How Eating Dates affects your blood sugar levels? CGM tested

Do you know how dates impact blood sugar? I tested 100 grams of soft pitted dates using my continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and saw a sharp rise from 4.8 mmol/L (86 mg/dL) to 7.8 mmol/L (140 mg/dL) — a 63% increase! That spike lasted more than two and a half hours. While dates are natural and nutrient-rich, they’re also very high in sugar — 55 grams per 100 grams. This experiment showed that eating a large portion can push blood glucose to the upper post-meal threshold. If you enjoy dates, consider having just one or two and pairing them with a source of fat or protein to help blunt the spike.

Metabolic Health Insights 🔬

This CGM experiment highlights how even whole, natural foods like dates can cause significant postprandial glucose spikes when consumed in large quantities. With 55g of sugar per 100g, dates are a concentrated source of carbohydrates that rapidly raise blood glucose — especially concerning for those with insulin resistance or anyone aiming to prevent type 2 diabetes. Sustained glucose elevations, like the two-and-a-half-hour spike seen here, may contribute to poor metabolic flexibility and inflammation over time. Using a CGM helps personalize nutrition by showing how your body responds to specific foods, enabling smarter choices for glucose stability and long-term metabolic health. Combining high-sugar fruits with fat or protein — like pairing dates with nuts — can slow glucose absorption and reduce the spike.