Coconut Sugar Is Low Glycemic Option
Health Benefits of Coconut Sugar
- Organic coconut sugar is a 100% organic, minimally processed, unfiltered, and unbleached natural sweetener. And contains no preservatives.
- Organic coconut sugar is naturally low on the Glycemic Index (GI), which has benefits for weight control and improving glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes (type 1 and type 2). SweetTree is rated at a GI-35. By comparison, most commercial agaves are GI-42, honeys are GI-55 and cane sugars are GI-68.
- Coconut sugar produces a slow energy release, which sustains the human body through your daily activities without regular sugar “highs” and “lows”. The major component of organic coconut sugar is sucrose (70-79%) followed by glucose and fructose (3-9%) each. Minor variations will occur, due to differences in primary processing, raw material source, tree age and variety of coconut. Agave syrup, another popular alternative sweetener, is primarily made of fructose making it a high fructose syrup, similar to high fructose corn syrup. Many studies have been conducted on sucrose vs. fructose and we suggest you educate yourself to discover which best suits your personal dietary wants and/or needs.
- Coconut sugar has a nutritional content far richer than all other commercially available sweeteners. Some sources are especially high in Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc and Iron and is a natural source of the vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and C.
What Does It Taste Like?
You can think of it as the healthier brown sugar – it’s similar in taste, though it tends to have more earthy, caramel overtones than brown sugar. The consistency is similar to Sucanant or SunCrystals.Why Use Coconut Palm Sugar For Baking
- It’s low glycemic. It has an average rating of 35 on the GI scale.
- It’s easy to bake with. When replacing refined white sugar, start with 25% less coconut palm sugar not because it’s sweeter but because it has so much more flavor. If the original recipe calls for 1 cup of refined white sugar, try 3/4 cup coconut palm sugar and adjust from there.
- It contains nutrients. You get a little nutrition with lip-smacking sweetness. It contains potassium, magnesium, zinc, calcium, iron, and other macronutrients.
- It has less calories than honey or agave nectar. Coconut palm sugar has 45 calories per tablespoon, while agave nectar has 60 calories per tablespoon and honey weighs in at 64 calories per tablespoon.
- It caramelizes in the oven. You would be missing this from liquid sweeteners, like agave nectar, honey, and maple syrup. They don’t make a cookie that’s got a crispy edge and a soft center. Coconut palm sugar does.