Dates are fruits that have a lot of fiber and complex carbohydrates. Although it tastes sweet and contains high sugar, dates are quite safe for people with diabetes. Because this fruit has a low Glycemic Index (GI), so it does not make blood sugar levels spike quickly.
Low GI carbohydrates level is around 55 or lower, while high GI carbohydrates level is 70 or higher. So the medium GI carbohydrates level is 56-69.
Despite their sweet taste, dates have a low GI. Dates carbohydrates level is between 44 and 53, depending on the type of dates. Another benefit of these foods on blood sugar is the Glycemic Load (GL). Unlike the GI, the GL takes into account the portion eaten and the amount of carbohydrates in a given portion.
To calculate the GL, multiply the GI of a food by the grams of carbohydrates in the amount we eat, then divide that number by 100. This means that 2 dried dates (48 grams) will have about 36 grams of carbohydrates and a GI of about 49. Then it counts to a GL of about 18.
Low GL carbohydrates are between 1 and 10; a moderate amount of GL carbohydrates is between 11 and 19; whereas high GL carbohydrates are 20 or more. This means a snack consisting of 2 dates has a medium GL.
For diabetics, try to eat no more than 1 or 2 dates at a time.