According to a recent study, it has been said that coconut palm sugar is a better natural sugar substitute. But, the study also stresses that just like regular sugar, coconut sugar is also high on calories and for people with diabetes, it must be sparingly used.
Coconut palm sugar is a healthier natural sugar substitute due to its low pure fructose content. This is the reason that it is considered to be a better sugar alternative for people who have diabetes. A recent study closely studied the impact and the consequences of using coconut sugar by people who have diabetes, Medical News Today reported.
Coconut palm sugar is considered to be a healthier alternative due to its low glycemic index (GI). Now, GI measures the level of sugar in the blood, after the consumption of a certain food and for coconut palm sugar, it is 35, as compared to 58 GI rating of regular sugar, Healthline reported. However, ADA advises that it is not the best guideline to choose any food for people with diabetes and other nutritional aspects must be taken into account.
Moreover, coconut sugar contains the same amount of calories as well as carbohydrates like regular sugar. The difference is however in the quantities of fructose, glucose and sucrose that one can find in coconut palm sugar and regular sugar.
The report further states that though coconut palm sugar contains small amounts of nutrients like calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and some minerals, the quantities of these nutrients would not even account for more than two percent for a person who is consuming a teaspoon of coconut sugar. In totality, the research established that though coconut palm sugar may be a better and healthier alternative to regular sugar but for people with diabetes, it is best to use it in limited quantities only. Else, it might lead to higher blood glucose level.
