15. Dates
There are many varieties of dates, the most common perhaps being the medjool date, which is available whole or pitted and dried or as a paste or syrup. Naturally sweet, dates can be used as a healthier alternative to table sugar when sweetening desserts and other sweet foods.
Much of the high carb content of dates comes from their fibre, so snacking on dates is a great way of increasing your fibre intake. Fibre helps to protect the bowel and keeps it moving regularly.
Not only that, the fibre in dates helps to slow down digestion, meaning that the gut has more time to absorb nutrients.
Dates also have a lower Glycaemic Index (GI) than granulated sugar. This results in sugars entering the bloodstream more slowly, reducing sugar spikes and therefore reducing sugar cravings.
Summary:
Dates can only really be eaten a few at a time, and one medjool date contains 18g or carbohydrate.
