Coconut Sugar is a real sweetener in that it is not a processed sugar nor is it artificial in any way. It is best described as a natural sweetener and is a crystallized sap. Coconut sugar is acceptable for everyone including diabetics because it has a low glycemic index.. Everyone should research what glycemic index is and how it affects your health. By monitoring your glycemic index consumption you can avoid diabetes if you don't have it already, thereby avoiding the highs and lows of carbohydrate consumption, the feeling of drowsiness after eating.
Coconut Sugar also helps to decrease LDL cholesterol for those of us who are watching our cholesterol intake. Additionally it is one of the few if not only sugar that has vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, naturally, albeit not substantial but high quality. SGS Laboratory Test Report No. 84595 dated 01 July 2004 at Manila, Philippines; The Philippine Coconut Authority at Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City submitted Coconut Sugar samples to SGS Manila on 22 June 2004 under Laboratory No. 062204-07551. SGS Manila reported to PCA, Diliman, Quezon City on 01 July 2004. The following results are: Total Carbohydrateª, g/100g . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92.3 Crude Proteinª, % . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.3 VITAMINS AND MINERALS Vitamin Cª, mg ascorbic acid/100g . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23.4 Thiamineª . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.41 Macronutrients, mg/100g Potassium¹ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,300.0 Phosphorus¹ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79.0 Magnesium¹ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29.0 Sulfur¹ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26.0 Calcium¹ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.0 Micronutirents, mg/100g Zinc¹ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.0 Iron¹ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.0 Boron¹ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.63 Copper¹ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.23 Manganese¹ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.13 ª Analyzed by SGS, Philippines (01 July 2004) ¹ Analyzed by PTAL-PCA (09 November 2006) Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) confirms that the Composition & Nutritional Value of Coconut Sap according to various Scientists:
Table 1. Average chemical composition and nutritional value of coconut sap (Naka, 1996) Parameter Value(per 100g or ml) pH 5.75 Total sugar % (mainly sucrose) 18.09 g Water 87.5 ml Calories 48.0 joule Carbohydrate 11.4 g Protein 0.22 g Fat 0.40 g Calcium (Ca) 0.40 mg Phosphorus (P) 20.0 mg Iron (Fe) 0.18 mg Thiamine 0.016 mg Riboflavin 0.006 mg Niacin 0.48 mg Ascorbic Acid 20.6 mg (Kosaki, 1974 & Magat, 1996) Amino Acid Value (g/100g) Trytophan 1.27 Lysine 0.32 Histidine 1.19 Arginine 0.35 Aspartic Acid 11.22 Threonine 15.36 Serine 8.24 Glutamic Acid 34.20 Proline 3.52 Glycine 0.47 Alanine 2.56 Valine 2.11 Isoleucine 0.38 Leucine 0.48 Tyrosine 0.31 Phenyalanine 0.78
Dr. Trinidad P. Trinidad, Scientist II of the Food, Nutrition and Research Institute-Department of Science and Technology, said Glycemic Index or GI is the glucose response to an individual from food relative to a standard glucose solution. Low GI food is good for proper control and management of diabetes mellitus and has been shown to lower total and LDL cholesterol. It is also good for weight maintenance therefore prevents overweight and obesity (Garin, 2007). The Philippine Star (Sunday, February 25, 2007)
Total Energy Contentª, cal/100g . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369.4
Glutamic Acid-amino acid used by the body to build protein. It is the most common stimulating neurotransmitter in the nervous system. It also plays a role in the normal function of the prostate. (http://www.vitacost.com/science/hn/supply/glutamic_acid.htm)
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Table 3.Elemental content (ppm or mg/li) of three sources |
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of edible sugar analyzed by PCA-PTAL on 11 September 2000. |
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(Secretaria et. al., 2003) |
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Element/Nutrient |
Coconut |
Brown |
Refined |
|
(ppm or mg/li) |
Sugar |
Cane |
White |
|
Sugar |
Sugar |
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|
Nitrogen (N) |
2,020 |
100 |
0 |
|
Phosphorus (P) |
790 |
30 |
0.7 |
|
Potassium (K) |
10,300 |
650 |
25 |
|
Calcium (Ca) |
60 |
240 |
60 |
|
Magnesium (Mg) |
290 |
70 |
10 |
|
Sodium (Na) |
450 |
20 |
10 |
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Chloride (Cl) |
4,700 |
180 |
100 |
|
Sulfur (S) |
260 |
130 |
20 |
|
Boron (B) |
6.3 |
0 |
0 |
|
Zinc (Z) |
21.2 |
2 |
1.2 |
|
Manganese (Mn) |
1.3 |
2 |
0 |
|
Iron (Fe) |
21.9 |
12.6 |
1.2 |
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Copper (Cu) |
2.3 |
0.6 |
0.6 |