The Unexpected Benefit of Coconut Sugar
The Sustainable Sweetener
We all know the dangers and downsides of refined, processed sugars. But what about coconut sugar? What is it exactly — and why are so many superfood producers using it in their products?
Simply put, coconut sugar, also known as coconut palm sugar or just “palm sugar,” is the boiled and dehydrated sap from the flower buds of the coconut palm. Coconut sugar has traditionally been used in parts of Asia for thousands of years.
From a nutritional standpoint, coconut sugar is a better alternative to traditional sugar because of its nutritive content, which includes vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, and other minerals. Coconut sugar is also known for its low glycemic impact, which means it is absorbed slower by the body, and therefore less likely to spike blood sugar and cause those undesirable “sugar crashes.” Coconut sugar has less fructose content than other sweeteners, such as agave.
Yet an unexpected benefit of coconut sugar is that it may be a more sustainable sweetener; in 2014, the United Nations named coconut sugar the most sustainable sweetener in the world.
We were interested in learning more about this, so we did some research — and this is what we found.
Apparently, coconut palms:
- Produce more sugar and use fewer soil nutrients and less water than sugar cane
- Use less fuel than traditional sugar cane
- Produce fruit for over 20 years, making it a highly sustainable production
Further, modern methods for tapping coconut palms have shown higher yields than traditional methods.
At Live A Lot, each ingredient we add to our superfood chocolate products, including coconut sugar, is chosen with the utmost intention and care. Read more about our ingredients here — and be sure to check out our latest offerings, such as our sweet suite of superfood chocolate sauces…
Coconuts about ya,
The Live A Lot team