All About Coconut Sugar - Coconut Sugar Recipes (2024)

All About Coconut Sugar - Coconut Sugar Recipes (1)

For those who may be new to our site, we’ve been sharing posts devoted to specific sugar alternatives. We want these sweeteners to seem accessible and not completely scary or unknown! Please see theNatural Sweetener Guidefor a list of all the sweeteners we use.

What is Coconut Sugar?

Coconut sugar is made from the flowers of the coconut tree. Coconut sugar can be called by two names, coconut sugar or coconut palm sugar. In addition to that, there is a product called Palm Sugar which is a very popular in Asian cuisine. Coconutpalm sugar is the most common name used by US companies. We have used products that use both names of “coconut sugar” or “coconut palm sugar” in their titles.

The first question you might have about coconut sugar is “does it taste like coconut?” The answer is a big fat “NO”.Coconut sugar does not taste, smell or look like coconut at all! In the above picture, you might find it has a similar appearance to brown sugar, because of it’s rich brown color. It can clump together and has a sweet scent similar to brown sugar. For this reason, coconut sugar has become a favorite sweetener! Especially for it’s nice sweet caramal-y flavor to baked goodies.

Why Coconut Sugar is Healthy

Coconut sugar is a whole, pure and completely natural sugar. It doesn’t through the extensive refining process as sugar does, so it is a whole, pure food. It will not give you sugar high’s and low’s and won’t make you feel sluggish or bloated. It’s naturally full of vitamins and minerals likeamino acids, potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc and is a completely safe as a diabetic sugar substitute. Coconut sugar has a low glycemic index (35), making it safe and convenient for any one concerned with blood sugar levels. Not all natural sweeteners are perfect for those who are concerned with this, but coconut sugar is one that is safe!

Why We Love Coconut Sugar

Aside from the health benefits, we love coconut sugar because it tastes good! It’s doesn’t taste like coconut sugar, despite the name! Coconut sugar is a great sugar alternative for many reasons. It bakes very well (similar to sugar)and helpsgive an amazing texture to all our favorite dishes! It caramelizes like sugar, thus making great brownies or chewy cookies. It’s substituted for sugar 1 to 1 and it mimics the taste of brown sugar. This flavor combines so well with chocolate for healthy Nutella or almond for almond cookies. It’s sweet enough to replace regular white sugar in, but healthy enough to call it a “whole nutrient rich” food. Coconut sugar is so amazing, even Dr. Oz loves it!

How to Use Coconut Sugar

Coconut sugar is a wonderful natural sweetener that can be used in many ways!
Because of coconut sugar’s properties, it’s the perfect natural sweetener for baking and cooking. Here are some of our favorites:

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

All About Coconut Sugar - Coconut Sugar Recipes (2)

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

All About Coconut Sugar - Coconut Sugar Recipes (3)

Martha Stewart’s Chocolate Creme Brulee

All About Coconut Sugar - Coconut Sugar Recipes (4)

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

All About Coconut Sugar - Coconut Sugar Recipes (5)

Coconut sugar is great for lots of different dishes, but it’s not perfect for everything. It’s color and flavor is not ideal for every dessert you make. We don’t use coconut sugar in white, light or delicate flavored treats like whipped cream or white frosting. So sometimes we combine coconut sugar with other sweeteners to achieve the look and taste we want!

Mini Donut Hole Muffins

All About Coconut Sugar - Coconut Sugar Recipes (6)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

All About Coconut Sugar - Coconut Sugar Recipes (7)

Mint Brownies

All About Coconut Sugar - Coconut Sugar Recipes (8)

Where to Buy Coconut Sugar

The best place to find coconut sugar is either at local health food stores (sometimes they go on sale for great deals) or online! We love buying coconut sugar through amazon.com. The products we often purchase are shown in our amazon products list on our blogs sidebar. You can always subscribe to items through amazon.com, helping to save a little money. You can also check out health food sections in any regular grocery store. We also just discovered that you can buy coconut sugar at Costco! If you would like to try out this natural sweetener but don’t want to commit to the cost, split it between you and a few friends. You won’t regret the price nor the delicious health benefits and you’ll be helping to share a healthy sugar substitute with your friends!

Questions: Have you tried coconut sugar before? What do you love about it?

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All About Coconut Sugar - Coconut Sugar Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is coconut sugar healthier than sugar? ›

It's very similar to regular table sugar, although it is less processed and contains minor amounts of nutrients. If you're going to use coconut sugar, use it sparingly. Coconut sugar belongs in the same boat as most sugar alternatives. It's healthier than refined sugar but less healthy than consuming no sugar at all.

Does coconut sugar spike your blood sugar? ›

If you are looking for a natural, plant-based sweetener to keep your blood glucose and energy levels up, coconut sugar is the ideal choice. Lower chances of a blood sugar spike. Per serving, coconut sugar contains a small amount of inulin, a type of soluble fiber that can make post-meal blood sugar spikes less likely.

What are the side effects of coconut sugar? ›

Eating a lot of sugar, including coconut palm sugar, can increase the risk of mouth infections and dental problems. This is because sugars contain high amounts of fermentable carbohydrates. People with diabetes are more prone to infections and gum disease.

How to use coconut sugar in recipes? ›

The general rule when cooking with coconut sugar is to measure it out in the same quantity of white or brown sugar in a recipe. It's a darker sugar, so don't use it when the baked good needs to maintain a pale color, like in an angel food cake.

What is the healthiest sugar to use? ›

Organic Brown Sugar

Brown sugar is definitely a healthier option than refined white sugar. It is processed in a completely natural way to maintain as much of the sugarcane's natural nutrition as possible, including vitamins and minerals.

Is coconut sugar an inflammatory? ›

Coconut sugar does contain a small amount of fiber in the form of inulin, which is prebiotic. Hence, it could be beneficial for gut health. Inulin is also effective at lowering inflammation and plasma lipid levels 7.

What is the healthiest sugar substitute for diabetics? ›

5 Sugar Substitute Ideas for People With Diabetes
  1. Stevia. While you can buy stevia sweetener packets, it also grows as a plant — and some websites make harvesting and drying your own look easy. ...
  2. Coconut Palm Sugar. ...
  3. Erythritol. ...
  4. Advantame. ...
  5. Yacon Syrup.

Is stevia better or coconut sugar? ›

Unlike stevia, which primarily provides sweetness without significant nutritional value, coconut sugar contains essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. With its natural source derived from the sap of coconut palm trees, coconut sugar retains nutrients such as potassium, iron, zinc, and various B vitamins.

Is coconut sugar or honey better for you? ›

Coconut sugar is popular in the world because this product offers several benefits, the most famous of which is a low glycemic index. The glycemic index of coconut sugar is at 35, which is quite low compared to the glycemic index of honey, which is at 58.

Can I eat coconut sugar everyday? ›

Coconut sugar has the same number of calories as other sugar, refined or not. Use it if you like the taste or if it works in your recipe, but treat it in the same way as any other sugar and use it sparingly.

Is coconut sugar bad for your liver? ›

Furthermore, organic coconut sugar contains inulin, a type of dietary fiber. Inulin, linked to improved liver health, can actively promote a healthy gut microbiome. A balanced gut flora can reduce the release of harmful lipopolysaccharides into the bloodstream, thus decreasing liver inflammation.

Is coconut sugar bad for your gut? ›

It also contains a small amount of inulin, a dietary fiber that helps keep your gut healthy, reduces your risk of colon cancer, and manages your blood sugar.

What is coconut sugar best used for? ›

The sweetener is ideal for moist batters and chewy cookies, as it retains moisture well, says Roszkowski. Coconut sugar also gives finished products a golden color, which may be ideal for certain recipes. Additionally, coconut sugar tastes similar to brown sugar and boasts delicious caramel notes.

Can I replace regular sugar with coconut sugar? ›

Coconut sugar, on the other hand, is so similar to regular sugar that it doesn't have those kinds of limitations. “It's a one-to-one ratio, so you don't have to change the amounts you're using,” Czerwony says, “and you can use it in all the same ways you'd use regular sugar.”

Can you put coconut sugar in coffee? ›

little bit of sweetness with a caramel twist - a perfect. midday pick me up!

Which is the safest sugar substitute? ›

Stevia and monk fruit are both naturally derived from plants and some people feel they have a flavor very similar to regular sugar. The FDA says these sweeteners are “generally regarded as safe,” which means they are safe to use for their intended purpose.

Which is healthier, date sugar or coconut sugar? ›

Although there are a few elements in these sugars that make them different from regular sugars, in reality, coconut sugar and date sugar are almost identical to regular cane sugar in terms of nutrients and calories. Both consist mainly of sugars, which are simple carbohydrates.

How much coconut sugar is equal to sugar? ›

How to Use Coconut Sugar in Recipes. In general, coconut sugar can replace white sugar using a 1:1 ratio in most recipes, says Roszkowski. However, she recommends grinding coconut sugar into smaller granules using a food processor or blender first.

Why is coconut sugar healthier than brown sugar? ›

Not only is coconut palm sugar lower on the glycemic index compared to white and brown sugar, but you also get vitamin C and an important dose of minerals such as iron, calcium, and zinc. Coconut palm sugar is a natural sweetener that also has nutrition.

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