Walk into any fruit store in the United States and ask for organic dates. The vendor will ask you a simple question: "Do you want Medjool or Deglet Noor date fruit?". These two varieties of dates constitute as the largest varieties found in regions of the United States and neighboring areas. There's so much rich history and qualities to both date varietals; it's hard to decide between the two date fruit sometimes. 

Back to the vendor, you’re standing there asking yourself if there is a difference between the two types of the same fruit?

The answer is: YES!

A relatively recent importation, the Medjool got its start in the United States from a eleven offshoots, secured in 1927 from the Boudenib Oasis in French Morocco by Dr. Walter T. Swingle of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Once one of the choicest dates in the Mediterranean area, The Medjool Date has now all but disappeared from the Mediterranean market due to the ravages of the dread Baioudh disease. It had been especially prized in Spain and, for centuries after the Arab occupation, Spaniards sent carefully packed boxes of Medjools to their friends as Christmas gifts. The Medjool might have been lost to the world forever were it not for for Dr. Swingle's timely importation. The offshoots, which he brought to the U.S., were thought to be disease free, but were nonetheless planted for a number of years in an isolated quarantine station at South Point, Nevada, and later moved to the U.S. Government Experiment Station at Indio. So, from this small start the entire supply of Medjool palms in this country was developed. Currently these dates are grown here at Oasis Date Gardens.

Medjool Dates Taste

The most noticeable difference between any two varieties of the same fruit comes through in the taste, if not otherwise visible. This is the case with these two varieties of date fruit. Medjool dates are commonly referred to as ‘Bakers Choice.’ Why? Well, their flavor profile comes in a lot sweeter than the other. Hence, they are seen as a natural sugar substitute and used to make a variety of date-incorporated condiments such as sweeteners and syrups.

Noor Deglet Dates Taste

Noor Deglet Dates, on the other hand, have a comparatively less sweet flavor profile and are thought of as a bit less of a condiment and more so incorporated in whole dishes. The taste of a pitted date is similar to cashew and browned butter. It has a very nutty finish taste. 

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Do Deglets and Medjools Differ in Nutritional Value?

After flavor comes nutrition; or rather, they’re synonymous with one another. First to consider is the fact that Medjool dates – the sweeter of the two, have a higher fructose content.

Let’s recap here:

Glucose is pure sugar. It's the kind of sugar that we digest and then assimilate in our bodies. Fructose is 'fruit sugar'. It's the kind of sugar that gives fruits such as mangoes their sweet flavor. Sucrose is commonly referred to as table sugar; and, it's the form of sugar most often found in homes.

Now, Medjool dates have a higher content of fructose; and, a practically null content of sucrose. Noor Deglet Dates have a relatively similar content of all three sugars. Besides noticeable difference in taste, the nutritional profile of both of these fruits is more or less the same.

Dates contribute as rich sources of fiber, potassium and magnesium – all essential for normal digestive processes.

Certified: Organic, Halal, Kosher
Contains no additives, no preservatives, is Non-GMO, contains no Allergens, sulfating agents, or artificial flavors are used in this product
Healthy snack

Medjool and Deglet Noor Dates are Certified Organic, Certified Gluten Free, and Kosher Certified and Halal Certified.