Sticky and sweet Medjool dates, filled with butter and topped with flaky salt have been circulating on social media as a yummy and nutritious snack.
One video of a woman trying the viral snack has racked up 2.1 million views in its first 10 days on TikTok.
In the video, Joyce Arizala sits in her car in Sydney, Australia, and shows the snack to the camera, saying: “So, apparently if you put butter and salt in a Medjool date, it ends up tasting like cookie dough, so let’s try it.”
After tasting the butter-filled date, she says: “That’s insane … It’s almost like a salted caramel-type taste.”
Sometimes paired with a square of dark chocolate, the trend seems particularly popular among influencers on an animal-based diet, which is like the carnivore diet—where just meat, eggs and dairy feature—except dieters can eat fruit, honey and a few other foods too.
Newsweek reached out to three nutrition experts to get their opinions on the trend—and each one had a different opinion.
In Favor of Butter-Filled Dates
Nutritional therapist Charlotte Watts, of Charlotte Watts Health, said she thought the snack sounded “delicious and wonderful, quite frankly.”
“Medjool dates are incredible for the gut microbiome,” said Watts, explaining that their high fiber content could help feed gut bacteria and regulate bowel movements.
She said the dried fruit used to be considered high-glycemic index (GI)—meaning they had a quick and dramatic effect on blood sugars and insulin—but that this was based on “misread data” and that dates were “actually incredibly low-GI” due to their fiber content.
As for the other ingredients, Watts said she hoped people would use organic, high-quality butter and high-quality salt; if so, they could benefit from “wonderful fat-soluble nutrients” and “loads of trace minerals.”
“I wouldn’t worry about the saturated fats,” Watts added, talking about the butter. “They’re problematic in our diet when mixed with the high amounts of sugar that we tend to consume.” As part of a healthy, balanced diet, she said, the saturated fat in the butter shouldn’t be a problem.
And, for vegans and individuals who avoid dairy, Watts suggested replacing the butter with coconut oil.
Lazartivan / stanzi11/Getty Images / Canva
A Middle Ground
However, nutritional therapist Rakhi Lad, of Healthology, told Newsweek that this snack was nutritionally “a mixed bag.”
“Naturally sweet and rich in fiber, potassium and antioxidant, Medjool dates offer benefits for digestion and energy levels,” said Lad. “Adding a bit of butter, especially if grass-fed, introduces healthy fats that can slow sugar absorption, offering a more stable energy boost.”
As for the salt, Lad said it enhanced the flavor of the other ingredients and could trigger the “bliss point” where food could become addictive and we find it difficult to stop eating.
“It’s something food manufacturers use strategically, blending sugar, salts and fats to keep us reaching for another bite,” said Lad.
She recommended enjoying the snack “as an occasional treat,” mindful of moderation and portion control.
For a “more balanced” alternative, Lad suggested pairing dates with nut butter or tahini, pairing apple slices with nut butter and cinnamon, or enjoying Greek yogurt with dark chocolate and sea salt.
Not a Fan of Butter-Filled Dates
Least keen of all on the viral butter-stuffed date snack was nutritionist Giulietta Durante, of Hormones in Harmony, who said the main disadvantage of the snack was its sugar content.
“Yes, they are mineral- and fiber-rich, but each date contains roughly four teaspoons of sugar,” she said. “People with high blood pressure might also want to be careful with this snack as its high sodium content could prove problematic for blood sugar control.”
While the snack sounded “delicious,” Durante said: “It’s not a snack I would recommend having on a regular basis due to its high sugar content.
“Also, I would imagine they’re quite moreish, so it’s unlikely anyone would stop at one!”
Do you have a tip on a food story that Newsweek should be covering? Is there a nutrition concern that’s worrying you? Let us know via science@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured in Newsweek.
