Dates Do More Than Add Sweetness. Why We Chose Them for GO100

Dates are sweet. That is hard to miss.

But when we chose dates for GO100, it was not only about flavour. We wanted a natural ingredient that provided rich sweetness while offering more than sugar alone.

That is why we use dates.

Unlike refined sugar, date paste is made from the fruit itself. The dates’ fibre, minerals, polyphenols and natural structure remain part of the ingredient.

That made dates an obvious choice for GO100.

Sweetness from Real Fruit

Many bars get their sweetness from refined sugar or artificial sweeteners.

We chose a different route.

Dates provide a rich, rounded sweetness with natural notes of caramel and dried fruit. Their flavour works well with GO100’s different varieties and also helps create the bar’s soft texture.

GO100 is not sugar-free. Dates naturally contain sugar, and that is an important reason why they work so well in the recipe.

The difference is that the sweetness comes from a fruit that also contains fibre, minerals and plant compounds.

More Than Just Sugar

Dates contain dietary fibre and polyphenols, a group of natural plant compounds with antioxidant properties.

They also provide minerals including potassium, magnesium, copper and manganese.

Compared with refined sugar, dates offer more than sweetness alone. More of the fruit’s original composition remains.

That is the type of ingredient we prefer in GO100: something that tastes good while also contributing more.

Dates and the Microbiome

Some of the fibre and polyphenols in dates reach the large intestine, where they meet the microbiome.

In a controlled study on dates and gut function, healthy participants ate seven dates a day for three weeks.

After three weeks, their bowel movements were more regular. The researchers also observed several positive changes in the environment of the large intestine, including lower ammonia levels and fewer signs of DNA-damaging compounds.

The interesting finding was not that dates created an entirely new microbiome, but that they affected gut function and the environment in which microorganisms live and work.

How Do Dates Affect Blood Sugar?

Dates taste sweet, but the body receives more than sugar alone.

In a study of five different varieties of dates, the dates had a low to medium glycaemic index. Similar results were seen in both healthy participants and people with type 2 diabetes.

In another controlled study involving people with type 2 diabetes, participants ate three dates a day, slightly more than the amount contained in one GO100 bar, for 16 weeks. The dates did not worsen long-term blood glucose levels or body weight. Researchers also observed improvements in some blood lipids.

Dates still contain sugar. But the studies show that dates cannot simply be equated with refined sugar. Their fibre, polyphenols and natural fruit structure also remain.

Why We Chose Dates for GO100

When we developed GO100, we did not want to build the flavour around refined sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Dates gave us what we were looking for:

• natural, rich sweetness,
• fibre and polyphenols,
• minerals such as potassium and magnesium,
• and a soft texture that helps the bar hold together.

Dates are therefore more than a flavouring or sweetener.

They are an important part of the taste, texture and nutritional composition of GO100.

Every ingredient in GO100 should have a reason to be included.

Dates have several.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dates

Why Does GO100 Contain Dates?

Dates give GO100 natural sweetness and a soft texture. They also contribute fibre, polyphenols and minerals.

Do Dates Contain Sugar?

Yes. Dates naturally contain sugar, mainly glucose and fructose. Unlike refined sugar, the whole date fruit also contains fibre, minerals and plant compounds.

Which Minerals Are Found in Dates?

Dates contain minerals including potassium, magnesium, copper and manganese.

Are Dates Good for the Gut?

Dates contain fibre and polyphenols that can reach the large intestine and interact with the microbiome. In one study, daily date consumption led to more regular bowel movements and several positive changes in the environment of the large intestine.