Sweeteners come in various forms, and two of the most popular ‘healthy’ ones are honey and coconut sugar. Honey, a delectable and syrupy substance, is meticulously crafted by honey bees, who gather and transform sugary secretions from plants into a nourishing food source for their colonies.
On the other hand, coconut sugar, also known as coconut palm sugar, derives from the sap of the coconut palm tree that thrives in Southeast Asian regions. This natural sweetener is produced through boiling and reduction, producing granulated sugar with a distinctive caramelized brownish hue. When comparing these two options, it’s essential to consider their unique characteristics to determine which one might better suit your needs. Let’s see what those characteristics are.
Comparing Coconut Sugar vs Honey
| Coconut Sugar | Honey | |
| Substitution ratio | 1 cup sugar: ½ – ¾ cups honey | ½ – ¾ cup honey: 1 cup sugar |
| Gluten-free? | Yes | Yes |
| Keto-friendly? | No | No |
| Paleo-friendly? | Yes | Raw and unpasteurized in moderation |
| Common Allergens | Coconut | Honey. Some pollens. |
| Pantry shelf life (unopened/sealed) | 2 years | Indefinite |
| Best for baking | Cookies, cakes, healthier sweet treats. | Drizzled on flaky pastries and baked goods |
Differences Between Coconut Sugar And Honey
Honey, produced by bees, is a truly remarkable substance. Not only does it provide sweetness, but it also possesses antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. With approximately 40% fructose, 30% glucose, and 17% water, honey primarily consists of sugars. It also contains small amounts of other sugars, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Honey has long been valued for its versatility, being used as a natural sweetener, as an oral treatment for coughs, and for topical applications to aid in wound healing and treat burns. The various types of honey available are determined by the types of flowers the bees pollinate.
Coconut sugar has gained popularity in many vegan diets due to its plant-based origin and minimal processing. Available in crystal or granule form, block, or liquid, coconut sugar offers an alternative to other syrups derived from corn, agave, or maple. Although coconut sugar shares similarities with regular table sugar, some people consider it a more nutritious option since it is plant-based. It can be used in a variety of culinary applications, such as in cakes, cookies, granola toppings, parfaits, sauces, and more.
Taste and Culinary Uses
Honey is not limited to just sweetness; it showcases a diverse range of flavors, including fruity, smoky, woody, nutty, and earthy notes. These various flavor profiles add depth and complexity to dishes where honey is used. Honey can be an excellent addition to casseroles, sauces, dressings, and plenty of sweet foods as an ingredient or even just as a drizzle.
Coconut sugar resembles brown sugar and boasts a strong caramel taste. This sweetener is well-suited for moist batters and chewy cookies due to its good moisture retention properties. It adds a golden hue to finished products, which can be desirable for certain recipes. With its delicious caramel notes, coconut sugar can elevate the flavor of cookies, tray bakes, crumbles, and various desserts that typically call for brown sugar.
Are Coconut Sugar and Honey Substitutes for Each Other?
1. Honey is sweeter than coconut sugar, so you can use a smaller amount. For each cup of sugar, the recipe requires a substitute of about ½ to ¾ cup of honey.
2. When substituting honey for coconut sugar, reduce the liquid in the recipe by around 1/8 to 1/4 cup for every 1 cup of honey. Some recipes may work better by increasing the flour instead of decreasing the liquid.
3. Conversely, when substituting coconut sugar for honey, add roughly 1/4 cup of liquid from the recipe for every cup of coconut sugar.
5. When baking with honey, consider reducing the oven temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Honey tends to caramelize and burn faster than granulated sweeteners.
Nutritional Profile And Health Benefits
Honey (1 tbsp.):
- Calories: 60
- Total carbs: 17 g
- Sugars: 17 g
- GI: 58
Coconut sugar (2.5 tsp)
- Calories: 40
- Total Carbohydrate: 9 g
- Sugars: 8 g
- Glycemic Index: 54
Both honey and coconut sugar offer potential health benefits due to their unique properties. Honey is recognized for its therapeutic potential in disease treatment, attributed to its phytochemical, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. It contains bioactive molecules such as flavonoids and polyphenols, which function as antioxidants and contribute to its beneficial effects.
Coconut sugar also presents health advantages. This natural sweetener contains inulin, a dietary fiber that promotes gut health, prevents colon cancer, and helps maintain balanced blood sugar levels.
Diet Suitability
Honey, produced by insects, is not considered vegan due to its origin and production process. It is collected by bees from flowers, partially digested, and stored in honeycombs. While unadulterated raw honey is aligned with the principles of a paleo lifestyle, its pasteurized counterpart is less recommended for a paleo-oriented diet. Therefore, if you are following a paleo diet, you should check labels and consume honey in moderation.
Coconut sugar is a popular sweetener in many vegan diets as it is plant-based and minimally processed. However, it is unsuitable for a keto diet due to its relatively high carbohydrate content. A small serving of coconut sugar can use up a significant portion of the daily carb allowance for someone on a keto diet. But, if you are following a paleo diet, coconut sugar is generally considered appropriate as it would have likely been available during the Paleolithic era.
The Whole30 diet plan strictly avoids all added sugars, including honey and coconut sugar.
How to Store Coconut Sugar and Honey
When storing honey, ensure it is kept in a sealed glass jar with an airtight lid to protect it from air exposure. Avoid storing honey in non-food plastic or metal containers to prevent oxidation.
Coconut sugar should be stored similarly to regular sugar. Keep it in a dry and sealed container in your pantry. Ensure the package is labeled as “coconut sugar” or “coconut palm sugar,” as regular palm sugar differs from coconut sugar.
Price and Availability
Honey typically starts at $2.96 per pound but can reach higher prices. In contrast, coconut sugar is generally more expensive than regular white sugar, with prices starting at around $8 per pound and increasing from there. Both can now be found at various supermarkets, with honey being more accessible.
Environmental Impact
Honey and coconut sugar are notable for their low ecological footprint when it comes to the environmental impact of sweeteners.
Starting with honey, beekeeping for honey production stands out as a sustainable choice. Unlike conventional farming practices, such as using tractors and large machines, beekeeping doesn’t require these resources for harvest. It also doesn’t rely on fertilizers, further reducing its environmental impact. The process of bringing honey from the hive to your cupboard is relatively simple, adding to its sustainability.
Coconut sugar offers an environmentally conscious alternative to traditional sugar. The main environmental concern of coconut cultivation is deforestation, which should be addressed. However, when compared to sugarcane plants, coconut palms prove to be more sustainable. Coconut palms require less water and fewer pesticides than sugarcane plants and have a longer lifespan, as they can produce coconut sugar for up to 20 years without replanting.
Coconut Sugar vs. Honey: The Ultimate Verdict
Coconut sugar wins this not because it is healthier but because it is genuinely more straightforward to work with in baking. It dissolves quickly in liquids and is heat-stable, making it ideal for baking and other culinary uses. Plus, its flavor profile is similar to that of brown sugar – making it an easy swap for those seeking to use a natural sweetener without compromising taste.
FAQs
You can substitute coconut sugar with either regular honey or raw honey. Use ½ to ¾ cup of honey for every 1 cup of coconut sugar.
Use 1 cup of coconut sugar for every ½ to ¾ cup of honey when substituting in baking. You may also need to add more liquid ingredients.
Coconut palm sugar has a glycemic index (GI) score of 54, while the GI score of honey varies between 35 and 87, depending on the type.
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