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My once loved white sugar substitute agave has been receiving quite a bit of negative press recently (mostly because of its 90% fructose level). Confused and left doubting agaves’ previously praised heath benefits, I embarked on a mission to find a healthier and less controversial sweetener alternative. The search led me to the discovery of my ‘sweet’ little new friend, coconut sugar!

What it is:

Coconut sugar is drawn from the sap of the coconut
 palm tree buds. It is similar in taste and color to brown sugar, with a slight caramel flavor.

Health Benefits:

Coconut sugar contains less than 9 percent fructose. It has a considerably lower glycemic index (35) than agave (42), honey (55), and cane sugar (68), thus helping to stabilize glucose levels. Coconut sugar can also do a lot more than just add sweetness to your morning coffee! It’s loaded with minerals, such as potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and B vitamins.

Ways to Incorporate into Your Diet:

Coconut sugar can be used as a substitute for white sugar in baking or dessert recipes or anything else you’d use sugar for!

Where to Find it & Cost:

Coconut sugar can be found at most health food shops. I use the Loving Earth brand, which costs around $7.50 for 300g.

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Recipe Idea:

These cookies are to die for! They are quick, easy to make and require minimal cleaning (just what I like!). They are perfect for a picnic or to accompany a cup of tea. Just try not to eat all the mixture before the cookies make it to the oven 😛

Coconut Date Cookies

Makes 6-8 cookies

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Ingredients:

♥ 1 cup pitted dates (soaked for approx 5 mins to soften then drain)
♥ 1/3 cup rolled oats
♥ 1/2 cup shredded coconut
♥ 1 tsp baking powder
♥ 1 TBS vanilla
♥ 1-3 TBS coconut sugar (depending on how sweet you want them)
♥ 1 TBS coconut oil
♥ 1/4 cup coconut milk or choice of milk (use nut milk for vegan cookies!)

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Directions:

♥ Preheat oven to 170*C (fan forced).

♥ Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend well until there are no large date pieces.

♥ Portion mixture into equal sized balls, place on greased cookie sheet, and flatten with the back of a spoon/spatula.

♥ Bake for 12-15 minutes on 170 degrees.

♥ Remove from oven and cool on cookie rack.

♥ Store cookies in the refrigerator.

YUM! Do you like the sound of these healthy cookies?! Let us know 🙂

Article by Kavisha, self confessed ‘health foodie’ who believes a little dessert is good for the soul. She is currently studying for her Master of Wellness at RMIT University and blogs at Style My Coconut.

Be well,

xoxo