If you stock kurma for a cafe, a hamper business or a shop shelf, a buyer may ask which variety is "best for digestion", or whether any of them works as one of those natural colon cleaning remedies. Short answer: the two USDA fibre figures below differ by just over a gram per 100g, and the fibre trials point to steady intake over weeks rather than any one label. No kurma grade "cleanses" anything, and none of the sources below describe dates that way.
Fibre by variety: what the data actually covers
USDA FoodData Central has lab-analysed fibre entries for two of the varieties traded in Malaysia. Per 100g:
- Medjool: 6.7g dietary fibre (USDA's sample range 5.9 to 7.4g).
- Deglet Noor: 8.0g dietary fibre (USDA's sample range 7.0 to 8.8g).
The NHS counts a food as high-fibre at 6g or more per 100g, so both entries clear that line. For Ajwa, Safawi and Mariami we did not find figures from a source we could check, so this page doesn't give them.
Texture is a separate question. Medjool is large and very soft. Deglet Noor, the golden Tunisian and Algerian date sold on the stem as kurma tangkai, is semi-dry. That difference is a matter of taste, and it's a fair thing to let customers choose on.
Where grade fits
Grades such as A, AA, AAA or Jumbo are each importer's own size sorting, not an international standard. A grade tells you about size and how the batch was sorted. It doesn't come with a fibre figure, and we haven't seen a study comparing fibre across grades, so don't sell a higher grade as better for digestion. Sell it on size and eating experience, which is what the grade actually describes.
Whoever supplies you, Kurma Bam Wholesale or another source, ask what their grade letters mean in size terms before you compare prices between suppliers.
What fibre itself does for digestion
A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (van der Schoot et al.) pooled 16 randomised controlled trials with 1,251 adults who had chronic constipation. Of the people given fibre, 66% responded to treatment, against 41% on control. Fibre improved stool frequency and consistency, more so at higher doses. The better response rate showed up only at doses above 10g a day, and the gain in stool frequency only after at least 4 weeks. Flatulence was also higher in the fibre groups.
Two caveats for anyone repeating this to a customer. The trials used fibre supplements, not dates, and psyllium and pectin were the types with significant effects. And the authors themselves advise caution because the trials varied a lot. What it does support is the boring advice: regular fibre over weeks, not a one-day cleanse.
If a customer is buying for digestion rather than as a snack
Point them to a variety they will actually eat every day. Steady intake is what the fibre trials measured, so a variety they like beats a "better" one they eat once a fortnight.
Mention water. The NHS advice on constipation is to drink plenty of water and other fluids and to increase fibre gradually, alongside a daily walk or run. The review also found more wind in the fibre groups, which is worth mentioning so it doesn't come as a surprise.
And mention timing. On the NHS 5 A Day page, a 30g portion of dried fruit such as dates counts as one portion, but it should be eaten at mealtimes rather than as a between-meal snack, to reduce the impact on teeth.
Compare varieties in more detail in our guide to where Malaysia's kurma comes from, read about lot codes and handling in date safety and compliance, or start from our home page. For bulk quotes, go through contact us.
A note on health questions
This article is general information, not medical advice. The NHS says to see a GP if constipation is not getting better with treatment, if you are regularly constipated or regularly bloated, or if there is blood in your poo. Persistent digestive problems need a doctor's input, not a change of date variety.
References
- USDA FoodData Central. Dates, medjool (FDC ID 168191). fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA FoodData Central. Dates, deglet noor (FDC ID 171726). fdc.nal.usda.gov
- NHS. How to get more fibre into your diet. nhs.uk
- van der Schoot A, Drysdale C, Whelan K, Dimidi E. The effect of fiber supplementation on chronic constipation in adults: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022;116(4):953-969. PMID 35816465
- NHS. Constipation. nhs.uk/conditions/constipation
- NHS. 5 A Day: what counts? nhs.uk