Why Coconut Nectar is a Fabulous Replacement for Other Syrups
Want some sticky oozing sweet syrup but want to opt for the healthiest option there is? That’s where coconut nectar comes in. Let’s dive in and get sticky to explain why.
What’s in syrup: what is coconut nectar?
Fundamentally there are a ton of syrupy wonders you can choose from. From Maple to Agave, Honey to Stevia, the sticky world of syrup is your oyster. However, all syrups are made differently.
Coconut nectar is syrupy too. We’re hesitant to call it coconut syrup because, unfortunately, those who market coconut syrup often use a watered down version of coconut sugar and giving a coconut about authenticity, that’s not our bag.
Instead, our coconut nectar is a pure syrup. We ensure it is unrefined and made using only the pure coconut sap. This sap is collected (or tapped) from the inflorescence of the coconut tree. It’s then gently heated (the sap is very liquid), until you get the thick sticky caramelised syrup that is our coconut nectar. Read more about how coconut sap is harvested if you’re interested.
As you can see, coconut nectar is therefore a highly natural sweetener. It’s vegan too.
It looks like a gooey sticky runny honey, it’s a divine amber light caramel colour, and it has a gently hugging toffee-like sweetness with a subtle hint of coconut.
It’s seriously gorgeous stuff and you can use it to make such wonderful delights as Coconut Flapjacks with Cranberries and Apricots and Sticky Coconut Caramel Date Puddings.
But – why are you limiting coconut nectar to just coconutty recipes? The truly glorious thing about coconut nectar is that it can be swapped in as a replacement for lots of other syrups. And there’s good reason to do that.
Why use coconut nectar instead of other syrups?
Ok, let’s put to one side that the taste should have you chomping at the bit to use coconut nectar wherever and whenever you can (porridge, toast, smoothies, baking…). We promise once you taste it, you’ll be a convert. Let’s take a look at some of the other reasons why coconut nectar makes such a good choice.
It’s good for communities
When you decide a coconut palm will be a sap producer and start tapping it for its sap (as you do with coconut nectar), the tree stops producing coconuts. Before you get your knickers in a twist, this is actually excellent news for the local community. Not only is that tree now a valuable and sustainable income stream with an art passed down from generation to generation, there are no coconuts being produced to cause hazards in community areas around schools and houses. Bearing mind Queensland Aussies removed coconut palms from their beaches in 2002 for safety reasons, this is no joke.
It’s nutrient rich, relatively speaking
Syrups are syrups – they are sugar and there’s no getting away from that fact. But, some are better for you than others. And coconut nectar is definitely one of the goodies. It’s bursting with potassium and micro-nutrients like zinc and vitamins B and C. It even has a relatively low Glycaemic Index (GI) rating of around 35 (compared to processed honey at around 70 and Maple syrup at around 55). There are no additives or preservatives. It’s just nature’s goodness, as intended. Let’s blow your mind with a fact: you’d have to eat 282 times as much white sugar to get the same nutrients.
You can swap it in 1:1
Picked up a recipe with honey and you’re a vegan? Grabbed some instructions that call for Golden Syrup and you’re avoiding the refined stuff? The good news is that you can swap coconut nectar into a recipe at a straight forward ratio of 1:1. It’s not complicated.
It’s better than honey
Certainly for vegans, and arguably for us all, coconut nectar is a better option than honey. The honey that ends up in a jar in our cupboards is also usually mass produced and has been pasteurised, rendering it virtually depleted of nutrients and the fabulous enzymes you get in its raw state. Honey also has a nasty habit of causing allergies in some people. Of course, honey has a distinctive taste, and sometimes you just want sweetness without the extras.
It’s got fewer calories than Maple syrup
Maple syrup, if we’re drawing comparisons, is perhaps the most like coconut nectar in that what you should get in the bottle is a reduced version of what comes straight out of the tree. But, Maple syrup is ultra-calorific. Gram for gram, coconut nectar wins hands down. It too has a very notable taste, so you’ll know if Maple syrup got in on the act.
It’s an ethical sweet choice
Knowing the provenance of your sweetener of choice is important. There’s a dark side to the sweetness industry. Often the production of our sweet stuff damages the environment and damages communities. Coconut nectar from us is responsibly and sustainably sourced. We work with farmers in The Philippines to support communities. With our organic coconut nectar, no irrigation is needed and no pesticides or fertilisers are used. In fact, the coconut palms help to stabilise the topsoil. Even better, our farmers use the biomass waste from the palms to heat the nectar, thus lowering carbon emissions.
It contains less fructose than Agave
Agave syrup is the cool kid on the block. But there’s no escaping the fact that not only does Agave syrup contain more calories gram for gram than coconut nectar, it’s also got a much higher fructose composition at a whopping 84%. This means, in very basic Biology 101 terms, your body is less likely to turn the sugars in coconut nectar into the harmful fat that clings to your organs.
It’s the treatiest treat of the treaty stuff
We’re not going to lie and tell you that we’ve got a ‘good for you’ sweetener. Unfortunately, the reality remains that sweet treats should be just that – treats. But, if you’re opting for something sweet (and don’t we all need that now and again?!), then it makes sense to opt for the one which is kindest to you and your health, kind to the planet and kind to communities. Given coconut nectar tastes as delicious as it does, it’s pretty much a no-brainer.
Grab your organic coconut nectar today.