The Healthiest Coconut Sugar Substitutes for Baking

When seeking sugar alternatives, it is essential to ask yourself your motive. If you are hoping for weight loss, it is probably important to find the best low-sugar, low-calorie, and low-carb options.

There are many suitable coconut sugar substitutes out there that can satisfy your sweet tooth in baking recipes without derailing your diet.

What is Coconut Sugar?

Also called coconut palm sugar, coconut sugar does not come from actual coconuts. Coconut sugar is made from the sap of the coconut palm tree, similar to harvesting maple syrup from maple trees.

It is a popular sweetener for many people on a vegan diet because it is minimally processed and plant-based.

What is the Difference Between Coconut Sugar and Coconut Palm Sugar?

Coconut sugar and coconut palm sugar are the same thing.

What is Coconut Sugar Made From?

Harvesters tap into the coconut palm sap when they access the nectar through the tree’s flower-bud stem. The sap is mixed with water, boiled into syrup, dried, and crystalized.

After that process, the larger crystals of the dried sap must be broken apart to create sugar granules. What is left as a result resembles cane sugar or regular table sugar.

Is Coconut Sugar Healthier Than Regular Sugar?

Substituting coconut sugar for table sugar in baked goods or other recipes is not healthier.

Although many people assume it is a healthier option because it is a plant-based, natural sweetener, that is not necessarily so.

Coconut sugar is almost identical to white sugar regarding calories and nutrients.

Does Coconut Sugar Taste Like Real Sugar?

Although coconut sugar can replace regular sugar with a 1:1 ratio in recipes, they do not taste alike.

Coconut sugar looks like brown sugar and has a lovely caramel flavor.

The 7 Healthiest Coconut Sugar Substitutes for Baking

Are you trying to choose the best substitute for coconut sugar when baking? It is important to think about what you are looking for.

For some people, healthy means natural and minimally processed. Other individuals are looking for great alternatives that are low-calorie or low-carb. If you are eating keto, you likely want a sweetener that will keep you in ketosis.

People with diabetes try to stick to sweeteners that will not raise their blood glucose levels.

Here is our list that includes options for people on keto, those with diabetes, and those looking for healthy substitutes.

1. Agave Syrup

Also called agave nectar, it is made from the agave plant. The sap is harvested from the plant and then processed into a sweetener.

2. Brown Sugar

If a recipe calls for coconut sugar, you can use light brown or dark brown sugar.

When using dark brown sugar, it is essential to know that the higher molasses content will change the flavor of your recipe.

3. Date Sugar

Healthier than refined white cane sugar, date sugar is the highest antioxidant sweetener.

Made from dehydrated dates, it is also a rich source of fiber and minerals. It is a brown color, similar to brown sugar.

4. Golden Monk Fruit

It is a natural zero-calorie sugar alternative. The golden brown sweetener is extracted from the seed and peel of the fruit.

It has a taste with maple undertones similar to raw cane sugar.

5. Honey

Raw honey is a wonderful option for a natural substitute. Honey gives baked goods a sweet taste and fluffy texture, making them ideal for cakes and breads.

6. Maple Syrup

Pure maple syrup is a natural sweetener that uniquely flavor recipes. Maple syrup can also be processed into delicious maple sugar, another great substitute for granulated sugar.

7. Monk Fruit Sweetener

Naturally derived from monk fruit, this is a zero-calorie, zero-carb sweetener with a low glycemic index. It is an excellent choice for anyone looking to keep blood sugar levels steady.

What Sugar is Most Like Coconut Sugar?

Golden monk fruit is the most similar to coconut sugar regarding taste, texture, and how it bakes into foods.

As an added benefit, monk fruit is low in carbohydrates but is not a sugar alcohol. Monk fruit is not known for bitter aftertaste like artificial sweeteners.