# Dates



## Lizzie (Aug 14, 2010)

Does anyone know how many carbs in a date? I had 3 the other day and my blood sugar was through the roof!


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## Steff (Aug 14, 2010)

here is a list of fruits if you scroll down you will see dates.

http://www.weightlossforall.com/calories-fruit.htm


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## Lizzie (Aug 14, 2010)

Thanks Steffie. That list says it is 1.2g carbs per date. Unless they have 'inverted sugar' which means they have 63g per 100g. So a date with inverted sugar would be, what, 5g carbs? Does anyone know what inverted sugar is and how to tell if dates have it or not?


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## cherrypie (Aug 14, 2010)

Leave well alone Lizzie unless you incorporate them in a meal and lessen their impact..  Most of their carbohydrate content is sugar.


Invert sugar explanation,

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/invert+sugar


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## Lizzie (Aug 14, 2010)

Oh. OK. I was thinking since they were fruit, they would be more healthy than a chocolate bar. I guess it's back to the Galaxy for me then!


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## Northerner (Aug 14, 2010)

Lizzie said:


> Oh. OK. I was thinking since they were fruit, they would be more healthy than a chocolate bar. I guess it's back to the Galaxy for me then!



Unfortunately, many fruits can have a significant effect on your blood sugar  Grapes are particularly bad, as are ripe bananas - the riper they are, the quicker they will hit your BG! Strawberries have a relatively low GI (glycaemic index) - it's worth getting a book on GI so you can compare different stuff. As cherrypie says, having the dates as part of a meal lowers the overall effect (known as 'GL' or glyceamic load), so you can still eat them, but sparingly.


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## Lizzie (Aug 14, 2010)

That's good to know about strawberries. And I guess everything should be done in moderation. I will have to think of something else to satisfy my sweet tooth at lunchtime.


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