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Coconut palm sugar is made from the concentrated dried nectar of coconut palm trees (Cocos nucifera) from the Philippines by slashing the budding flowers and collecting the sap that leaks out. This form of sugar has been used for thousands of years in South and Southeast Asia. Other names for this sugar are: coconut sugar, coco sugar, and coco sap sugar but do not confuse it with palm sugar, which is from a different source.

Coconut palm sugar requires very little processing, and once boiled and dried, it becomes a low-glycemic sugar alternative that dissolves and melts similarly to table sugar. Also, because it is not refined like other sugar, it can maintain most of its original nutrient content. Some of this nutritional content makes it even more beneficial as a sugar substitute for those suffering from diabetes.

Key Nutrients Found in Coconut Palm Sugar

The glycemic index of coconut sugar is 35, so it can be classified as a low glycemic index food (unlike most other forms of sugar). Because it is unprocessed, it still contains almost all of its original nutrition. Coconut palm sugar contains essential minerals such as potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron. It also has vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, and inositol. Interestingly, inositol has come under further study recently for its ability to help regulate blood sugar and help prevent reduced insulin sensitivity in diabetics.

Learn How This Sugar Alternative Is Good For The Environment

This sugar alternative is the most sustainable form of sugar available. Coconut trees can produce an average of 50-75% more sugar per acre than sugar cane. They do not need to be seasonally replanted either. Unfortunately, when the budding flowers are slashed, they cannot then blossom and be pollinated to produce the coconut "fruit" (coconuts). There is some concern that the demand for coconut sugar will switch the production in the Philippines from the production of coconuts and coconut-based products (coconut oil and flesh) to this sap derivative. There is no evidence that this is yet a problem, but it may be cause for concern in the future. So long as all buds aren't slashed on each tree, this will likely not become an issue.

How Can I Use Coconut Palm Sugar?

Unlike many other substitutes, this one actually tastes much like sugar and does not have any strange aftertaste. Most people say that it tastes similar to brown sugar but with a slightly caramel flavour. Because of its texture and ability to dissolve in foods much like table sugar, this alternative can easily be substituted in the same measurements as any sweetener into beverages, cooking and baking.

Check out our huge selection of Coconut palm sugar alternative sweeteners.

Xanthan gum is actually a byproduct of the metabolism of sugar by a particular bacterium (Xanthomonas campestris), which is now manufactured for use in a variety of industries. It is commonly used as a stabilizer that can thicken manufactured products and prevent their separation during storage.

What Products Use Xanthan Gum?

New uses for xanthan gum are being discovered all the time. The most common current uses in the manufacturing industry are in cosmetic products, shampoo, and foods mixing oil and water-based ingredients, such as salad dressings.

How Is Xanthan Gum Used?

Interestingly, when it is shaken, mixed, or chewed, it will become thin and can easily be mixed and digested, but when it is no longer in motion, such as in a bottle or after baking, it quickly thickens again, allowing it to help stabilize the structure of the substance it is mixed with. In salad dressing, toothpaste and many ice creams, it acts to keep mixtures suspended and create a more pleasant texture for the consumer. It is also widely used in gluten-free baking to give the dough the elasticity that is normally provided by the gluten of other flours.

Uses For Xanthan Gum

Laxative Effects

Larger doses than those found in foods or baking (~15g daily) can be used as a laxative, and this is thought to be the reason more sensitive people may have diarrhea and bloating when they eat it. Because of its higher cost relative to other laxatives available, it is not commonly used in this way.

Gluten-Free Baking

As mentioned above, xanthan gum can easily be added into most gluten-free recipes to help return some of the properties to baked goods that are lost when gluten is not present. When adding this substance to your baking, it is important to measure it carefully.