Coconut sugar: chemical makeup, nutrition, health effects and quality
What it found
Coconut sugar contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and has a lower glycemic index than regular sugar.
The review also notes that harmful compounds can form during processing and that fraud is a problem.
What they found
Studies in people
Glycemic index
Coconut sugar has a low glycemic index, reported to fall within the 35 to 54 range per serving. This is lower than the GI of pure sucrose, which is refined cane sugar.
Animal and lab studies
Harmful compounds
During heating, compounds like acrylamide and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural can form. One study found acrylamide at 867 µg/kg in coconut syrup, but it was not detected in coconut sap.
Other findings
Nutritional content
Coconut sugar contains vitamins C and E, minerals like zinc, iron, potassium, and phosphorus, and phytonutrients such as antioxidants, flavonoids, anthocyanidins, and polyphenols. It also contains inulin at 4.7 g per 100 g.
Adulteration risk
Coconut sugar and syrup are prone to fraud by adding cheaper sugars like cane, beet, or corn sugar. Analytical methods such as NMR, IRMS, and ED-XRF can help detect some of these additions.
Processing effects
The way sap is processed affects the final sugar. Rotary evaporation at 60 °C produced syrup with lower antioxidant activity than open-heat, microwave, or other methods.
Food industry uses
Coconut sugar is used in bakery products, chocolate, beverages, and as a seasoning. It can replace refined sugar in many foods.
What the authors conclude
“Compared to the majority of other commercially available sugars, coconut sugar is certainly a healthy sweetener.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that a better understanding of coconut sugar's components reveals its health-giving properties as a plant-based sugar.
- They advise food industries to respond to health-conscious consumers by incorporating coconut sugar, sap, and syrup into food products.
- They note that future work should consider personal dietary preferences, sustainability, and the role of coconut trees as carbon sinks.
How it was done
Consumers often want to replace refined sugar with alternatives like coconut sugar, but many do not know its health benefits. The authors wanted to gather what is known about its chemistry, nutrition, safety, and uses.
The authors reviewed existing studies on coconut sugar, coconut sap, and coconut syrup. They looked at chemical analysis methods, nutritional content, health effects, safety and quality control, and food industry applications.
What it can’t tell you
- This is a review of existing studies, not a new experiment. It cannot prove that coconut sugar causes any specific health outcome.
- Many findings come from lab tests or chemical analyses, not from long-term studies in people. So the effects of eating coconut sugar in real life are not fully known.
- The review did not find studies on some safety issues, like pesticide residues or heavy metals in coconut sugar.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Faculty of Veterinary, Spain; University of Coimbra, Portugal; Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV) of the Network of Chemistry and Technology (REQUIMTE), Portugal
The paper
- Title
- Coconut Sugar: Chemical Analysis and Nutritional Profile; Health Impacts; Safety and Quality Control; Food Industry Applications
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Saraiva A, Carrascosa C, Ramos F, Raheem D, Lopes M, Raposo A (2023). Coconut Sugar: Chemical Analysis and Nutritional Profile; Health Impacts; Safety and Quality Control; Food Industry Applications. International journal of environmental research and public health. doi:10.3390/ijerph20043671Free full textPubMed 36834366DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error