It's DATE Season! The Sky Is Ripe With Sugar Clouds!

loess

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Sep 22, 2013
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One of the positives that came out of my 8 years of struggling to adhere to fruitarianism/80-10-10 eating (which did quite a number on my thyroid function, hormones and ultimately my entire experience of reality) was discovering the wonders of truly fresh, ripe dates! Khadrawy, medjool, black abbada, barhi, halawi, honey, deglet noor...yum! There are hundreds of varieties of these little sugar cakes dating back thousands of years and nothing in the world compares to these fluffy, gooey sweet candy nuggets that come around each year in September/early October at their peak ripeness fresh from the palms. After a brief foray with paleo/PerfectHealthDiet, I'm so delighted to have arrived at Ray Peat's work tying everything together at the end of a long and twisted rainbow that empowers us to find our own way. Sugar is back on the menu, baby! Below are a few of the sources of dates that I have mail ordered over the years:

The Date People: Awesome couple who farm in southern California near the tiny town of Niland. They have over 25 varieties of dates and grow organically. They deal over the phone and you sometimes have to be a bit persistent to reach them; usually you leave a message and Jamie will call you back though it may be easier to contact them via e-mail now that they have a website. Jamie is super friendly and will answer any questions you have. Last time I ordered from them was in 2008 and they sent my box the day after we spoke on the phone; as soon as I received it I sent a check back to them. Recommend the 10 lb "wet pack" which consists of several moist varieties, hand-harvested and hand-packed.

Bautista Family: Multi-generational family from Mecca, CA. Certified organic and very popular with the raw vegan crowd ever since a nice gal from San Diego who is a member over at 30BananasADay began partnering with them to create a website to help grow their business. They offer 7 varieties of dates though it's really more like 6 since the Barhis sell out VERY quickly every year. Their dates are a bit pricey, but the product is high-quality and consistent. I have ordered 4 times from them in the past and never disappointed. Recommend a custom sampler of the Khadrawy and Halawi varieties for soft, sugary-sweetness.

Fernandez Dates: Family owned small farm in the Coachella Valley. Last year they were selling 11 lb boxes of Medjool dates on eBay and I picked one up. Shipped quickly and very tasty. Fairly certain that they do not spray or use pesticides in any way, though not certified organic which is really no big deal and ultimately can be an expensive label to buy for a small farm. I believe this farm only offers Medjool dates, and has done special pricing in past years during the Ramadan holiday. Link to their eBay store.

MedjoolDates.com: I purchased an 11 lb box of Dayri dates from this website back in July of 2012 and was pleasantly surprised. Subtle notes of coffee in the flavor and they were quite moist for being the previous year's crop. At the time they must have been on sale or something because I recall paying around $31 + shippping for an 11 lb box, which was an incredible price that works out to around $3.96/lb. It appears that their prices are back to normal now, but keep an eye on this website should you want some good dates down the road at a bargain.

This year I'm also scouting around eBay and Craigslist to attempt to find home-grown dates at a cheaper price. I have contacted one ad thus far and will update if I get a response. If anyone has any questions or additions, feel free to chime in!
 

NooMoahk

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Oct 14, 2013
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Thanks! I tolerate dates pretty well compared to most fibrous fruit. You don't have to eat tons to get some sugar and you get a lot nutrients as well. While I'd take watermelon over dates almost any day, they sure beat bananas/apples/whatever.

A date eating tip: peel them! I know it's sometimes difficult, depending on the date, but the results are well worth it for my digestion.
 

Stilgar

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May 16, 2013
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Dates dates! It may or may not be Peaty, but they are a big percentage of my food!

Wish i could get bulk but UK sources are not as good ☹
 

charlie

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Dates are addicting. :lol:
 

catan

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Aug 22, 2013
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How do dates compare with ripe fruits? How much do you guys eat in a day?
 

Stilgar

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May 16, 2013
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Dates are the best!
I eat plenty of dates, no problem. They are my main source of sugar other than orange juice.
5-8 dates a day probably, and I work in a fruit and veg store so I've got free access :mrgreen:
Like soft dates, chewy dates, toffee dates, dry dates, wet dates, ALL OF THEM.

I love dates.
 

max219

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Jun 2, 2013
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I was buying 15 pounds from California and eating like 2-3 pounds a day over the last two months. I stopped now though and eat a normal amount, like 8 ounces a day. They are a great staple though to fall back on and pretty cheap in bulk, easily digested, great taste.
 

catan

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Aug 22, 2013
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Wow, 2-3 lbs a day! I'm eating around 8oz/day right now and don't get tired of them. It's almost 1/3 of my daily calories on most days.
 

bradley

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Aug 16, 2012
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Just visited the Bautista farm stand at the Hollywood farmer's market. I can attest to their quality and friendliness.
 

Momado965

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Aug 28, 2016
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I usually buy my dates from a local supermarket. They are labeled from California. Do any of you guys know if any kind of dates are glazed with vegetable oil so they do not stick? This is usually done with raisins, unfortunately.
 

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