Today, we are comparing our delicious Yogi & Yousef dates with another premium date, the Medjoul. What are the differences? And what makes our Yogi & Yousef dates so special and delicious? Read on to find out!
There are approximately 1,500 different varieties of dates worldwide. Dates grow in warm regions such as Africa, the Americas and the Middle East. Of all these varieties, Yogi & Yousef harvests and packages the most delicious one: the Dalia Sukkary date. Yogi & Yousef’s dates grow in Saudi Arabia, in a fertile oasis in the middle of the desert. The Dalia Sukkary is freshly harvested and sorted by Yogi & Yousef into two levels of softness: soft and extra soft. Unique in Europe, wonderfully soft and sweet, with a creamy caramel flavour and packed with nutrients.
Today, our Sukkary date goes head-to-head with the Medjool date. Alongside the Deglet Nour, the Medjool is one of the best-known date varieties in the Netherlands. This variety originates from the Middle East and North Africa. Its size is its most distinctive feature; a Medjool date can measure up to 7 cm in length. You will be amazed by the size when you hold one in your hand. Medjool dates are usually sold dried, which gives them a wrinkled skin. In many cases, the drying process actually begins while the date is still hanging on the tree!
The taste of the dates
It is time to compare these two dates! Let’s start with the taste. Dalia Sukkary dates have a milder flavour than regular dates such as the Medjoul. This is partly because we harvest our dates when they are soft and succulent. Medjoul dates are delicious too, but their sweetness can be quite intense, often leaving you wanting to wash it down.
The Dalia Sukkary date has a creamy caramel flavour and contains an abundance of nutrients, including vitamins A, B1, B2, C and K, as well as ten essential minerals. That is up to four times more than regular dates. This is due to the soil in which they grow, the way we handle our dates and the fact that we refrigerate them after harvesting instead of drying them. This helps preserve their nutrients. Our dates also contain approximately 29 calories each, while a Medjoul date can easily contain 66 calories.
The price of the dates
Next, let’s look at the price. Due to their size, Medjoul dates are generally quite expensive. They tend to cost more because growing and harvesting them is highly labour-intensive. The same applies to Yogi & Yousef’s Dalia Sukkary dates. The date palms are pollinated by hand and must be protected from dust and rain. Because the dates all ripen at different times, pickers sometimes have to visit the same tree several times. Every date is harvested and sorted by hand. As Dalia Sukkary dates are delicate, this work is done manually rather than mechanically.
Dalia Sukkary dates are slightly less expensive than Medjoul dates by comparison. Yogi & Yousef harvests, packages and transports its own dates, which helps keep costs relatively low. Unlike many other dates, our Sukkary dates are not treated with chemicals, glucose syrup or preservatives after harvesting. After conducting our research, we concluded that this wonderful fruit does not need any of these treatments. After all, dates have been cultivated without them for more than 6,000 years. That is why we add absolutely nothing after harvesting, giving you a 100% natural date!
And the winner is… Yogi & Yousef’s very own Dalia Sukkary date!
With its milder flavour and softer texture, the Dalia Sukkary date beats the Medjoul. The fact that the Sukkary date is fresh and unprocessed is another major advantage. The Sukkary only loses to the Medjoul when it comes to size. Oh well, we will just have another Yogi & Yousef date 😉
