Palm Sugar

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millerll
millerll Posts: 873 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Looking for a less-processed sugar substitute? I recently read about coconut palm sugar. It's made from the sap of the flowers from the coconut palm tree. The sap is collected, cooked down, then sold in either a paste for or as a hard block like hardened brown sugar. It's popular in Thai cooking, and can usually be found in your local Asian market or health food store.

It has a wonderful taste, similar to a mild brown sugar. Some people claim it tastes a little like caramel, butterscotch, or even molasses. I just tried some today for the first time, and to me, it tasted a little like brown sugar. Not quite as sweet as table sugar, but richer. I really liked it.

It's considered a better choice by many because it's not processed - it's sold pretty much as it comes out of the tree. Various articles make many health claims, none of which I've been able to confirm through scientific literature, but supposedly it doesn't have fructose like agave nectar, and since it's not processed, it maintains many minerals. It measures 1:1 with table sugar.

I don't use a lot of sugar, but I will use this. Nutritionally, it comes out ahead of table sugar for calories and carbs as well. One tablespoon of palm sugar is 10 cals, 3 carbs, and 3 sugars. One tablespoon of Dominos granulated sugar comes out to 45 cals, 12 carbs, and 12 sugars. It's still a sugar, but not as bad.

I think it would be great in oatmeal or yogurt. I make a batch of Toll House cookies every year at Christmas, and this year I'm going to make them with palm sugar. I think they're gpoing to taste great! Try it and let me know what you think.

Replies

  • chuckyp
    chuckyp Posts: 693 Member
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    If it's in a block how do you use it? Do you have to grate it or grind it? Or does it break apart into granules pretty easily?
  • melelana
    melelana Posts: 122 Member
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    I am really excited to research this a bit more. I've heard of palm sugar, but never have really seen it or tasted it... Sounds good! I want to try!
  • Alexdur85
    Alexdur85 Posts: 255 Member
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    I like Stevia... I've never thought of palm sugar..
  • anacsitham5
    anacsitham5 Posts: 814 Member
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    I love stevia too! Will need to do some research on palm sugar to see how the processing effects the final product before I jump on the band wagon. Thanks for the info.
  • millerll
    millerll Posts: 873 Member
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    If it's in a block how do you use it? Do you have to grate it or grind it? Or does it break apart into granules pretty easily?

    The article I read said to grind it with a mortar and pestle. Since that's a pretty obscure item in most kitchens, I think you could also put it into a bag and pound it with a meat tenderizer. It'll grind down like brown sugar - a little moist and crumbly. A cheese grater might work too.

    I bought the paste since that's all my local health food store stocked. I just use a spoon to scoop it out. Good stuff!
  • xASHYxSMASHYx
    xASHYxSMASHYx Posts: 175 Member
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    I just bought some palm sugar myself. After doing lots of research on all sorts of sweeteners, this turned out to be the winner for me. And after tasting it all I can say is yum!
    As far as how you break it apart.. I just use the fine section of my cheese grater it works great!

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