Coconut sugar or coconut palm sugar is a low-glycemic type of sugar made of coconut palm tree. But, have you found a perfect recipe that has this ingredient in it, does not have it at home and it is wondering what can be the best substitution for coconut sugar? We will list them below.
The white sugar – or table sugar, normal sugar or regular – used to sweet and flavor foods, has no vital and necessary vitamins or nutrients, and it is considered just a source of calories. Mostly made of cane, this type of sugar is not recommended since it is not a healthy option.
That is where the coconut sugar gets in: it has vitamins and minerals such as potassium, iron and calcium and a fiber called inulin, that causes a slow down on the glucose absorption.
But even though it is considered a healthy option to the white sugar, coconut sugar is still high in calories and should be used in moderation.
Substitutes For Coconut Sugar
But if you do not have it at home, we give you the best replacements for it.
1. Light Brown Sugar
Brown sugar has its brown color due to the presence of molasses – a viscous product that comes from the sugarcane refining. So, it is basically a white sugar with molasses added that change the color and the taste. The brown sugar has the same taste as caramel.
The light brown sugar is the best substitution for the coconut sugar since both of them have the same color, flavor and texture. And they also dissolve completely in recipes or drinks.
Be careful with the proportions! The light brown sugar is a little sweeter than the coconut, so adjust it to your recipe so it does not lack the sweet taste.
It is an easy to find solution, can be bought in any supermarket and has a good price. It should be the perfect replacement for the coconut sugar – or even the white sugar if you are trying to avoid empty calories.
2. Maple Syrup
Made of sugar maple, red maple, or black maple trees, the maple syrup can also be an alternative if your recipe is asking for coconut sugar.
It has calcium, magnesium, zinc and potassium and it is also sweeter, so ¼ cup of it will do for every cup of coconut sugar you would add. The smoked caramel taste on the maple syrup will also suit well in your recipe.
And the best advantage is that it is easy to find – you probably have it at home to eat with pancakes – and a much cheaper solution for those that don’t want to spend much.
Just be aware that maple syrup is liquid, so depending on what you are cooking the other liquid ingredients should be adjusted. This way you will be sure that your recipe will work fine at the end.
3. Sucanat
Sucanat, or a contraction of the name “Sucre de canne naturel”, is an organic variety of raw sugar or whole cane sugar. The sugar cane is dried entirely and retains all its molasses.
It is a type of raw sugar since it does not go through the same processing as the regular one. While the white sugar gets filtered and clarified, the sucanat is only processed to remove solids and get crystallized.
So, the raw sugar has the same brown color as the coconut sugar, and it can be a great replacement due to the similar flavor.
Just be careful with the texture. The sucanat is a little bit more solid and tougher, so it may take a longer time to dissolve completely. If your recipe needs the sugar 100% dissolved an option can be to use a blender of food processor on the raw sugar.
Their power to sweet the recipe is similar, so they should be used in the same proportion.
4. Stevia
Unlike all the other options, stevia sugar is derived from a plant, so it makes it all natural.
Stevia is commonly used as a healthy substitute for refined sugar and coconut sugar. Also, stevia has no calories and will not affect the sugar levels on your blood.
But even though it has zero calories, it should also be used in moderation.
The sweetening power is similar to the coconut sugar, so it can be used on a 1:1 proportion.
5. Date Sugar
Another effective replacement for coconut sugar, the date sugar is a type of sugar made from dried dates. It is a lot less processed than the refined sugar, but it adds a good and rich sweetening in recipes.
If you use it in baked goods it will be the perfect substitution, just be careful when adding it on drinks and beverages. The date sugar is not easy to dissolve – or will not dissolve in drinks at all.
The date sugar can be easily found in supermarkets, but they are more commonly found in stores that sell in natural food stores.
It has a similar flavor to coconut sugar and can be used in the same proportion.
Conclusion
The coconut sugar, for most of the time, is sold as a healthier solution to the refined sugar. And although there are no studies that can prove this theory, the coconut sugar is already part of many recipes worldwide.
If you do not have it or do not want to use it, we listed above the 5 best substitutions for coconut sugar.
There are less processed and refined options – like sucanat or stevia, that even have no calories – and options that will add the sweet flavor to your recipe and can be easily found at home – like the maple syrup option.
While all the options are better for you than the white sugar, they should all be used in moderation, in order not to raise your blood glucose level.
Let us know if you used in your recipes any of the solutions listed in this article. And if you know any other good substitution for the coconut oil, you can always suggest it!
