"In recent years, fat has been replaced by sugar as public health enemy No. 1, with cases of obesity and diabetes continuing to spiral. Yet the human palate craves sweetness. So it's no wonder people have been on the hunt for alternatives to the common table sugar that is associated with a wide variety of health issues. Refined table sugar, or sucrose, has basically no vitamins, minerals, or fiber, leading to its reputation for adding "empty calories.""
"Cooks may also want to consider sugar's glycemic index, or a measure of how carbohydrates affect blood sugar. After a meal of high-glycemic-index foods, blood sugar spikes can cause brain fog, and over time, they can contribute to diabetes and heart disease. Enter palm sugar, which includes sugar made from coconut, date, and palmyra palms. Palm sugars in general contain various vitamins and minerals because they are less refined than table sugar. These sugars are also slightly lower on the glycemic index than white sugar."
Refined sucrose provides virtually no vitamins, minerals, or fiber and contributes empty calories. High-glycemic foods cause blood sugar spikes that can produce brain fog and, over time, increase risk of diabetes and heart disease. Palm sugars, including coconut, date, and palmyra varieties, are less refined and contain various vitamins and minerals and generally register slightly lower on the glycemic index than white sugar. Coconut sugar is derived from the nectar of coconut palm flowers and contains iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, and inulin, a prebiotic. The lower glycemic properties of coconut sugar represent its primary potential advantage over refined table sugar.
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