Not Keto
Dates
32.80g net carbs per 2 dates
Two dates pack 32.8 g net carbs, which can blow past a full day's keto budget in a few bites. Save them for off-plan days and reach for a handful of raspberries when you want something sweet.
Built by Barron Hansen · Last updated July 2026
Nutrition Facts
Fits My Daily Budget?
Set your daily net carb limit to see how one serving fits.
One serving uses 100% of your 20g daily budget.
Plan the rest of your day
Good to Know
Medjool dates are the big, soft ones you'll see at Costco or Whole Foods, and they pack even more sugar per piece than smaller Deglet Noor dates. Watch for chopped dates folded into trail mixes, energy balls, and so-called paleo bars, where they act as the main sweetener and the carbs hide in plain sight. Date syrup and date paste are the same story in concentrated form, so check labels on anything marketed as refined-sugar-free.
Is Dates Keto? The Full Answer
Dates contains 32.80g net carbs per 2 dates (36.00g total carbs minus 3.20g fiber). Two dates pack 32.8 g net carbs, which can blow past a full day's keto budget in a few bites. Save them for off-plan days and reach for a handful of raspberries when you want something sweet.
On a standard ketogenic diet, most people target 20-25g net carbs per day. A single serving uses 164% of a 20g daily carb limit. If you are following a strict ketogenic protocol, reach for a lower-carb option instead.
Better Keto Swaps
Dates are essentially sugar in fruit form. Two of them pack 32.8 g net carbs, which is more than most people on keto eat in a full day, so they need a stand-in. When you want that sticky, sweet caramel note, reach for a Medjool-style swap made from Lakanto monk fruit caramel syrup. A tablespoon runs close to 1 g net carbs and gives you the sweetness without the spike. Craving something to chew? Try a small handful of macadamia nuts (about 1.5 g net carbs per ounce) for the rich, dense bite dates offer in things like energy balls. And for baking, where dates usually act as the binder and sweetener, blended chia seeds plus a little erythritol work well at roughly 1 to 2 g net carbs per tablespoon. None of these will fool you into thinking it is candy, but they let you keep the texture and a hint of sweetness while staying low.
Track Your Ketone Levels
The Keto-Mojo meter is the gold standard for confirming you're actually in ketosis. Know your numbers - don't guess.