Is Coconut Palm Sugar A Healthy Sugar Substitute?

Coconut palm sugar is quickly gaining popularity as a healthier, more nutritious, low-carb sugar substitute, due to its low glycemic index and excellent taste. But is this really a healthy sugar alternative or is this too good to be true?

What Is Coconut Palm Sugar?

Coconut or coconut palm sugar is a natural sugar made from the nectar of the coconut tree (not to be confused with palm sugar which is made from the palm tree. Click here to read more about why you should avoid palm oil at all cost). After extraction, the nectar is heated and dehydrated to form caramel colored coconut sugar with a taste quite similar to regular brown sugar.

Nutritional Value: Coconut Sugar vs Regular Sugar

Regular sugar is stripped of its vital nutrients during processing and delivers “empty” calories. Coconut sugar, on the other hand, is less processed and still has some of the nutrients found in the coconut palm tree, according to the Philippine Department of Agriculture,

These nutrients include iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, short chain fatty acids, antioxidants, fibers, and polyphenols.

But not all that glitters is gold! Although coconut sugar still contains some nutrients, compared to regular sugar, it is still very high in calories (same as regular sugar) and you have to eat so much of it to get your daily need of these essential nutrients.

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Coconut Sugar’s Biggest Claim: It Has A Lower Glycemic Index (GI) Making It Suitable For Diabetics

One of the major selling points of coconut sugar is that it has a lower GI (35) compared to regular sugar (GI of 60). GI is a measurement that gives us an idea how quickly certain foods release glucose into our bloodstream. Coconut sugar is quite similar to agave syrup, which is largely fructose and doesn’t cause high sugar (or glucose) spikes in our blood but causes many other health issues.

Coconut sugar also contains inulin fibers which may slow down absorption, but there are actually too few scientific studies backing this up. And many diabetics who used coconut sugar still reported sugar spikes. More studies are needed to make any conclusions regarding the fact that it has a lower GI and is diabetic-friendly.

Coconut Sugar Is Loaded With Fructose

To set things straight, regular sugar isn’t the villain because it provides empty calories or has a higher GI. The main reason it is so unhealthy is because of its high levels of fructose and coconut sugar has almost the same amounts of fructose.

I see many claims passing by on the internet that coconut sugar is fructose-free and made out of 80% of sucrose, which is actually half fructose. So when compared to regular sugar it has more or less the same amount of fructose.

Too much fructose in your diet can cause all sorts of health issues such as metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases.

Sustainable Sugar?

Coconut sugar has been touted as a more sustainable sweetener compared to other sweeteners. But the coconut producing countries claim it to be otherwise. A coconut tree can’t produce both sugar and coconuts. The nectar is derived from the flower bud that will eventually turn into a coconut. When the bud is harvested for coconut sugar, the tree will no longer produce coconuts. So they can’t be used to produce coconuts, coconut oil, dried coconut flakes, or coconut flour.

So the raising coconut sugar demand is in direct competition with coconut oil and other coconut products. And another thing, trees that are altered every three months to produce sugar and coconuts showed a 50% less nut yield. Coconut sugar is definitely not a sustainable sugar alternative and competes will all other coconut products out there.

Take Home Message

Although coconut sugar may be a bit healthier due to its higher nutritional value and more natural way of processing, at the end of the day it is still quite similar to regular sugar and definitely not the healthy sugar substitute many people claim it to be. My advice, although it is produced in a more natural way, it is still sugar and should be used in moderation.

ALSO READ: 5 Easy Ways To Avoid Sugar And Add Years To Your Life