Dates vs. Chia Seeds
Nutrition comparison of Dates and Chia Seeds
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
dates
versus
chia seeds
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in dates and chia seeds:
- Both dates and chia seeds are high in calcium, calories, carbohydrates, dietary fiber and potassium.
- Chia seed has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate, however, date contains more pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
- Chia seed is an excellent source of iron and protein.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Dates (Dates, medjool) and Chia Seeds (Seeds, chia seeds, dried) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both dates and chia seeds are high in calories. Chia seed has 75% more calories than date - date has 277 calories per 100 grams and chia seed has 486 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, dates is lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to chia seeds per calorie. Dates has a macronutrient ratio of 2:98:0 and for chia seeds, 13:33:54 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Dates | Chia Seeds | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 2% | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 98% | 33% |
| Fat | ~ | 54% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both dates and chia seeds are high in carbohydrates. Date has 78% more carbohydrates than chia seed - date has 75g of total carbs per 100 grams and chia seed has 42.1g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both dates and chia seeds are high in dietary fiber. Chia seed has 413% more dietary fiber than date - date has 6.7g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and chia seed has 34.4g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Date is high in sugar and chia seed has less sugar than date - date has 66.5g of sugar per 100 grams and chia seed does not contain significant amounts.
Protein
protein
Chia seed is an excellent source of protein and it has 814% more protein than date - date has 1.8g of protein per 100 grams and chia seed has 16.5g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Date has less saturated fat than chia seed - chia seed has 3.3g of saturated fat per 100 grams and date does not contain significant amounts.
trans fat
Both chia seeds and dates are low in trans fat - chia seed has 0.14g of trans fat per 100 grams and date does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Chia seed has more Vitamin C than date - chia seed has 1.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and date does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Date has more Vitamin A than chia seed - date has 7ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and chia seed does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Chia seed has more Vitamin E than date - chia seed has 0.5mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and date does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin K
Dates and chia seeds contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - date has 2.7ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and chia seed does not contain significant amounts.
The B Vitamins
Chia seed has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate, however, date contains more pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
| Dates | Chia Seeds | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.05 MG | 0.62 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.06 MG | 0.17 MG |
| Niacin | 1.61 MG | 8.83 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.805 MG | ~ |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.249 MG | ~ |
| Folate | 15 UG | 49 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both dates and chia seeds are high in calcium. Chia seed has 886% more calcium than date - date has 64mg of calcium per 100 grams and chia seed has 631mg of calcium.
iron
Chia seed is an excellent source of iron and it has 758% more iron than date - date has 0.9mg of iron per 100 grams and chia seed has 7.7mg of iron.
potassium
Both dates and chia seeds are high in potassium. Date has 71% more potassium than chia seed - date has 696mg of potassium per 100 grams and chia seed has 407mg of potassium.
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.
Note: The specific food items compared are: Dates (Dates, medjool) and Chia Seeds (Seeds, chia seeds, dried) .
Dates g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Chia Seeds g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
|
5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | saturated fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
|
5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does dates or chia seeds contain more calories in 100 grams?Both dates and chia seeds are high in calories. Chia seed has 80% more calories than date - date has 277 calories in 100g and chia seed has 486 calories.
Does dates or chia seeds have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both dates and chia seeds are high in carbohydrates. date has 80% more carbohydrates than chia seed - date has 75g of carbs for 100g and chia seed has 42.1g of carbohydrates.
Does dates or chia seeds contain more calcium?
Both dates and chia seeds are high in calcium. Chia seed has 890% more calcium than date - date has 64mg of calcium in 100 grams and chia seed has 631mg of calcium.
Does dates or chia seeds contain more iron?
Chia seed is an abundant source of iron and it has 760% more iron than date - date has 0.9mg of iron in 100 grams and chia seed has 7.7mg of iron.
Does dates or chia seeds contain more potassium?
Both dates and chia seeds are high in potassium. Date has 70% more potassium than chia seed - date has 696mg of potassium in 100 grams and chia seed has 407mg of potassium.