Dates are definitely No Flour, No Sugar Diet friendly

For those who tend to feel deprived by the challenges of a no flour no sugar diet, dates can be a real godsend. They have a very high sugar content, it’s true, but they also offer numerous vitamins and minerals, even in dried form. The sugars from the dates, likely because they’re natural and an unrefined sugar, are not only not bad for you, they can actually be quite good for you, unless you go overboard, which of course is true with most foods.

A study conducted in Israel and published in 2009 concluded that consumption of dates did not change the subjects’ body mass index, and in some cases even raised their antioxidant levels. Of the two most well-regarded eating and cooking dates – medjool and hallawi – hallawi dates proved to be healthier as far as antioxidants, but both dates passed the test when it came to glucose levels. That kind of positive feedback about such a sweet fruit, which in dried form can even be candy-like, and is a key ingredient in many desserts as well as snacks, makes it a great asset to a no flour, no sugar diet.

In fact, if you do a search for vegan chocolate cakes made with dates, you’ll find numerous recipes, many of them gluten-free. Essentially they’re combining cacao, or cocoa powder, with dates to simulate the chocolaty-ness and sweetness of a cake, without any of the refined sugars or flours. That’s unbelievably no flour no sugar diet relevant, and suggests that dates are an undervalued fruit that we need to start paying more attention to. Unless you live in a desert-area where dates are produced, however, they do tend to be expensive, so that is a consideration…but, as is often the case, and especially when it comes to what we choose to eat: quality should take preference over quantity.

Add dates to your no flour no sugar diet rotation

One of my favorite cereals growing up was Quaker 100% Natural granola. Both kinds – plain and with added raisins & dates – were great, but I now realize that the one with raisins & dates was a better choice, even if higher in sugar. The dates gave the cereal a certain je ne sais quoi that you didn’t get in other granolas, or cereals, but the reason I don’t eat it now is because not only does 100% Natural have added sugars, and “natural flavor”…but also because, it turns out, they no longer make it with dates- it’s now, sadly, “Oats & Honey & Raisins.” Where are the dates? Short of contacting Quaker, I’m going to guess that it’s the prohibitive cost. If you want to add dates to your no flour no sugar diet, whether in your cereal, your dessert, or just for snacking, there’s always the health food store. They tend to sell dried dates in their bulk section; at mine, the dates have a white powder coating to them, which is because they’ve been rolled in oat flour to keep them from sticking together. It’s nothing close to a hallawi or a medjool, dates in true form, but buy what works for your budget. When you can though, be sure to go for the real thing, whether fresh or dried.