Menu
Dr. Weil Logo Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
  • Health & Wellness
    Health & Wellness
    Body, Mind & Spirit
    • Addiction
    • Allergy & Asthma
    • Autoimmune Disorders
    • Back Pain
    • Bone & Joint
    • Cancer
    • Colds & Flu
    • Dental & Oral
    • Diabetes
    • Disease & Disorders
    • Ears, Nose, & Throat
    • Feet
    • Gastrointestinal
    • Hair, Skin, & Nails
    • Headache
    • Heart
    • Insects & Parasites
    • Liver & Kidney
    • Mental Health
    • Pregnancy & Fertility
    • Respiratory
    • Sexual Health
    • Sleep Issues
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Vision
    Balanced Living
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Gardening
    • Healthy Home
    • Healthy Living
    • Meditation & Inspiration
    • Meet Dr. Weil
    • Pets & Pet Care
    • Technology
    • Wellness Therapies
    Health Centers
    • Aging Gracefully
    • Children
    • Condition Care Guide
    • Men
    • Women
  • Diet & Nutrition
    Diet & Nutrition
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet Pyramid
    Cooking & Cookware
    Healthy Cooking & Cookware
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Food Safety
    Diets & Nutrition - Food Safety
    Nutrition
    healthy nutrition
    Recipes
    healthy recipes
  • Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Herbs
    herbal remedies - herbs
    Supplements & Remedies
    suppliments & remedies
    Vitamins
    ask-dr-weil_vitamins-supplements-herbs_vitamins-topnav
  • Ask Dr. Weil
  • Blogs
    Blogs
    Bulletins
    The Legacy Of Living Yes | Spontaneous Happiness | Andrew Weil, M.D.
    Health Tips
    Healthy Drinks To Start Sipping | Andrew Weil, M.D.
    Spontaneous Happiness
    blog_spontaneous-happiness_topnav
  • COVID-19
  • Dr. Weil Origins Skin Care
  • Marketplace
  • Healthy Aging
  • Podcasts
  • Meet Dr. Weil
  • Accessibility
  • Subscribe
Is Coconut Sugar A Healthier Sweetener?
Subscribe
Press "Enter" to search
  1. Home
  2. Diet & Nutrition
  3. Nutrition

Is Coconut Sugar A Healthier Sweetener?

What can you tell me about coconut sugar? Is it a better choice for good health than cane sugar, or can your body not tell the difference between various sweeteners?

Andrew Weil, M.D. |November 1, 2016

coconut sugar
2 min

Coconut sugar, more accurately coconut palm sugar, is made from sap of the coconut palm that has been extracted and then boiled and dehydrated. It provides the same number of calories and carbohydrates as regular cane sugar (about 15 calories in coconut sugar and four grams of carbohydrate per teaspoon) so you wouldn’t be gaining any advantage in these respects by making a switch. However, coconut sugar is 70 to 79 percent sucrose and only three percent to nine percent each of fructose and glucose. This is an advantage, because you want to keep your consumption of fructose as low as possible, and cane sugar is 50 percent fructose. Coconut sugar is caramel colored with a taste that is similar to that of brown sugar and can be substituted for cane sugar in most recipes. (Note: don’t confuse coconut palm sugar with palm sugar, which is derived from the sugar palm tree. Palm sugar is often used in Thai dishes.)

All things coconut have become more and more popular lately. One of the big selling points – and health claims – for coconut sugar is that it is low on the glycemic index, which ranks carbohydrate foods on the basis of how they affect blood sugar (glucose). This is irrelevant. The glycemic index does not directly apply to sweeteners. Fructose ranks very low on it, because the body cannot derive energy from it. I recommend cutting down on sweeteners of all types, and especially fructose.

If you want to try coconut sugar, shop carefully and read the labels before buying: some brands may be mixed with cane sugar and other ingredients. You’ll find products described as “coconut crystals,” “coconut sugar” or “coconut palm sugar,” and you’ll probably notice that they are more expensive than regular cane sugar. I checked prices online and saw that they ranged from about $4 to $15 per pound. The Food Network gives comparative pricing as follows: cane sugar seven cents per ounce, vs. coconut sugar 22 cents per ounce.

Overall, there isn’t much difference between white table sugar and other natural sugars including coconut, honey, maple syrup (my personal favorite), molasses, and sorghum. To the body they are all sugar to be converted to glucose for metabolic fuel. But note that agave nectar can be 85 percent fructose, while maple syrup is about 35 percent.

Information from U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agriculture Service, and the Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook, the United States is one of the top five countries in the world in sugar consumption. Keep your intake to less than six teaspoons a day. Decrease consumption, decrease disease.

Andrew Weil, M.D.

Read more tips, recipes, and insights on a wide variety of topics from Dr. Weil here.

Bitter Orange Safety? | Diets & Weight Loss | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Diets & Weight Loss

Bitter Orange Safety?

Sugar and spoon
Diets & Weight Loss

Too Much Sugar?

Blueberries in a bowl with leafs of mint
Nutrition

Picking the Best Blueberries?

Dark chocolate health benefits
Videos

What to Eat When You Crave Sweets

Advertisement
Related Weil Products

Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging

Pet owners, particularly older adults, are more likely to have lower blood pressure and higher self-esteem, and are less likely to be depressed than people who don’t have companion animals. Learn more – sign up for your free trial of Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging!
Get Started
Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging

Start Your 14-Day Free Trial

Free Newsletters

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Follow Dr. Weil’s Food Pyramid

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

Dr. Weil's FREE health living advice delivered to you!

By clicking "Subscribe," you agree to the DrWeil.com Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive emails from DrWeil.com, and you may opt out of DrWeil.com subscriptions at any time.

Trending Now

With long green ice tea and glass teapot on unfocused background
Nutrition

10 Reasons To Drink Green Tea

Olive oil in small glass container with bottle of oil and cubes of butter
Nutrition

A Better Butter?

A Better Kind Of Sugar? | Nutrition | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Nutrition

A Better Kind Of Sugar?

Fried fish fillets with vegetable garnish on white
Nutrition

A Better Pink Fish?

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil - Get Free Newsletters Right In Your Inbox

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
Information
  • About Us
  • Press Information
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Manage Email Subscription
Trending Articles
With long green ice tea and glass teapot on unfocused background
Nutrition

10 Reasons To Drink Green Tea

Olive oil in small glass container with bottle of oil and cubes of butter
Nutrition

A Better Butter?

Daily Tips
Optimism & Gratitude: The Power Of Positive Thinking | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Health Tips

Optimism & Gratitude: The Power Of Positive Thinking

Start The Day With Grapefruit
Health Tips

3 Reasons To Eat Grapefruit

  • Flickr
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment. Any third party offering or advertising on this website does not constitute an endorsement by Andrew Weil, M.D. or Healthy Lifestyle Brands.

©Copyright2023 Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. www.drweil.com