I have been looking for an alternative sugar for artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes as they are catchy to some people looking to cut their calories or control blood sugar. When I am meeting with vendors or consulting for gluten free I get a lot of questions about that. I don’t like to recommend processed or sweetened foods and encourage people to use natural sugars for consumption. I recently discovered organic coconut palm sugar (coconut sugar) and decided to change a few of my FUK Flour recipes because I love it so much. Not only is it better for you it is naturally gluten free and I love the flavour it gives to my recipes. In previous post I have given a few of the food products special names due to the area we are going into and I give this the same title as the others, The Golden Age Sugar.
Organic coconut palm sugar is a natural sweetener and is derived by extracting the sap out of palm trees or “coconutpalm” specifically refers to the Coco Nucifera plant. You would think it comes from the coconut, but it’s not from the coconut itself, but rather from the blossoms of the coconut flower. Organic coconut Palm Sugar is made from the sweet flower blossom nectar of the green coconut tree, and the nectar is collected, boiled and granulated. Due to it’s low Glycemic Index (GI) qualities and high nutrient profile, organic coconut palm sugar is gaining popularity especially for people who follow a diabetic and a gluten free/celiac diet. The most common uses of organic coconut palm sugar is in baked goods, protein powders, energy bars, beverages or anywhere sugar is used because of its 1:1 ratio with cane sugar. I have also used it as a 1:1 ratio for recipes calling for regular white sugar and they came out just perfect.
Organic coconut palm sugar is also used to sweeten zesty foods like Thai and to balance out the salty flavour of fish. It can also simply be used in your tea or coffee as I do. It’s main use in cuisine is in sweets and desserts and, somewhat less often, in curries, sauces. The other great thing about coconut sugar is that it doesn’t really have a coconut flavour taste. It’s a versatile sweetener and can be used in many different recipes. By it’s self I find it has a bit of a caramel taste, or if you have had Agave Nectar it has a similar flavour.
The below table is to compare the micro-nutrients in certain sweeteners. By viewing the table you’ll notice Organic Coconut Palm Sugar seems to be much higher in many micro-nutrients, higher than any of the other sweeteners. Organic Coconut Palm Sugar also seems to be claimed as a low GI sugar, given a GI index of 35. The way you measure GI is like so, low GI = 55 or less, Medium GI = 56 – 69, High GI = 70 or more. Just because something is a low GI doesn’t mean you can have a lot of it which can increase your glycemic levels. Like all sugars they should be used to sweeten our foods in small parts of our diets.
| Macro-nutrients (mg / 100gm) | Coconut Palm Sugar | Agave Syrup | Honey | Maple Syrup | Brown Sugar | Refined, White Sugar |
| Nitrogen (N) | 202 | NA | NA | NA | 10 | 0 |
| Phosphorus (P) | 79 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Potassium (K) | 1,030 | 1 | 52 | 234 | 65 | 2.5 |
| Calcium (Ca) | 8 | 1.5 | 6 | 67 | 24 | 6 |
| Magnesium (Mg) | 29 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 7 | 1 |
| Sodium (Na) | 45 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 1 |
| Chloride (Cl) | 470 | NA | NA | NA | 16 | 10 |
| Sulfur (S) | 26 | NA | NA | NA | 13 | 2 |
| Boron (B) | 0.6 | NA | NA | NA | 0 | |
| Zinc (Zn) | 2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 4.2 | .2 | 0.1 |
| Manganese (Mn) | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 3.3 | .2 | 0 |
| Iron (Fe) | 2 | 1 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 1.26 | 0.1 |
| Copper (Cu) | 0.23 | 0.1 | 0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Thiamine | 0.41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vitamin C | 23.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sources: COMPARISON OF THE ELEMENTAL CONTENT OF 3 SOURCES OF EDIBLE SUGAR -
Analyzed by PCA-TAL, Sept. 11, 2000. (MI Secretaria et al, 2003) in parts per million (ppm or mg/li).
Thanks to for resources www.nutritiondata.com
Health Attributes of Palm Sugar Nutrients:
| Macro-nutrients | Health benefits provided by these nutrients |
| Nitrogen (N) | help treat cardiovascular diseases |
| Phosphorus (P) | important for bone growth, kidney functions and and cell growth |
| Potassium (K) | reduces hypertension, helps regulate blood sugar, helps control cholesterol levels and weight |
| Calcium (Ca) | vital for strong bone and teeth, and for muscle growth |
| Magnesium (Mg) | essential for metabolism, nerves and stimulates the brain (memory) |
| Sodium (Na) | plays a key role in the functioning of nerves and muscles |
| Chloride (Cl) | corrects the pressure of body fluids and balance the nervous system |
| Sulfur (S) | important for healthy hair, skin and nails, also helps maintain oxygen balance for proper brain function. |
| Boron (B) | essential for healthy bone and joint function, enhances body’s ability to absorb calcium and magnesium |
| Zinc (Zn) | called the “nutrient of intelligence” is necessary for mental development |
| Manganese (Mn) | has antioxidant, free-radical-fighting properties, is important for proper food digestion and for normal bone structure |
| Iron (Fe) | vital for the quality of blood, mental development and the immune system |
| Copper (Cu) | helps to release energy, helps in melanin production in the skin, helps in the production of red blood cells and aid in the absorption and transport of iron. |
Nutritional Facts:
| Nutrition Facts | |
| Serving Size: 100 g | |
| Amount | % Daily Value |
| Calories 380 | |
| Total Fat 0g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | |
| Trans fat 0g | |
| Total Fat Percentage | 0% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 2mg | 0% |
| Carbohydrates 95g | 32% |
| Dietary Fibre 0g | 0% |
| Sugars 84g | |
| Proteins 1g | |
| Vitamin A | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 40% |
| Calcium | 0% |
| Iron | 20% |
This was brought to you by Gluten Free Ottawa & FUK Flour. Thanks to http://coconutpalmsugar.com/ for their resources.
