For those who may be new to our site, we’ve been sharing posts devoted to specific sugar alternatives. We want these sweeteners to seem accessible and not completely scary or unknown! Please see theNatural Sweetener Guidefor a list of all the sweeteners we use.
What is Coconut Sugar?
Coconut sugar is made from the flowers of the coconut tree. Coconut sugar can be called by two names, coconut sugar or coconut palm sugar. In addition to that, there is a product called Palm Sugar which is a very popular in Asian cuisine. Coconutpalm sugar is the most common name used by US companies. We have used products that use both names of “coconut sugar” or “coconut palm sugar” in their titles.
The first question you might have about coconut sugar is “does it taste like coconut?” The answer is a big fat “NO”.Coconut sugar does not taste, smell or look like coconut at all! In the above picture, you might find it has a similar appearance to brown sugar, because of it’s rich brown color. It can clump together and has a sweet scent similar to brown sugar. For this reason, coconut sugar has become a favorite sweetener! Especially for it’s nice sweet caramal-y flavor to baked goodies.
Why Coconut Sugar is Healthy
Coconut sugar is a whole, pure and completely natural sugar. It doesn’t through the extensive refining process as sugar does, so it is a whole, pure food. It will not give you sugar high’s and low’s and won’t make you feel sluggish or bloated. It’s naturally full of vitamins and minerals likeamino acids, potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc and is a completely safe as a diabetic sugar substitute. Coconut sugar has a low glycemic index (35), making it safe and convenient for any one concerned with blood sugar levels. Not all natural sweeteners are perfect for those who are concerned with this, but coconut sugar is one that is safe!
Why We Love Coconut Sugar
Aside from the health benefits, we love coconut sugar because it tastes good! It’s doesn’t taste like coconut sugar, despite the name! Coconut sugar is a great sugar alternative for many reasons. It bakes very well (similar to sugar)and helpsgive an amazing texture to all our favorite dishes! It caramelizes like sugar, thus making great brownies or chewy cookies. It’s substituted for sugar 1 to 1 and it mimics the taste of brown sugar. This flavor combines so well with chocolate for healthy Nutella or almond for almond cookies. It’s sweet enough to replace regular white sugar in, but healthy enough to call it a “whole nutrient rich” food. Coconut sugar is so amazing, even Dr. Oz loves it!
How to Use Coconut Sugar
Coconut sugar is a wonderful natural sweetener that can be used in many ways!
Because of coconut sugar’s properties, it’s the perfect natural sweetener for baking and cooking. Here are some of our favorites:
Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Martha Stewart’s Chocolate Creme Brulee
Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Coconut sugar is great for lots of different dishes, but it’s not perfect for everything. It’s color and flavor is not ideal for every dessert you make. We don’t use coconut sugar in white, light or delicate flavored treats like whipped cream or white frosting. So sometimes we combine coconut sugar with other sweeteners to achieve the look and taste we want!
Mini Donut Hole Muffins
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies
Mint Brownies
Where to Buy Coconut Sugar
The best place to find coconut sugar is either at local health food stores (sometimes they go on sale for great deals) or online! We love buying coconut sugar through amazon.com. The products we often purchase are shown in our amazon products list on our blogs sidebar. You can always subscribe to items through amazon.com, helping to save a little money. You can also check out health food sections in any regular grocery store. We also just discovered that you can buy coconut sugar at Costco! If you would like to try out this natural sweetener but don’t want to commit to the cost, split it between you and a few friends. You won’t regret the price nor the delicious health benefits and you’ll be helping to share a healthy sugar substitute with your friends!
Questions: Have you tried coconut sugar before? What do you love about it?
FAQs
Use coconut sugar 1:1 in any way you would regular sugar, including in tea or coffee or baking and cooking.
What is the best use of coconut sugar? ›
The sweetener is ideal for moist batters and chewy cookies, as it retains moisture well, says Roszkowski. Coconut sugar also gives finished products a golden color, which may be ideal for certain recipes. Additionally, coconut sugar tastes similar to brown sugar and boasts delicious caramel notes.
Does coconut sugar spike blood sugar? ›
If you are looking for a natural, plant-based sweetener to keep your blood glucose and energy levels up, coconut sugar is the ideal choice. Lower chances of a blood sugar spike. Per serving, coconut sugar contains a small amount of inulin, a type of soluble fiber that can make post-meal blood sugar spikes less likely.
Is coconut sugar inflammatory? ›
Coconut sugar does contain a small amount of fiber in the form of inulin, which is prebiotic. Hence, it could be beneficial for gut health. Inulin is also effective at lowering inflammation and plasma lipid levels 7.
What are the pros and cons of coconut sugar? ›
Coconut sugar is very high in calories, just like regular sugar, and you'd have to eat a ridiculous amount of it to satisfy your needs for the above nutrients. Coconut sugar contains small amounts of minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. However, its high sugar content outweighs any potential benefits.
Why use coconut sugar instead of regular sugar? ›
Consumers often wish to substitute refined sugar with alternative sweeteners, such as coconut sugar, given growing interest in healthy eating and the public's negative perception of excess sugar intake. Coconut sugar is a healthier, sweetener option than the majority of other sugars that are commercially available.
What are the side effects of coconut sugar? ›
Eating a lot of sugar, including coconut palm sugar, can increase the risk of mouth infections and dental problems. This is because sugars contain high amounts of fermentable carbohydrates. People with diabetes are more prone to infections and gum disease.
Is coconut sugar good in coffee? ›
little bit of sweetness with a caramel twist - a perfect. midday pick me up!
Which is healthier stevia or coconut sugar? ›
Coconut palm sugar tends to retain most of the nutrients found in the coconut palm. It does contain calcium, iron, potassium, and zinc, albeit in very small amounts (2). On the other hand, stevia is believed to have zero to low calories and carbs, if any (10). ...
How bad is coconut sugar for diabetics? ›
In terms of coconut as a sugar substitute, coconut palm sugar has a low glycemic index, but the American Diabetes Association notes that you should treat it the same as regular sugar because it contains the same amount of calories and carbs.
Rockville, Md. — A first-of-its-kind study finds a natural coconut sugar may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by improving blood vessel health and managing high blood pressure.
What is the healthiest sugar substitute? ›
5 Natural Sweeteners That Are Good for Your Health
- Stevia. Stevia is a very popular low calorie sweetener. ...
- Erythritol. Erythritol is another low calorie sweetener. ...
- Xylitol. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol with a sweetness similar to that of sugar. ...
- Yacon syrup. Yacon syrup is another unique sweetener. ...
- Monk fruit sweetener.
Coconut sugar also contains a type of dietary fibre called inulin, which is beneficial to gut health. But it's the same as eating McDonald's fries for the potassium, when you could just have a banana instead. You'll find far larger quantities of inulin in garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, onions, leeks and asparagus.
Which is better honey or coconut sugar? ›
Honey and coconut sugar are both natural sweeteners that can be used as a substitute for refined sugar. In terms of nutrition, honey contains more calories and carbohydrates than coconut sugar, but it also contains antioxidants and has antimicrobial properties.
Does coconut sugar feed bad gut bacteria? ›
Coconut sugar also contains small amounts of fiber and beneficial compounds like inulin, a type of prebiotic fiber that can promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
What do you use coconut sugar for in baking? ›
Try it when making healthier sweet treats such as muesli slice, breakfast muffins and quinoa cookies.
- 1Chocolate chunk quinoa cookies. ...
- 2Yoghurt muesli bars. ...
- 3Gluten-free jaffa marble cake. ...
- 4Healthier crackles. ...
- 5Apricot and oat muesli slice. ...
- 6Lemon and yoghurt syrup cakes. ...
- 7Banana and blueberry cake.
This sugar melts perfectly fine and can be used one-for-one with the sugar called for in your recipe.
What is the function of coconut sugar in baking? ›
Uses: 1. Baking – Coconut sugar can be used as a substitute for regular sugar in baking recipes. It has a similar taste and texture to brown sugar and can add a caramel flavour to baked goods.
Is coconut sugar better for you than sugar? ›
They're not all that different. “Coconut sugar is very similar to regular cane table sugar,” she says. “It has about the same amount of calories, so all things considered, it's just about the same — no better and no worse.”
