What is Coconut Syrup?

What is coconut syrup? :: If you come to this page because you want to search information about syrup that is come from coconut plant, then you’ve been in a right place. But, if you hope to find information about the syrup that made from coconut milk or coconut water, then this page may not be as your wish. What I want to share here is how coconut tree, the tall tropical plant, produce an amazing and natural sweetener since centuries ago.

Coconut, so far I know, is the plant that produces fresh and delicious coconut water. This plant also produces coconut meat which can be used for any kind of food. In my country, Indonesia, coconut meat has already widely used as an important ingredient for many traditional dishes and snacks. From the coconut meat, we can make coconut milk. We use it for cooking and making delicious drinks and snacks. We can also make virgin coconut oil that has many health benefits. That’s all? So what is coconut syrup? Which part of coconut that produces syrup?

What is Coconut Syrup Made of?

In Indonesia, coconut syrup itself has not been very popular yet. Only a few people in Indonesia know and recognize this product. Our family is one of them (because we have the facilities to produce coconut syrup by ourselves). But from Internet, I’ve read that this product has begun to be a rising star to replace the usage of common white sugar. And from Internet also, I noticed that there are many people who ask the similar questions. What is coconut syrup? What is the benefit of this product? And how can we use this syrup in our daily life?  

Before I explain of what coconut syrup is, I’d like to introduce the main actor of this product; Coconut Nectar. This nectar can be found by making wounds in the certain part of coconut flower. The coconut nectar will flow from the wound, while the farmers will collect them with bamboo containers.

Coconut nectar is the main and the only material to make coconut syrup by removing its moisture content. The main process of coconut syrup production is under controlled evaporation until it reaches the desired concentration.

Sounds easy right? You tap the nectar and you evaporate it and you’ll get the syrup.

Well, it might not be as easy as you thought.

Tapping the coconut nectar itself will need a certain skill. Not all people dare to climb that high to find the coconut flower and get the nectar. Once the nectar has been collected, it has to be processed as soon as possible to avoid fermentation. The evaporating process itself needs to be precisely controlled to avoid caramel formation.

However, if we compared with common cane sugar, the production process of coconut syrup is more minimally processed. And the most important thing is, coconut syrup processing is free from bleaching agent and preservatives.

You may ask how come there are no preservatives. Coconut syrup doesn’t need any. The liquid is so thick that almost no microorganisms could be able to live there.

If someday you’ll find coconut syrup with a very clear color, don’t be easily trap in a wrong prejudice. You don’t need to be worry about the addiction of bleaching agent, because clear color is obtained by controlling the evaporation temperature below 60 C.

What is Coconut Syrup Benefit?

What is coconut syrup benefit that makes it become a rising star to replace common sugar? There are at least two reasons, the low glycemic index and the nutrient content.

Glycemic index is a numerical value to represent how fast a certain carbohydrates turns into sugar. The glycemic index of coconut syrup is considered very low (35). Let’s compare with other sweetener like cane sugar (68), honey (55) and agave (42). A study conducted in the University of Sydney in Australia showed that consuming low glycemic index food will help us avoiding chronic diseases, such as type 2-diabetes.

Coconut syrup is also home for many useful nutrients, such as vitamin B complex, vitamin C, amino acids essential as well as important mineral.

That's why this coconut syrup is a promising product for diabetes patient and those with obesity.

Besides its health benefits, coconut syrup has a delicious unique caramel taste that can enhance the flavor of your dish and drink.

What is Coconut Syrup Usage?

After knowing what is coconut syrup as well as its benefit, you also want to know what is coconut syrup usage? It can be directly used like other syrup as topping for pancake, waffle or breads. It can also be used to sweeten your daily coffee or tea or milk shake. It can be used as substitution of common white sugar in bakery and pastry products. Moreover, there are still hundreds ways to use coconut syrup, just be creative with it.

So, enjoy your coconut syrup, the healthiest sugar substitution ^-^