Date juice is an ideal drink for recharging your energy, especially during the month of Ramadan. The Prophet ﷺ used to prepare this juice, and it is a booster for the body that will also provide energy and freshness. It will also be an ally for athletes. The ideal time to drink it is in the morning on an empty stomach.
To prepare your juice, place your dates in a blender after pitting them and cutting them in half, then let them soak for one hour in water. Next, blend everything until no pieces remain, and you can add the milk of your choice, such as camel milk or almond milk. This drink can be kept in a bottle in the refrigerator for two to three days maximum.
Nabidh: the Prophet's ﷺ drink and its rule
Ibn Abbas reports: "The nabidh was prepared for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the evening in a waterskin; he would drink it the next morning, the following night, the next day and the night after until the afternoon; if any was left, he would give it to the servant to drink or have it thrown out" (Muslim 2004). Nabidh is dates (or raisins) soaked in water: the water sweetens, takes on the flavor and some of the minerals, and is drunk mild. The rule is in the end of the hadith: after two days, it is thrown out, because fermentation begins and the drink would become intoxicating. The Prophet ﷺ also forbade mixing dates and raisins in the same nabidh (Muslim 1986), a mixture that ferments faster. "Two to three days in the fridge at most," says the professor: this is exactly that rule, and the refrigerator keeps us within the margin.
Traditional nabidh or blended juice: two recipes
| Nabidh (soaked) | Date juice (blended, the professor's recipe) | |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation | 5 to 7 pitted dates in half a liter of water, overnight in the fridge; the water is drunk in the morning, the dates are eaten | 5 to 7 pitted and cut dates, soaked for one hour in a glass of water, blended until no pieces remain, with camel, almond or cow's milk as preferred |
| Texture, taste | Lightly sweetened water, very refreshing | Thick, creamy, sweet; a smoothie |
| What it contains | Sugars, potassium, magnesium, polyphenols passed into the water; little fiber | The whole fruit: sugars, fiber, minerals, plus the protein and calcium from the milk |
| Who it's for | Iftar, thirst, heat, the sick person who isn't eating | Suhur, athletes, children, pregnant women, recovery |
| Storage | 48 hours in the fridge, then discarded (the rule of the hadith) | 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed bottle, as the professor advises; shake before drinking |
Why it's an energy drink
One date provides 15 to 20 g of natural sugars (glucose and fructose in equal parts), potassium (more than a banana by weight), magnesium, a bit of iron and fiber. Five dates in a glass means 80 g of easily absorbed sugars, along with the salts lost through sweating: the composition of a sports drink, without additives. A 2023 review on dates highlights their richness in sugars, fiber, minerals and antioxidant polyphenols, and their value as an energy food (Nutrients, 2023). This is what the professor calls "recharging the batteries": on an empty stomach in the morning to start the day, at suhur to hold on, after exercise to recover, and at iftar where the Prophet ﷺ broke his fast with dates and water, which comes back to nabidh.
What studies have measured about dates
- Sugar. Five date varieties tested in healthy and diabetic subjects have a moderate average glycemic index (around 45 to 55), and their consumption in measured amounts did not cause an excessive spike in type 2 diabetics (Nutr J, 2011). But this applies to chewed dates; blended into juice, without chewing and with water, the sugar is absorbed faster.
- Childbirth. A meta-analysis of trials shows that eating dates in the last weeks of pregnancy shortens labor and reduces the need for induction, with no adverse effect (BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 2024). This confirms the verse of Maryam (19:25): date juice is a good drink for the last month.
- Anemia. Among Iranian schoolgirls, a daily date consumption program improved hemoglobin and iron stores (Pediatric Health Med Ther, 2019).
Variations and good pairings
- With camel milk, as the Prophet ﷺ used to have it (dates and milk, "the two good things"): the complete drink, protein and sugars; see camel milk.
- With almond milk: a lighter version, lactose-free.
- With a spoonful of blended talbina: the fasting breakfast that lasts until evening.
- With a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom, which slow the sugar slightly and add flavor.
- For athletes: nabidh in the water bottle, blended juice within the hour after exercise.
- For children: from one year old, diluted, no honey before one year; an excellent snack.
Contraindications and precautions
Date juice is sweet: diabetics should have half a glass, with milk or a handful of nuts, never on an empty stomach without monitoring, and should prefer chewed dates over juice. Five dates make 300 kcal: a glass is a snack, not a drink to have freely alongside a meal. Nabidh must always be discarded after 48 hours: a drink that stings or foams has begun to ferment and is no longer permissible. Dates stick to the teeth: rinse your mouth. No pits in the blender.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Prophet's ﷺ drink made from dates?
Nabidh: dates soaked overnight in water, drunk the next day and the day after, then discarded before it ferments (Muslim). The professor's blended juice is the modern version, thicker, which keeps the fiber.
What are the benefits of date juice?
Quick energy (natural sugars), potassium and magnesium for recovery, fiber and polyphenols in the blended version. A drink for suhur, iftar, sports and recovery; dates also ease childbirth and help against anemia.
How long does date juice keep?
Two to three days in the refrigerator, in a sealed bottle, as the professor advises; traditional nabidh, 48 hours. Beyond that, it ferments: it is discarded, per the rule of the hadith.
Can a diabetic drink date juice?
Half a glass, with milk or nuts, not on an empty stomach, while monitoring blood sugar. Whole chewed dates have a moderate glycemic index; in juice, the sugar rises faster.
Can dates and raisins be mixed?
Not in the same nabidh: the Prophet ﷺ forbade it (Muslim), because the mixture ferments faster. Each fruit in its own water.
