Food scientist comes up with new diet plans, processed food, a new type of cereals, organic and natural foods. However along with the newly released food products also comes the question- Is it healthy? Unlike before, the modern man is more concerned about his health. Generally, we prefer to eat healthy food due to the increasing obesity and the risk of high cholesterol level. Today, the food in the spotlight is : Coconut sugar.
Before we dig deep whether Coconut sugar is healthy or not, let us first understand what exactly is it.
Coconut sugar is a palm sugar made from coconut palm tree. It is produced from the flower bud stem of the tree. It is seen as crystal or granule block or liquid. Coconut sugar is collected by making a cut on the spadix of the tree, allowing the sap to flow outside thereby collecting it. It consists of sucrose, glucose, and fructose.
Usage, taste and nutritional value
Coconut sugar is used as sweeteners in various countries. It tastes like brown sugar and does not have any significant nutritional value. Comparing to other sweeteners there is no scientific evidence to prove that coconut sugar has any major nutritional value. Although some scientists believe that it has minor nutritional value comparing to other sweeteners. Even though the nutrient in coconut sugar is minimal it has its advantages over normal sugar which has zero nutrients.
Is it healthy?
The answer to the question is both Yes and No.
Yes, because:
Comparing to regular sugar, coconut sugar has notable minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, and potassium. It has a lower glycemic index. This is because it has a fiber known as inulin which causes slow glucose absorption. It can be considered healthy because it can be used as an alternative to regular sugar and at the same time you can enjoy its nutritional advantage over regular sugar.
No, because:
Coconut sugar has the same amount of calories as regular sugar. Yes, Coconut sugar is better than regular sugar, but since both sugars have the same high calories, it outweighs any potential benefits.
Final Verdict- Should I have or Not?
To conclude, coconut sugar is no miracle food. It only has a minor amount of nutrients than normal sugar. Yes, Coconut Sugar can be used as a nutritional alternative for normal sugar. However, it cannot be considered as a healthy alternative due to its high calories. You can use Coconut sugar in cooking sparingly. You should not be using coconut sugar abundantly just because it has a little advantage of nutritional value over normal sugar. At the end of the day whatever sugar you are using, use it moderately.