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Whether it's your morning tea or a dessert after meals, sugar is an essential part of our diets. Produced from sugarcane, it is the most popular sweetener used in Indian cooking. However, the refined sugar loses all its nutritional value during the preparation and its excess consumption can contribute to weight gain, acne and diabetes. Therefore, it's better to switch to healthy alternatives like jaggery, honey, stevia and coconut sugar.
Talking particularly about coconut sugar, it is made from coconut palm sap by cutting into the tree’s flower-bud stem. The sap is then mixed with water, boiled into syrup and allowed to dry and crystallise. Then it is broken down to create sugar granules. Coconut sugar is minimally processed and is more nutritious than your regular table sugar.
Here are seven reasons of replacing your regular sugar with coconut sugar:
Manages Blood Sugar
According to WebMD, coconut sugar reduces the risk of low blood sugar or hypoglycaemia and helps in keeping the energy levels up. It also lowers the chances of a blood sugar spike post-meals. This is because coconut sugar contains a small amount of inulin which is a healthy choice for people with diabetes.
Rich In Nutrients
Coconut sugar contains an ideal amount of zinc, potassium, polyphenols, flavonoids and fibre that can improve your overall health. While on the other hand, regular sugar lacks all these nutrients. It is also a great option for vegan diet as coconut sugar is unprocessed and has no animal extracts.
Rich In Electrolytes
Electrolytes are an essential compound for maintaining a healthy balance of water and proper functioning of the heart, nerves and muscles. Coconut sugar contains an ideal amount of electrolytes and vitamin C that helps in maintaining energy levels and strengthening immune system.
Less Calories
According to Healthshots, five grams of regular sugar contains approximately 40 calories while the same amount of coconut sugar has around 20 to 25 calories. Therefore, it is very useful if you are planning to cut calories from your diet. Coconut sugar is less likely to contribute to fat accumulation which is good for weight loss.
Good For Gut
Coconut sugar has prebiotics that help in smooth functioning of the digestive system. It also has a dietary fibre called inulin which keeps the gut problem at bay. So, if you want to promote a healthy digestive environment replace your regular sugar with coconut sugar.
Improves Bone Health
As mentioned earlier, coconut sugar is rich in zinc, potassium, iron, calcium and copper, it contributes towards improving bone health. These nutrients lower the risk of several diseases like osteoporosis and play an important role in building bone mineral density. These nutrients also enhance blood circulation.
Lowers Oxidative Stress
According to a report by MedicineNet, coconut sugar contains an ideal amount of antioxidant properties which manages the oxidative stress of the body and maintains a good cardiovascular system. It also reduces the risk of several chronic diseases and inflammation.
