www.sugarcoconut.com | Coconut Sugar - Nature's Best Sugar Substitute!

World sugar production for the 2010/11 marketing year is estimated at 161.9 million tons while consumption forecast is at 158.9 million tons. The United States produces 7.2 million tons of sugar annually making it the 5th largest sugar producer in the world. It US consumes 8.8 million tons of sugar annually ranking it fourth in sugar consumption. The United States is forecast to import 1.9 million tons of sugar to make up for the shortage making it the third largest importer of sugar in the world.

With this ever increasing demand for sugar, cultivation systems, use of agrochemicals, genetic modification, and increased land areas for cultivation have become necessary to keep up with demands. Still, most sugar is consumed within the country of production and only about 25% is traded internationally. It would seem that the entire world, and not just the US, is addicted to sugar.  Sugar is produced in around 120 countries with cane sugar accounting for about seventy percent (70%) of the global total. Sugar cane is concentrated in tropical areas while sugar beets are in temperate regions. We know that too much consumption of sugar can have adverse effects on our health and it's somewhat ironic that the concern over the negative environmental impacts of sugar production can underpin the supply of sugar which may ultimately impair the our health!

What are some of the environmental impacts of sugar production?

Biodiversity - With the increasing demand for sugar, substantial areas have been cleared for cane cultivation, leading to the loss of habitats including rainforest, and tropical seasonal forest to name a few. In South America, South East Asia and Australia, the area under cultivation has continued to expand in recent years. Land clearance results in the direct loss of species and habitats and even have a wider impact on ecosystem function including water supply and soil erosion.

Excessive water consumption and water pollution - cultivating and processing sugar crops is a relatively water intensive process involving a number of stages that use water. Processing beets consumes a large amount of water as they need to wash off the soil from the beets at harvest. Waterways and aquatic habitats can be polluted by agrochemicals and other sediments used in the cultivation process.

One of the most significant environmental impact from cane and beet processing is related to polluted effluent. In some countries with weak environmental laws, sugar mills release a tremendous amount of matter when they are cleaned annually. This effluent is usually discharged straight into streams. Cane mill effluents tend to be relatively rich in organic matter compared to other sources, and the decomposition of this matter reduces the oxygen levels in the water, affecting natural biochemical processes and the species inhabiting those freshwater systems. Potential pollutants in these effluents include heavy metals, oil, grease and cleaning agents.

Soil Degradation - Sugar cane cultivation causes soil erosion and reduces its capability for water retention. In many areas, cane is cultivated on slopes, and beet is often cultivated in such a way that fields are left bare over winter; both activities exacerbate erosion risks. Other soil quality impacts commonly associated with sugar crop cultivation include loss of soil organic matter, changes in nutrient levels, salinization and acidification.

Air Pollution - Farmers burn sugarcane to reduce the amount of leafy extraneous material such as dried cane leaves and stalk tops ("cane trash") to reduce the cost of harvesting, hauling and milling the cane. Cane is essentially burned everywhere it is grown. There are some "green" harvesting in a few areas most notably in Australia, but they use different varieties of cane developed specifically for their geographic area, soil types, and climatic conditions.

Overall, there is currently no proven technology that allows for economically efficient harvesting without burning. Being able to burn sugarcane is a significant economic factor for the survival of the individual farmer and the sugarcane industry. Without it, production costs would increase considerably and the farmer would not survive as the price of sugar remains low. There is currently no effective way to deal with the enormous volume of cane trash by mechanical means.

How about Coconut Sugar?

Coconut sugar production is insignificant compared to cane sugar. On a daily basis, a coconut tree may produce about a half gallon of coconut sap. After evaporating the water content of the sap, this half gallon sap yields about 9 oz of sugar. Once a coconut tree starts producing sap (typically in the fourth or fifth year), it would continue to do so for the next 20 years or possibly even longer. Unlike sugar cane, there is no "cane trash" to burn during harvesting so it does not contribute to CO2 in the atmosphere. In fact, a short term two-year study in the Philippines reported the rate of carbon sequestration in local Tall variety coconut crop to be 4.78 tons carbon per hectare per year, which is equivalent to 17.54 tons of CO2 per hectare per year.  In Vanuatu, South Pacific,  a longer study (2001 - 2007) showed a carbon sequestration rate of a 20-year old plantation grown to coconut hybrids under optimum conditions ranging from 4.7 to 8.1 tons carbon per hectare per year.

Coconuts also do not require much water nor much care to grow. Coconuts will grow without any care if:

• Daily temperature above 53-55 degrees Fahrenheit
• Yearly rainfall of above 40 inches
• High humidity - 70% to 80% (for optimum growth)
• Sunlight - although it can grow under high levels of shade, it grows best with sunlight

Coconut is susceptible to drought and cold temperatures. Severe frost is fatal to seedlings and young coconut trees.

Other Environmental Benefits of Coconut Tree

Mulch - Coconut husks can as mulch and is commonly used around coconut seedlings and other plants to control weeds. Fresh or dried leaves are also used for mulch. Shredded husk can also be used as mulch or in nursery potting mix.

Crop Shade - Coconut provides an excellent overhead shade. Its fixed canopy size provides a fairly constant level of shading for crops that require it. It has been successfully intercropped with cocoa and coffee. Cattle are also grazed under coconut trees in the Philippines, Samoa and the Solomon Islands.

Windbreaks and coastal protection - Coconut is one of the most wind-tolerant plants in the world. Flexibility in the stem and fronds reduces the cross-sectional area presented by each tree and thus reduces the drag forces they must endure. In fact most coconuts survive severe storms unless there is not sufficient rooting depth in which case they are uprooted.Coconuts have a remarkable ability to adapt to a wide range of soil types. Its natural habitat is coarse sand and it can be used to stabilize sandy coastal areas.

Coconut sugar harvesting requires no burning, no re-plantation, and is sustainable. In fact, once the tree start to produce sap, it will do so for the next 20 to 30 years (at times even 50-60 years!). It does not pollute the air, quite the opposite in fact as it has quite a capability to sequester a significant amount CO2 which fuels global warming. Coconut sugar is not highly processed so "mill cleaning" is never required. Annual mill cleaning pollute natural water ways causing harm to the various life species in it path.

Coconut sugar is the perfect sugar substitute! It is healthy, tastes great and is good for the environment! Make the switch today! Coconut sugar is available online and is the most convenient way of obtaining coconut sugar but you can check your local Asian grocery store and see if they carry it.

Sources:

• Sugar: World Production Supply and Distribution - http://www.fas.usda.gov/htp/sugar/2010/sugarNov2010.pdf
• Sugar - World Supply and Demand Summary - http://www.spectrumcommodities.com/education/commodity/statistics/sugar.html
• Species Profiles for Pacific Island Agroforestry - http://www.agroforestry.net/tti/Cocos-coconut.pdf
• Sugar and the Environment: A World Wildlife Fund Report - http://assets.panda.org/downloads/sugarandtheenvironment_fidq.pdf
• Oliver D. Cheesman (2004) - Environmental Impacts of Sugar Production: The Cultivation and Processing of Sugarcane and Sugar Beet ISBN-13# 978-0851999814
• Coconut Lands help ease climate change - http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?&sid=6&pfn=318441&arch=1&go=Go&search_arch=coconut&andor=and&mdte_arch=12&ddte_arch=0&ydte_arch=2010

In the previous blog, we talked about sugar addiction and how too much sugar will not only make you fat - it can be detrimental to your health. However, our desire to keep our sweets in our daily diet has given rise to "laboratory made" artificial sweeteners. We discuss some of the more popular ones here.

Saccharin

The first artificial sweetener saccharin, was discovered in 1879 by Constantin Fahlberg while working on coal-tar derivatives. He noticed a "substance" on his hands and arms and decided to taste it and he found the substance to be sweet. A move to ban it in 1911 failed and it was in widespread use in World War I and II when sugar was being rationed. In the mid 70's, a study was released indicating saccharin might contribute to cancer in rats. The FDA tried to ban saccharin but failed but as a compromise, products containing saccharin was required to carry warning labels.

Cyclamate

In the early 50's cyclamate entered the market as an alternative to saccharin. Cyclamate was discovered by Michael Sveda while working on an anti-fever medication. Saccharin is 300 times sweeter than sugar and has zero calories (empty food), but has an unpleasant aftertaste. Cyclamate offered a "more natural" taste and it too became very popular until the late 60's after studies came out linking cyclamate to cancer. It was eventually banned from all food products. Although still banned by the FDA today, it remains legal to use in many other countries. Cyclamate can be found in the Canadian version of Sweet'n Low.

Aspartame

Aspartame entered the market in 1981 as an alternative to saccharin. Aspartame was discovered by accident when a scientist from GD Searle company working on an anti-ulcer drug licked his finger contaminated with aspartame and found it to be sweet. Aspartame used saccharin's bad image to become the leading sweetener in diet softdrinks. Aspartame has been tested more than 200 times and it has shown to be safe but most of those tests were funded or conducted by manufacturers of aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal, etc). In addition, it has had the most complaints of any food additive available for public consumption. It's been linked to MS, lupus, fibromyalgia, and other nervous central disorders.

Aspartame when ingested breaks down into aspartic acid (chemical found in the brain), phenylalanine (amino acid) and methanol (alcohol) which converts to formaldehyde. High levels of formaldehyde can cause brain damage and blindness. A recent independent study submitted to the FDA shows that aspartame ingestion causes formaldehyde accumulation in the body. The FDA knows this but argue that such a small amount poses no health risks. The question then becomes - how much is too much? Any amount of formaldehyde in our opinion is too much - you can read about the dangers of formaldehyde exposure from the national cancer institute.

Sucralose

Splenda is the best selling artificial sweetener in the United States. Splenda much like all the artificial sweeteners, was discovered by accident. In this case, the 2 scientists who discovered it was trying to make pesticide. A miscommunication between the 2 scientists led to one of them "tasting" the substance they created as supposed to "testing" it. They found it to be sweet, 600 times sweeter than sugar in fact,  and worked with a British sugar company to form what we now know as sucralose. In the United States, Splenda is distributed by McNeil Nutrionals.

Splenda is made up of dextrose, maltodextrin and sucralose with sucralose being the main ingredient. To make sucralose, sucrose (sugar) goes through a chemical process that selectively substitutes three atoms of chlorine for three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sucrose molecule. Basically, chemists force chlorine into an unnatural chemical bond with a sugar molecule, resulting in a sweeter product. Now chlorine can be both harmless and deadly. For example, chlorine in combination with sodium forms an "ionic bond" yielding table salt which is harmless to humans. However, when used with carbon, the chlorine atom in sucralose forms a "covalent bond" yielding an "organochlorine" (chlorocarbon) which is deadly to humans but perfectly suitable for pesticides - which is what the original intent was when they accidentally discovered sucralose! A huge amount of artificial chemicals must be added to keep sucralose from digesting in our bodies. These added substances also prevent (hopefully) the dangerous chlorine molecules from detaching from the sugar molecule inside the digestive system.

When Splenda is ingested, around fifteen percent (15%) of sucralose is absorbed by the body. The problem is no one knows (out of that 15%) what amount of chlorine stays in the body and what percentage gets flushed out. It is NOT unlikely that the healthier your gastrointestinal system is, the more you’ll absorb the chlorinated molecules of Splenda - which will be bad news for you.

So is it safe to use artificial sugar substitutes?

Sadly, no one really knows for sure. Although numerous studies have been done, all the tests seems to have inconclusive results. Some of those tests are mired in controversy as most of them were funded by the manufactures who have a vested interest on the product. Conducting these studies are very expensive and there is just not enough independent and unbiased long term study to conclude either way.  Both sides have legitimate claims to its safety and hazards.

But one thing is certain: some of the chemicals that comprise artificial sweeteners are known hazards — the degree to which you experience side effects just depends on your individual biochemistry. Manufacturers are banking on the fact that our bodies won’t absorb very much of these compounds at any one time. And many of us don’t. The general concensus seems to be that artificial sweeteners are not harmful when consumed in moderation. But what happens when we are ingesting a combination of artificial sweeteners dozens of times a week through many different “low–sugar” or “sugar–free” products? how about a year? 2 years?

In addition, there has been a notion that since these artificial sweeteners have no calories, they can help you lose weight. Scientists at Purdue University conducted a study about this and what they found was exactly the opposite. Their study suggests that when we eat something sweet our "reward system" gets activated and we get satisfied once we get our fill. However, when we take in artificial sugar substitutes, which are sweet, the same reward system gets activated but we never get satisfied - hence we overeat.

Fact remains that natural table sugar consumed in moderation is probably still the safer way to go than artificial sugar substitutes. However, due to evolution, moderation is easier said than done and we are likely binge on sweets at some point. We can't help it and we are biologically wired to seek sugar and our bodies actually need it. Besides, no one wants to eat unsweetened food, so we are more than likely to use sugar substitutes to mitigate the risks of eating too much sugar. More so if you are diabetic.

While the experts continue to debate over the safety or hazard of artificial sugar substitutes, why take the chance for you and your family when there are natural alternatives available? One of those allternatives is coconut sugar. It is an excellent sugar substitute - it has a low glycemic index, tastes great and more importantly, all natural! It's nature's own way of letting us have our cake and eat it too!

If you are ready to make the switch, you can buy coconut sugar online.

sources:

• Sugar Substitute and the potential Dangers of Splenda - http://www.womentowomen.com/healthyweight/splenda.aspx
• Artificial Sweetener explodes internally - http://www.thepeopleschemist.com/view_learning.php?learning_id=14
• Potential Dangers of Splenda - http://www.splendaexposed.com/
• Why is Splenda potentially harmful? - http://www.janethull.com/askdrhull/article.php?id=046
• Saccharin wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccharin
• Cyclamate wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclamate
• Aspartame wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame
• Sucralose wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucralose

Is it really possible to get addicted to sugar? The average american consumes an amazing 2-3 pounds of sugar per week! In the last 20 years, sugar consumption in the US increased from 26 lbs per year to an astonishing 135 lbs per per year per person! It shouldn't come as a surprise because sugar is being processed into breads, breakfast cereal, peanut butter, soft drinks, and for the most part majority of the food products you can buy on a typical american grocery store.

Sugar has been around for a very long time but it is very rare in nature. It was not until recent developments in transportation, agriculture, and refinement technologies has been sugar so readily available. Too readily available in fact and it is now everywhere and in everything. Sugar sells and it sells incredibly well. Sugar is a simple carbohydrate and simple carbohydrates are digested quickly and turned to glucose which fuels our brain and muscles. Every time we eat sugar, our blood sugar goes up and insulin is released to absorb the sugar. However, this "high" does not last and soon we crave for another hit. For majority of us, sugar is our "comfort food" and we are predisposed to seek it wherever we can find it. We are addicted and we must buy it.

A paper published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2009 titled Sugar and Fat Bingeing Have Notable Differences in Addictive-Like Behavior showed that sugar affects the brain chemistry and thus might be "expected" to cause addictive behavior. It also showed that sugar bingeing can cause withdrawal symptoms and cravings comparable to the effects of drug abuse.

Our bodies are not equipped to handle so much sugar and over consumption over time, can lead to a host of dreaded diseases like insulin resistance, heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. As it turns out, ingesting too much sugar is not so sweet for your health. So cut back on soft drinks, cakes, cookies, and pies and add years to your life!

Easier said than done of course as many of us have a sweet tooth. Fortunately for us, nature has give us an excellent sweetener!

Coconut sugar is an excellent sugar substitute! Coconut sugar is full of nutrients and vitamins and is classified as low glycemic food. Although moderation is still best, natural sugars are still better alternatives to artificial sweeteners that contain toxic chemicals which may or may not pose potential health risks. Why take the chance? Switch to coconut sugar - a perfect natural sugar substitute!

Carbohydrates or carbs, has been vilified by some popular diets blaming it for body fat and excess weight. Others have come to its defense and rightfully so. The end result has been much confusion about carbohydrates whether its bad, good, no carb, slow carb, good carb, bad carb, etc.

So, what exactly are Carbohydrates?

If you want to go all scientific about it, you can check out this wiki page. But for most of us, what we really want to know is what it means and what it does and how does it affect us. All carbohydrates are made up from sugars. There are a number of different types of sugars, but in the body all carbohydrate metabolism converts sugar to glucose, our body's preferred energy source. Glucose is the main sugar present in many foods different sugars such as fructose in fruit, lactose in milk, galactose, sucrose in sugar as well as others. Most sugars are digested and absorbed and converted to glucose. The ones that are not is what we call fiber. In short, carbs provide most of the energy we need to go about our daily lives. This includes some pretty important functions like heartbeat, breathing, digestion to name a few.

Carbohydrates are grouped into two main categories - simple and complex

So, What are Simple Carbohydrates and how does it affect me?

Simple carbohydrates are quick energy sources, but they do not usually supply any other nutrients or fiber. This includes sugars such as fruit sugar (fructose), corn or grape sugar (dextrose or glucose), and table sugar (sucrose). Simple carbohydrates are digested quickly because the individual sugars are ready to be absorbed immediately plus digestive enzymes have easy access to the bonds in the paired molecules. Their rapid absorption increases the chances of sugar converting to fat but only if there is an abundance of energy absorbed. Because our cells usually do not require that amount of energy at that time, the sugar must either be converted to glycogen ( sugar storage within cells ) or converted to fat.

So, What are Complex Carbohydrates and how does it affect me?

Complex carbohydrates or starch are chains of three or more sugars bonded together to form a chain. Foods with the most complex carbohydrates include legumes, starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn, rice and grain products. Other vegetables such as green beans, broccoli and spinach contain less starch, but they have more fiber. Complex carbohydrates takes longer to digest and the slow absorption of sugars provides us with a steady supply of energy and limits the amount of sugar converted into fat

Which carb is better?

In the past, it was thought that complex carbohydrates were thought to be the healthiest to eat. As it turns out, its a little more complicated than that. When you eat a food containing carbohydrates, the digestive system handles all carbohydrates the same way — it breaks them down (or tries to break them down) into single sugar molecules. It converts most digestible carbohydrates into glucose (also known as blood sugar), because cells are designed to use this as an energy source. The ones in can't break down is called fiber and it just passes through the body undigested.

As blood sugar levels rise, the pancreas churn out more and more insulin, a hormone that signals cells to absorb blood sugar for energy or storage. As cells sponge up blood sugar, its levels in the bloodstream begin to fall. That's when other cells in the pancreas start making glucagon, a hormone that tells the liver to start releasing stored sugar. This interplay of insulin and glucagon ensure that cells throughout the body, and especially in the brain, have a steady supply of blood sugar. When this cycle does not work properly, that's when it becomes a problem.

Type 1 diabetes happens when you don't produce enough insulin. Your cells cannot absorb the sugar . Type 2 diabetes happens when your cells become insulin resistant and your cells. Your pancreas tries to churn out more and more insulin until it can't do it anymore and it start to slow down and eventually stops. Genes, a sedentary lifestyle, being overweight, and a diet rich in processed carbohydrates can each promote insulin resistance.

This takes us back to the original question - which carb is better?

Breaking down carbohydrates between simple and complex makes sense on the chemical level but it does not explain what happens when that carbohydrate enters the body. For example, white bread and potatoes qualifies as a complex carbohydrate. After you eat that potato and white bread, your body starts to digest it and the body converts this starch to blood sugar but it does it nearly as fast as it processes pure glucose (sugar) which is a simple carbohydrate. Fructose (fruit sugar) is a simple carbohydrate, but it has a minimal effect on blood sugar. Its a mess.

Glycemic index sorts this all out (or at least tries to) by classifying which carbohydrates based on how quick and how hight they boost blood sugar. Foods with high glycemic index, like white bread, cause rapid spikes in blood sugar. Foods with a low glycemic index such as coconut sugar are digested more slowly and have a lower change in blood sugar.

However, the Glycemic index value alone does not give accurate picture of the the food as it only takes into account the quality of the carbohydrate and not thequantity. This is where Glycemic Load (GL) comes in as it takes into account both the quality and quantity of the carbohydrate in food. Why is this important? Take for example a watermelon. A Watermelon has a glycemic index of 72. Judging from glycemic index alone, a watermelon will not be safe to eat. However, a serving of 120 grams of watermelon yields a glycemic load of roughly 4 and therefore is safe to eat.

So, which carb is really better?

Short answer is it depends on the carb!

Foods that have a low glycemic index have a low glycemic load while foods with an intermedaite or high glycemic index range from very low to very high glycemic load. To optimize insulin levels, your diet must consist of carbohydrates with low glycemic index and low glycemic load values and avoid foods with high glycemic index and high glycemic load.

What are the benefits of low glyemic food diet?

• helps people lose and manage weight
• increases the body's sensitivity to insulin
• Low GI carbs improve diabetes management
• Low GI carbs reduce the risk of heart disease
• Low GI carbs improve blood cholesterol levels
• Low GI carbs can help you manage the symptoms of PCOS
• Low GI carbs reduce hunger and keep you fuller for longer
• Low GI carbs prolong physical endurance

Coconut sugar is classified as a low glycemic index food. In addition, it is full of nutrients and tastes great! If you are thinking of substitute sweetener, give coconut sugar a try. You will find as many have that Coconut sugar is the perfect sugar substitute!

Sources:

• Harvard School of Public Health - http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/carbohydrates-full-story/index.html
• Carbs and You -  http://cocopalmsugar.sch.ph/node/46
• Simple and Complex Carbohydrates - http://www.weightlossforall.com/carbohydrates.htm
• Official website of the glycemic index and GI database - http://www.glycemicindex.com/