Coconut Sugar – The Sugar Of Life
“The juice of the coconut tree can be transformed into a sugar as soft as honey… Nature created this product such that it could not be processed in factories. Palm sugar can only be produced in palm tree habitats. Local populations can easily turn the nectar into coconut blossom sugar. It is a way to solve the world’s poverty. It is also an antidote against misery.” ~ Gandhi
Coconut Sugar (palm sugar), as with most things, when consumed in moderation can be a valued accompaniment to a healthy diet. Especially if it replaces white, refined (cane) sugar; by far the most common and harmful type of sugar.
Coconut sugar is made from the sap of coconut flowers and has been used for thousands of years predominantly in Asia. Impressively coconut sugar is teeming with nutritious minerals and vitamins…
Boasting an array of natural nutritional value that includes high levels of:
- Vitamin C
- B Vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6)
- Iron
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Zinc
On top of this, its glycemic index (the measure of how quickly blood sugar levels rise after eating a particular type of food) is relatively low at 35 whereas white cane sugar is around 70! Resultantly it is a great option for diabetics or anyone seeking a low calorie sweetener, quite tasty too with hints of caramel! Basically it stabilises blood sugar as opposed to the rollercoaster highs and lows of the white sugar alternative.
Coconuts really are beginning to shine as we take a closer look at the wide array of foods it has to offer, providing healthy and nutritious alternatives to milk, oil, water and sugar. Known as the ‘tree of life’ in the Philippines due to its wide array of uses as a source of both food and medicine, coconuts are in their pure form rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre making them highly nutritious.
Coconut oil can be interchanged with butter in most recipes and is so many times better than the more common dairy butter that is so widespread in the western world today. This oil while consisting of 100% fat actually improves your metabolism so much that it has been known to help people lose weight. Benefits can be derived not only from eating it but also applying to the skin and hair to provide nutrition to these parts of the body.
We have probably all heard of coconut milk, used extensively in curries and dishes the world over. Again, a much healthier option than the more common dairy version.
Coconut water perhaps the most beneficial of all the coconut trees produce due to its bioactive enzymes, B Vitamins and minerals including calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium and manganese.
Furthermore the Coconut tree has untold benefits for the environment due to its ability to prevent soil erosion (benefiting the surrounding ecosystem) and the fact that it can be grown in almost any kind of soil further reinforces the coconut trees standing as one of the most beautiful gifts from nature.
Why not take a note out of the Philippines book and try to entwine these amazing coconut foods into your diet and replace the other less nutritionally beneficial sugars with coconut sugar in order to reap the health benefits today!
