm your teeth (NHS).
  • Blend dates into your smoothies or sprinkle them over oatmeal at breakfast.
  • Bake date-infused desserts or whip up energy balls with nuts and seeds when you want something sweet.
  • Add chopped dates to salads, curries or stews for a touch of natural sweetness.

Remember, it's not about replacing everything with dates, but about making them a conscious part of your diet. Treat them as a sweet fruit, and keep them sealed and cool so they stay soft (see how to store dates).

dates fruit

So, the next time you reach for a date, remember:

  • It's a tasty fruit with fibre and potassium, not a treatment for heart disease.
  • Every date sold in Malaysia is imported, so check the variety and origin on the pack.
  • For your heart, the NHS points to the whole diet: more fibre overall and less free sugar (NHS).

Enjoy your dates at buka puasa and beyond, from your usual Dates Wholesaler Malaysia or the kedai down the road. If you are worried about your heart, your doctor can check your blood pressure and cholesterol.

References