Dates and raisins are dried fruits that can pack quite a nutritional punch. While high in calories compared to fresh fruit, both dates and raisins supply a significant amount of certain vitamins and minerals.

Originally grown in Morocco, medjool dates offer a sweeter and softer alternative to deglet noor dates, the variety of date most abundantly grown in California.

Dates are a sweet, meaty fruit, commonly sold as dried. Some grocery stores also sell fresh dates, which generally have fewer calories than their dried counterparts. The calories in fresh dates may contribute to your nutritional goals.

The fruits of date palms pack a nutritional punch. At the same time they contain insignificant amounts of fat and have no cholesterol. The most common dates in the United States are the Medjool and Deglet Noor varieties, which boast relatively equal nutritional values.