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Diabetes is a condition wherein your blood sugar (glucose) levels are high. A person usually develops the condition when their pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or no insulin at all or when their body doesn’t respond to the insulin that is produced by the pancreas. A person suffering from diabetes needs to keep a check on what they consume because certain foods and beverages tend to spike their blood sugar levels which can eventually cause damage.

One of the major questions that arises is whether dates are safe for people with diabetes. Dates are a sweet and fleshy dry fruit of the date palm tree. They are either sold as fresh fruit or dried fruit which are then eaten on their own or added to smoothies, desserts and other dishes. Since dates have a natural sweetness, they can impact blood sugar levels which can be a major cause of concern for people with diabetes.

Dates are extremely sweet as they’re a natural source of fructose, the type of sugar found in fruit. They also have calories and carbs in them and people with diabetes should keep a check on their carb intake. This is because carbs tend to cause blood sugar spikes which can eventually impact your health.

However, if eaten dates in moderation, it can be a part of a healthy diet for people with diabetes. Along with carbs and calories, dates also have fibre in them. Dietary fibre plays an important role as it helps the body absorb carbs at a slower pace, which is important for people with diabetes. The slower carbs are digested, the less likely your blood sugar will spike after eating.

Hence, if eaten in moderation, people with diabetes can consume dates as part of a healthy diabetic diet.

Dates are high in natural sugars, so people with diabetes should limit their intake. Stick to 1–2 dates per serving and monitor blood sugar levels to keep check on tolerance levels. This can also make sure you benefit from the nutrients without causing spikes in glucose.

Pairing dates with a protein or healthy fat (such as nuts, yoghurt or seeds) can help to slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. This helps stabilise blood sugar levels.

Instead of adding sugar or sweeteners, you can blend a couple of dates into your smoothies. The fibre in dates can help to balance the sugar release and combining them with other ingredients like vegetables helps to balance blood glucose levels.

Adding dates to your oatmeal can give it a natural sweetness without the need for added sugar. The fibre in oats, combined with dates gives you a meal that has a low glycemic index that helps to prevent blood sugar spikes.

Use date paste or finely chopped dates as a natural sweetener in baking or cooking. This reduces the use of refined sugar while still giving you a sweet flavour with added fibre.

Adding dates to your salads along with vegetables, nuts and lean proteins can give you a balanced meal. The fibre from the greens and protein helps to slow down the absorption of sugar absorption whereas the dates give you sweetness.

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