A good organic Medjool date is just about the closest thing to candy that nature produces. That being said, I don't like dates, I LOVE them. They are delicious. I also know that they pack a TON of sugar and as such should be treated with respect and only the occasional indulgence.

I don't eat them often...

Stay hungry, my friends.

P.S. Breakfast sausage in place of the goat cheese is good too.

I like mine hot, Paleo, and with a nice Crossfit body ;)

I study history as a hobby (been studying nutrition for a few days, only) and the way that the "Paleo hunter-gatherer" is theoretically described seems reminiscent to the lifestyle of ancient Arabs (200-800 AD). Insomuchas, fairly natural things were consumed, meals hard to come by, etc.

A typical way to eat dates (for the morning meal especially, but also for the evening meal) was to dip them in a paste made from ghee and fried ground millet. Dates are dense (filling) and based on what I've read, millet is filling. So, perhaps this combination got them through the day quite well, when a third meal was the exception, not the rule.

Dates, either alone, or in combinations like this, were a staple of the ancient Middle East, and people subsisted on them for meals at a time.

Dates can be stored for up to a year (hence, were often bought in year-long supplies at harvest-time, by those with the capital to do so), can be easily transported, do not damage easily, and are filling. The cultivation process is labor-intensive, and makes them more expensive than other fruits, like bananas. There are many varieties, not all of them are soft and melty. Most of the bedouins would have subsisted on harder, dryer kinds. Many would have eaten hardened dates, long before, or long past their ideal eating time.

I don't know about their nutritional benefits, outside of the basic stuff that can be gleaned from Google, but at least some groups throughout history, leading lifestyles reminiscent of hunters and gatherers, relied on them heavily.

bacon wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese... mmmmmMMMM!!

They're sweet and have about 6 grams of carb per date (medjool) but they are filling and satisfying and a good source of iron. They don't make me want to eat a whole pile (especially with the bacon)... 2 is enough for me.

When I went to Israel last year I got to see some really old date trees that were still producing. I felt very small and insignificant compared to that date palm tree.

Dates:love them, but not in love with them. We broke up a couple years ago when I became aware how dependent I was becoming on them, those sweet sugar bombs.

I could eat a good 20 alone.. Or dipped in hazelnut butter... Or mashed with cinnamon, macadamia nut butter and toasted almond- hazelnut butter with shredded coconut stirred in. This didn't just trigger a binge, it WAS a binge, and became a problem that I ended.

Say hello for me, but don't get the impression dates are welcome to come round for a visit. We've both moved on :)

While they might be tasty, they are fructose bombs. Definitely stay away if you're trying to lean out.

I try to keep them to a minimum; sometimes I make raw bars with them (a la larabar), I'm intrigued by the idea of stuffing them with cheese and wrapping them in bacon, mmmm...

I am currently addicted to dates stuffed with an almond. We are cuttin candy, and other sugary treats, out of our son's diet and he is perfectly happy with dates as a replacement. We still limit the dates, but they are a much better option than candy!

I am so glad you posted this question on dates because I LOVE dates. I used to eat 20 dates per day. Then, my "friend" told me there are 20g carbs in a single date. ;-) So good.

oeh I like them a lot! Cut i peaces with some raisins and grated coconut XD

I had some just before seeing your question! I already liked them, but since finding some softer ones from Israel I've been enjoying them even more.

I like having them with a cup of whole organic milk. I eat about 4, but not everyday. I took a break from them for a month or two, just in case it was too much sugar, but they were actually almost all the carbs I was consuming for some time.

Meh. They just taste like straight sugar to me. I prefer things with more flavor like dried mango (which is crack, by the way).

I do like them in Larabar-style things and stuffed with chorizo and Manchego or wrapped in bacon.

Absolutely love dates....as mentioned they are nature's candy. That said, along with figs, they are kinda nature's original power bar and were even part of the endurance diet used by the Roman legions to fuel long marches etc. They taste great and sweet but they are also sugar packed calorie dense foods just like a Cliff or Power bar.

I kinda look at all the "bar" products on the market as "event foods" which if they are consumed at all, are consumed during specific long training efforts or race day. However wholesome a Lara Bar might sound on the ingredient list, I don't consider them to be an everyday snack food or meal replacement. There's just too many calories in too little space IMO. So the only time you'll find me powering down a Cliff bar or the like is on the back half of the bike leg as a dense fuel source for the upcoming run....never as a Wednesday afternoon snack in the office.

I sorta regard dates and figs much the same way but to a lesser extent. These I WILL drop into my lunch container from time to time as a rare "treat". I enjoy them because they are just plain gooeyer (is that a word?) and sweeter than the standard fare of fresh (undried) fruits but I try not to eat them every day and never by the handful for the same reason's I don't eat Power Bars that way.....

Dates - I eat 2 a day. That is my limit to keep the sugar down. I use whole Medjool Dates and stuff them with almond butter and it is a little piece of heaven for me. Unfortunately, I work outside all day long and don't usually stop for lunch. Paleo friendly 'hand food' is hard to come by. The dates keep me satisfied for several hours of physically demanding work.

I don't like them. Waaaaay too sweet.

I don't know about dates, but I was a huge raisin addict. Handfuls of them daily - and I have the cavities to prove it. They might be 'good' for you but don't let the sugar sit on your teeth...

Also there was a little problem with gas. OK, a big problem. Careful around fire kind of problem. I'm much more pleasant to be around now that I'm off them.

I love dates but the last few times I had them (not even that many, maybe like 7 or 8), I broke out really bad afterwards... I think I'm going to have to avoid them for a few more months at least, which sucks because they're perhaps one of my favorite foods ever.

And I know it was the dates and not something else because I had them plain and didn't eat or drink anything else for like an 8 hour window... bummer!

They really are delicious and have key nutrients, but they are very high in sugar. Just make sure you adjust the rest of your diet to fit them in healthfully and don't end up pounding sugar like there is no tomorrow.

I was on a date-kick for a while, and didn't gain or lose any weight. But your mileage may vary. The ones with the pit still in are my favorite. They're much more moist.