Cooking With Coconut Sugar
Coconut sugar is a sugar alternative that is made from the sap produced by the flower bud stem of the coconut palm tree. Some people believe that is a healthy alternative to table sugar, but the truth is that it is only mildly more healthful than sugar.
Unlike regular sugar, coconut sugar is much less processed. To create coconut sugar, the flower bud stem is tapped and the sap is drained. The sap is then placed over moderate heat to remove the moisture. This minimal process ensures that coconut sugar has no added ingredients and is not chemically altered, as is the case for many sugars and sugar substitutes.
Because it is so little processed, the coconut sugar is able to maintain the vitamin and mineral content of the sap. Although it only contains trace amounts of the nutrients, it is still better than table sugar, which contains none. Coconut sugars nutrients include polyphenols, antioxidants, flavenoids, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin C, as well as zinc, iron, and calcium.
Like other sweeteners, it comes in multiple forms. In this case, coconut sugar can be purchased as granules, liquid, or in block form. When using coconut sugar in baking, the substitution ratio is typically 1:1, so if the recipe calls for 1 cup of table sugar, you would substitute in 1 cup of coconut sugar. But be advised, the sweetness of coconut sugar is much more subtle than white or brown sugar.
The best reason to use coconut sugar is the fact that the production of it is much more gentle on the earth than the production and distribution of cane sugar. In 2014 it was named as the most sustainable sweetener by The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization due to the fact that the palm trees it is harvested from require less water and fuel than other sweetener sources.
While there isn't a true healthy substitute for sugar, if you are going to be using a sweetener, you might as well use one that is little processed and contains some vitamins and minerals and is easier on the environment.
I have never even heard of coconut sugar. I wonder what it taste like? I'm not a fan of stevia. I find it taste like medicine. Some sweeteners are better than others for taste. Its interesting that coconut sugar is the most sustainable. That's a good enough reason to give it a try
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I hate stevia, I agree that it has a medicinal taste. Coconut sugar taste much like regular sugar, but more subtle. There's a slight bitter component, as well as a carmel-y flavor.
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Never tried this, and didn't even know about about this.
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Thanks for this in-depth article about coconut sugar. I have been telling people about the benefits of coconut sugar vs processed sugar. Several of my friends who are diabetic have switch to coconut sugar.
Interesante articulo, definitivamente el coco es una muy buena alternativa en términos de salud, seria interesante investigar un poco mas este tema.
Informative article.Indeed, coconut sugar has greater nutritional value than conventional sugar, as well as lower glycemic index.