Coconut sugar, also called "palm sugar", is one of the new natural sweeteners that has recently been re-discovered by health food advocates and those wanting to find a better substitute for white sugar.
Although a long time staple of south East Asian cultures, it was just voted one of the "top 10 health trends of 2010" by People Magazine.
We believe the reason for this is because people today are searching
for healthier options and low calorie, less refined sugars that offer more of a balance to blood sugar levels and weight gain issues.
This coconut sweetener has a caramelized, butterscotch flavor with a hint of coconut. It is quite a delicious combo for healthy desserts and might be very tasty in our coconut lemon bar recipe, blended half and half with raw honey.
It is notably delicious in any recipe using cacao beans. Quite often cacao trees are actually growing right under the canopy of these coconut palms.
Naturally rich nutritional value that is high in:
Zinc
Iron
Magnesium
Potassium
B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6)
Vit C
We wanted to include this as an alternative sweetener that is not "raw", but is closer in texture to the traditional cane sugar most people are use to. It is an easy sugar to start with if you are making the transition to a healthier diet.
(Xylitol sugar also offers this option, but the taste is not as flavorful in our opinion.)
You can also, over time, begin mixing it with other sweeteners like yacon, lucuma, or stevia that are raw and an even less glycemic.
Where Does Coconut Palm Sugar Come From?
Yes, it comes from the coconut palm tree, but which part? Coconut sugar (Cocos Nucifera) does not come from the actual coconut like many believe. It comes from the sweet juices of the "coconut palm blossom", the flower that blooms to make green coconuts.
The nectar is collected traditionally by native farmers, who climb high into the palm and slice open the flower. The palm flower nectar is then converted into sugar granules. It is commonly cultivated on the Indonesian island of Java.
It is not the same palm tree that produces "palm oil" and is not related to the palm tree fruit, but it is a tropical palm.
Make sure you buy organic evaporated coconut palm sugar that is environmentally sound and ecologically grown. To ensure it is not processed with additives or preservatives that are common when evaporating sugar.
Coconut Palm Sugar VS. Cane Sugar
Many are looking for cane sugar substitutes, something crystalline and not too far from the cane crystals they are use to. This coconut sugar can be used in the same proportion as sugar in many desserts. (1:1 ratio)
Although I have not tried it extensively in recipes, I have used it to sweeten drinks and herbal teas, like tulsi tea. I like the flavor and it is sweet, but not TOO sweet. It dissolves in water just like sugar, but looks more like brown sugar with larger granules.
I have also used it when making desserts with carob powder and it works out to be a great combination.
Its glycemic index is naturally lower, rated at 35 in comparison to cane sugar at 68 and most honey at 55. It is great for diabetics or those who want a low calorie sweetener. There are no high and low glucose fluctuations often associated with other sugars.
