On average, dates contain 21% water, 75% carbohydrates (63% sugars and 8% dietary fiber), 2% protein, and less than 1% fat. In a 100-gram amount dates contain 1,180 kilojoules (280 kilocalories) of food energy and are a moderate source (10-19% of the Daily Value) of pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, and the dietary minerals magnesium, manganese, and potassium, with other micronutrients in low amounts.

Glucose makes up about 55% of sugar content in dates, while fructose is about 45%, and sucrose is negligible. A 2011 study found that the glycemic index (GI) for five different varieties of date had a range of 46–55, while a 2002 report showed GI values of 31–50, results indicating dates are a relatively low GI food source.