Blood sugar levels are just one of the problems for people with diabetes. However, many nutritionists and experts advice alternative sweeteners like coconut palm sugar to aid diabetic people in controlling their sugar levels.
According to Food NDTV, coconut palm sugar doesn’t come from coconuts itself. But instead, coconut palm sugar or known as coco sap or coconut sugar comes from the coconut tree’s flower buds. Instructions on how to get some are explained to simple cutting the blossoms and collecting the nectar. Coconut palm sugar granules then result after the nectar is evaporated.
Furthermore, the taste of coconut sugar was said to be similar to brown sugar amid the same color. The sugar differs from table sugar in terms of size, which the coco sap is slightly larger. Coconut palm sugar is also identified to have nutrients such as 16 amino acids, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, manganese, and copper. Vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6 along with thiamine, riboflavin, folic acid, and choline were also seen in the coconut sugar compared to processed sugars which nutrients are removed.
Aside from the aforementioned vitamins, coconut palm sugar is also mentioned to contain a dietary fiber called inulin along with only a low amount of fructose. The palm sugar’s low glycemic index (GI) was then defined to be the reason why many people use it as an alternative sweetener. Low GI means the food is slowly absorbed. Hence, insulin levels are controlled to not get high.
Hindustan Times then reported that aside from coconut palm sugar, other alternative sweeteners are date sugar, maple syrup, organic honey and brown rice syrup. These alternative sweeteners were advised by nutritionists to aid diabetic people to control their sugar and calorie levels.
Exercising was also advised “Diabetics have abnormal blood sugar control due to a lack of insulin or insulin resistance. So, artificial sweeteners play a vital role in the management of their blood sugar,” Dr. Riddhish Jani, a nutritionist at Sketch Clinic explained. Nonetheless, coconut palm sugar isn’t considered as a super alternative to table sugars. It also doesn’t mean that coconut sugar should be taken in heaps but is said to be best when used sparingly.
