Date fruit is eaten all over the world, and an older version of this Green Diamond page said that it helps cure cancer, along with diabetes, digestive disorders and heart disease. None of the sources checked for this update supports a cure claim. This version sets out what is actually known: what cancer is, what the few human studies of dates found, and what dates contain compared with what the old page said.
What cancer is
The NHS describes cancer as a condition where cells in the body grow in an uncontrolled way (NHS, Cancer). The World Health Organization calls it a generic term for a large group of diseases that can affect any part of the body, where abnormal cells grow beyond their usual boundaries and can invade nearby tissue and spread to other organs. The most common cancers are lung, breast, colon and rectum, and prostate (WHO, Cancer fact sheet).
The old page blamed free radicals. The WHO gives a wider picture: cancer comes from an interaction between a person’s genetic factors and outside agents, such as ultraviolet radiation, tobacco smoke, alcohol, aflatoxin and some viruses and bacteria. Treatment depends on the type of cancer, and the NHS lists surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy as the most common treatments.
What the human studies of dates found
Two reviews show how far the research has got. A 2015 review said the protective effects of dates against chemotherapy side effects “have only been studied in small animal systems” (Yasin et al., 2015). A 2022 review of date palm and health says its exact health benefits “were not fully and deeply investigated” (Al-Okbi, 2022). Two studies in people are relevant here.
In a randomised, controlled, cross-over study run by researchers at the University of Reading, 22 healthy volunteers ate seven dates (about 50 g) a day for 21 days, and a maltodextrin–dextrose powder (37.1 g) for another 21 days. Dates did not significantly change the gut bacteria measured. They did increase bowel movements, lower stool ammonia, and reduce the genotoxicity of faecal water compared with the control. The authors say this “may reduce colon cancer risk”. That is a marker in healthy people, not a count of cancers prevented (Eid et al., Br J Nutr 2015).
The second is a non-randomised controlled trial at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah. Of 56 children with cancer, 26 took Ajwa dates during their standard treatment and 30 served as controls. The Ajwa group had fewer infections, fewer hospital admissions for fever with neutropenia, and a better survival rate (Al Jaouni et al., 2019). The dates were taken alongside standard treatment, not instead of it, and patients were not randomly assigned.
What dates contain, nutrient by nutrient
The old page named four nutrients. Here is what USDA FoodData Central lists per 100 g of Medjool dates (FDC 168191) and Deglet Noor dates (FDC 171726), next to what the NHS says adults need.
- Vitamin C: 0 mg in Medjool and 0.4 mg in Deglet Noor. The NHS says adults need 40 mg a day and lists citrus fruit first among good sources (NHS, Vitamin C). An orange has 53.2 mg per 100 g (FDC 169097). Dates are not a vitamin C food.
- Vitamin A: 7 µg RAE in Medjool and none listed for Deglet Noor. The NHS figure for adults is 600 to 700 µg a day, measured in retinol equivalents (RE), a different unit from FDC’s RAE (NHS, Vitamin A).
- Vitamin E: 0.05 mg in Deglet Noor, with no value listed for Medjool. The NHS says adults need 3 to 4 mg a day (NHS, Vitamin E).
- Magnesium: 54 mg in Medjool and 43 mg in Deglet Noor. One 24 g Medjool date gives about 13 mg, against an NHS need of 270 to 300 mg a day (NHS, Other vitamins and minerals).
So the old claims about vitamins A, C and E do not fit dates. On antioxidants generally, the NHS adds a warning: there is no evidence that beta-carotene from food is harmful, but beta-carotene supplements have been found to increase the risk of lung cancer in people who smoke or have been heavily exposed to asbestos.
Fibre is where dates have more to offer. Medjool dates have 6.7 g per 100 g, about 1.6 g per date. A 2019 series of reviews in The Lancet found that people who ate the most fibre had a 15–30% lower incidence of colorectal cancer (and of several other diseases) than those who ate the least, and its dose-response curves suggested higher intakes could give more protection against colorectal and breast cancer (Reynolds et al., Lancet 2019). That is about fibre from the whole diet, not dates in particular.
What lowers cancer risk
The WHO estimates that about 38% of cancers can currently be prevented by avoiding risk factors and using existing prevention strategies. Its list starts with not using tobacco and keeping a healthy body weight, and includes eating a healthy diet with fruit and vegetables, regular physical activity, cutting down alcohol and protecting skin from ultraviolet radiation. It also says nearly a quarter of cancer deaths are due to tobacco use, alcohol, high body mass index, low fruit and vegetable intake and lack of physical activity. The NHS adds having cancer screening when you are invited.
Read any claim about date fruit and cancer with that list in mind. Dates are a fruit with some fibre. The cancer evidence so far is one small non-randomised study in children who were also on standard treatment and one marker study in 22 healthy adults. Enjoy dates as a food within a varied diet.
Our dates are listed on the products page, and the contact page has our phone and email. This article is general information, not medical advice. The NHS says to see a GP about any symptoms that are not normal for you, and anyone being treated for cancer should talk to their care team before adding foods or supplements.
References
- NHS. Cancer. nhs.uk
- World Health Organization. Cancer: fact sheet. who.int
- Yasin BR, El-Fawal HA, Mousa SA. Date (Phoenix dactylifera) polyphenolics and other bioactive compounds: a traditional Islamic remedy’s potential in prevention of cell damage, cancer therapeutics and beyond. Int J Mol Sci. 2015;16:30075-90. PMID 26694370
- Al-Okbi SY. Date palm as source of nutraceuticals for health promotion: a review. Curr Nutr Rep. 2022;11:574-591. PMID 36125704
- Eid N, et al. Impact of palm date consumption on microbiota growth and large intestinal health: a randomised, controlled, cross-over, human intervention study. Br J Nutr. 2015;114:1226-36. PMID 26428278
- Al Jaouni SK, et al. Effects of Phoenix dactylifera Ajwa on infection, hospitalization, and survival among pediatric cancer patients in a university hospital: a nonrandomized controlled trial. Integr Cancer Ther. 2019;18:1534735419828834. PMID 30791734
- Reynolds A, et al. Carbohydrate quality and human health: a series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Lancet. 2019;393:434-445. PMID 30638909
- NHS. Vitamins and minerals: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, others. nhs.uk
- USDA FoodData Central. Dates, medjool (FDC 168191); Dates, deglet noor (FDC 171726); Oranges, raw, all commercial varieties (FDC 169097). SR Legacy. fdc.nal.usda.gov