Yellow Dates: Calories, Nutrition and Health Benefits

Summarize with:

ChatGPT

Claude

AI Mode

Perplexity

Three fresh yellow dates (about 45 g) have roughly 63 calories, 14.9 g of carbohydrate, 1.4 g of fiber and almost no fat. Fresh khalal dates are about 74% water, so they carry about half the calories of brown dried dates per gram.

Quick Nutrition Facts

Per 3 fresh yellow dates (about 45 g)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	63 kcal
Protein	0.7g
Carbohydrates	14.9g
Fiber	1.4g
Sugars	12.6g
Fat	0.1g
Sodium	0 mg

Macronutrient Breakdown

Start NutriScan onboarding to personalize your plan

NUTRITIONIST'S INSIGHT

Yellow dates are dates picked at the khalal stage, before they ripen and dry into the brown fruit most people know. They are crisp, a little astringent and about 74% water in a study of Barhi dates, so a gram of fresh yellow date has about half the calories of a gram of dried date (about 140 kcal per 100 g against 280 to 300). The carbohydrate is almost all natural sugar, around 12.6 g in a 3-date serving, with 1.4 g of fiber. That makes them a reasonable sweet snack in a small handful, but they are not a low-sugar food and the calories rise quickly if you eat 10 or more. Retail labels vary, and one seller lists 110 kcal for the same 45 g, so dates that have started to soften and dry should be counted higher. Eat them with nuts or yogurt to slow the sugar rise.

Myth Busters

MYTH #1: Yellow dates have the same calories as brown dates.

TRUTH: Per gram they have about half. Fresh yellow dates have about 140 kcal per 100 g, while ripe brown dates have 280 to 300 kcal per 100 g, because the yellow fruit is mostly water. All the benefits of yellow dates; Extending the Shelf Life of Fresh Khalal Barhi Dates via an Optimized Postharvest Ultrasonic Treatment; USDA FoodData Central

MYTH #2: Yellow dates are sugar-free because they taste less sweet.

TRUTH: They are sweet fruit. A 3-date serving has about 12.6 g of natural sugar, mostly glucose and fructose. The crisp, slightly astringent taste hides it, so the sugar adds up if you eat a big handful. Khalal Yellow Barhi Dates nutrition facts (3 dates, 45 g); Extending the Shelf Life of Fresh Khalal Barhi Dates via an Optimized Postharvest Ultrasonic Treatment; How does sugar in our diet affect our health?

MYTH #3: Yellow dates are unripe and unsafe to eat.

TRUTH: Khalal is a normal eating stage for varieties like Barhi, which are sold fresh in yellow form on purpose. They are crisp rather than soft. If they taste very astringent, let them sit a day or freeze them, which softens the texture. Extending the Shelf Life of Fresh Khalal Barhi Dates via an Optimized Postharvest Ultrasonic Treatment; All the benefits of yellow dates

MYTH #4: Dates are a high-fiber food whatever the stage.

TRUTH: Fresh yellow dates give only about 3 g of fiber per 100 g, so a 3-date serving has about 1.4 g. Ripe dried dates have more per gram because the water is gone, but a normal portion still gives a modest share of the daily fiber target. Khalal Yellow Barhi Dates nutrition facts (3 dates, 45 g); Nutritional, nutraceutical attributes, microbiological and chemical safety of different varieties of dates: a review; How to get more fibre into your diet

NutriScore by Health Goals

Health Goal	NutriScore	Why This Score?
Weight Loss		About 63 kcal for 3 dates is low for a sweet snack and half the calories of dried dates per gram. The sugar is easy to over-eat, so keep to a small handful. All the benefits of yellow dates; Khalal Yellow Barhi Dates nutrition facts (3 dates, 45 g)
Blood Sugar Control		12.6 g of natural sugar per serving with 1.4 g of fiber. A glycemic index near 50 is reported for Barhi dates, which is medium, but the sugar load still counts. Pair with nuts or yogurt. All the benefits of yellow dates; Khalal Yellow Barhi Dates nutrition facts (3 dates, 45 g)
Heart Health		Almost no fat, no sodium and no cholesterol. The main watch-out is total sugar, which the NHS advises keeping modest. Khalal Yellow Barhi Dates nutrition facts (3 dates, 45 g); How does sugar in our diet affect our health?
Muscle Gain		Only 0.7 g of protein per serving. The carbohydrate is useful before training, but dates need paired protein such as milk, yogurt or nuts. Nutritional, nutraceutical attributes, microbiological and chemical safety of different varieties of dates: a review
Digestive Health		1.4 g of fiber per serving is modest. Dates contribute some soluble fiber, but whole fruit, vegetables and whole grains are better fiber sources. Nutritional, nutraceutical attributes, microbiological and chemical safety of different varieties of dates: a review; How to get more fibre into your diet

PERSONALIZED NUTRITION

Track your meals with NutriScan for personalized NutriScores based on your specific health goals!

Blood Sugar Response to Yellow Dates

A serving of 3 yellow dates has about 14.9 g of carbohydrate, 12.6 g of it sugar, with 1.4 g of fiber and almost no fat or protein. Expect a small to moderate rise of about 25 to 30 mg/dL that peaks around 30 to 45 minutes and returns to baseline within 2 to 3 hours. A glycemic index near 50 is reported for Barhi dates. This is a modeled estimate from the carbohydrate and fiber content, not a measured trace. Eating 8 to 10 dates would roughly triple the load. All the benefits of yellow dates; Khalal Yellow Barhi Dates nutrition facts (3 dates, 45 g)

Estimated Blood Sugar Response (3 dates, about 45 g)

Modeled estimate for a person without diabetes, not a measured trace. Individual responses vary with portion, ripeness, what you eat alongside and activity.

How to flatten the spike

Stick to 3 to 4 dates at a time and count the sugar toward your daily total.
Eat them with a handful of almonds, walnuts or plain yogurt so protein and fat slow absorption.
Have them after a meal rather than on an empty stomach.
Take a 10 to 15 minute walk after eating to blunt the peak.
If you track glucose, test your own response, since ripeness changes the sugar content.

Cultural Significance

Yellow dates are the khalal stage of the date palm fruit, eaten fresh in the Gulf, Iraq, Egypt, Israel and India in the late-summer harvest season. Barhi, the best-known yellow variety, is prized for a crisp, juicy bite. In Israel they are associated with Rosh Hashanah, where dates are a traditional food on the table, and in Arab countries fresh dates (rutab and khalal) are sold in bunches. Buyers in India often find them imported in season and sold by weight.

Compare & Substitute

Yellow Dates vs Similar Foods

Nutrient	Medjool dates, 2 dates (about 48 g)	Red grapes, 45 g	Banana, 45 g
Calories	133 kcal	31 kcal	40 kcal
Protein	0.9g	0.3g	0.5g
Carbohydrates	36g	8.1g	10.3g
Fat	0.1g	0.1g	0.1g

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories are in yellow dates?

Three fresh yellow dates (about 45 g) have roughly 63 calories, based on about 140 kcal per 100 g. One US retail label lists 110 kcal for the same 45 g, so semi-dried yellow dates can be higher.

How many calories are in 100 g of yellow dates?

About 140 calories per 100 g of fresh yellow (khalal) dates, with about 33 g of carbohydrate. Ripe brown dried dates have 280 to 300 calories per 100 g.

Are yellow dates healthy?

They are a fat-free, sodium-free fruit with some fiber and potassium. The catch is natural sugar, about 12.6 g in 3 dates, so a small handful is the sensible portion.

Are yellow dates good for weight loss?

They can fit. Three dates are about 63 calories and satisfy a sweet craving. Eating a whole bunch can pass 300 calories, so measure the portion.

Are yellow dates good for diabetes?

They have a medium glycemic index of around 50 but a real sugar load, about 12.6 g per 3 dates. Count them toward your carbohydrate total, pair them with protein, and check your own glucose response with your care team.

What is the difference between yellow dates and brown dates?

Yellow dates are picked at the khalal stage, crisp and about 74% water. Brown dates are fully ripe and dried, soft and sweeter, with about double the calories per gram.