This post used to be called “Weight control during pregnancy with dates”. A PubMed search for dates, pregnancy and weight gain returns no trial of dates for weight control in pregnancy; the six records it brings up are about rats, fetal or placental size (“small-for-dates”, “weight-for-dates”) and the timing of tests. So instead of a promise, here is what the NHS says about weight gain in pregnancy, and where dates fit into that advice.
How much weight gain is normal
The NHS page on weight gain in pregnancy says it “varies greatly. Most pregnant women gain between 10kg and 12.5kg (22lb to 28lb), putting on most of the weight after week 20.” Much of the extra weight is the baby growing, and the body is also storing fat to make breast milk after the birth.
Putting on too much or too little can both lead to health problems for the mother or the baby. On the too-much side, the NHS says extra weight can affect your health and increase your blood pressure, and it names two complications: gestational diabetes, which raises the risk of having a large baby, and pre-eclampsia. On the too-little side, it lists premature birth, a baby with a low birth weight (under 2.5kg), and the body not storing enough fat. It also notes that some naturally slim women stay slim while pregnant and have healthy babies.
The same page is clear that “pregnancy isn’t the time to go on a diet, as it may harm the health of the unborn child.” Its advice instead is to eat healthily and to keep up your normal daily activity or exercise, unless your midwife or GP has advised you not to exercise. Your midwife or GP may have special advice if your BMI is over 30 or below 18.5.
There’s no need to eat for two
The NHS healthy diet in pregnancy page says you will probably feel hungrier than usual, but you do not need to “eat for 2”, even with twins or triplets. You do not need a special diet either. The advice is a variety of foods every day, plus a folic acid supplement, and a healthy breakfast every day because it can help you avoid snacking on foods high in fat and sugar.
It also says “Sugary foods and drinks are often high in calories, which can contribute to weight gain.” Dates are high in sugar, as the USDA figures below show.
Where dates fit in
The NHS pregnancy page asks for at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, and says these can be “fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced”. Dates count. The 5 A Day guide says “a 30g portion of dried fruit, such as currants, dates, sultanas and figs, counts as 1 of your 5 A Day, but should be eaten at mealtimes, not as a snack between meals, to reduce the impact on teeth.”
The NHS portion sizes page adds that dried fruit “can be high in sugar”, suggests swapping dried fruit for fresh fruit “especially between meals”, and says dried fruit is best eaten as part of a meal, as dessert for example. USDA FoodData Central lists Medjool dates at 277 kcal and 66.5 g of sugars per 100 g, so a 30g portion comes to about 83 kcal and 20 g of sugars.
Put together, the NHS pages point to a weighed 30g portion of dates with a meal, rather than a handful between meals.
What the NHS suggests for snacks
If you get hungry between meals, the NHS pregnancy page suggests avoiding snacks high in fat or sugar, such as sweets, biscuits, crisps or chocolate, and choosing from this list instead:
- small sandwiches or pitta bread with grated cheese, lean ham, mashed tuna, salmon or sardines, with salad
- salad vegetables, such as carrot, celery or cucumber
- low-fat, lower-sugar fruit yoghurt, plain yoghurt or fromage frais with fruit
- ready-to-eat apricots, figs or prunes
- vegetable and bean soups
- a small bowl of unsweetened breakfast cereal, or porridge, with milk
- milky drinks
- fresh fruit
- baked beans on toast or a small baked potato
- a small slice of malt loaf, a fruited tea cake or a slice of toasted fruit bread
Dates are not on that list. Apricots, figs and prunes are, which sits a little oddly next to the 5 A Day advice to keep dried fruit for mealtimes. Both pages are worth reading in full before you settle on a routine.
Choosing and keeping dates
The 30g portion is set by weight, so it is the same whether the dates are Medjool or Mazafati, the dark, very soft variety from Bam in Iran (see Kurma Mazafati Shah Alam). Mazafati needs refrigeration, so keep it in the fridge. Every date sold in Malaysia is imported.
Other posts about kurma on this site are in the dates category. Kurma Murah’s About Us page says it handles everything from retail purchases to wholesale supply, with delivery across Malaysia, and takes questions, quotes and orders on WhatsApp. There is also a contact page.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you are worried about your weight or any other part of your health in pregnancy, the NHS advice is to ask your midwife or GP.
References
- NHS. Weight gain in pregnancy. Page last reviewed 6 July 2022.
- NHS. Have a healthy diet in pregnancy. Page last reviewed 21 April 2023.
- NHS. 5 A Day: what counts?
- NHS. 5 A Day portion sizes. Page last reviewed 19 July 2022.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central (SR Legacy, 2019). Dates, medjool, FDC ID 168191.