Left Coast Confections

Coconut Sugar

Coconut Sugar Production

Coconut sugar comes from the milky sap of the flowers (actually, the flower bud stem) of the coconut tree before the flowers bloom.

Left Coast™ Confections uses only the finest coconut sugar available. Our coconut sugar comes from Indonesia and has the following attributes:

The coconut sugar used in Left Coast™ Confections is sustainably grown and responsibly harvested in Indonesia. Making coconut sugar is essentially a two-step process. It starts with harvesting or "tapping" the flower bud stem of a coconut tree. Farmers make a cut on the flower bud stem and the sap starts to flow from the cut into bamboo containers. The sap collected is then transferred into large woks and placed over low heat to evaporate the moisture content of the sap. The sap is translucent and is about 80% water. As the water evaporates, it starts to transform into a thick syrup. Further, gentle heating produces a light brown, granular powder. This low temperature process preserves the delicate nutrients and flavors found naturally in coconut sugar.

Coconut sugar has been used as a traditional sweetener for centuries in regions where coconut trees flourish, such as Southeast Asia. Coconut sugar is mostly comprised of sucrose, which gives it a sweet, caramel-like flavor. Unlike refined white sugar, coconut sugar is minimally processed, which means that it retains all of the nutritional value of the original coconut sap.

Because it is unprocessed, coconut sugar contains the same amino acids as the sap from which it is derived. Specifically, 100 grams of coconut sugar provide us with 34.2 milligrams of glutamic acid (an essential neurotransmitter needed for proper brain function), 11.2 milligrams of aspartic acid (promotes metabolism function and is used to treat depression), 15.4 milligrams of threonine (maintains protein balance in the body), and 8.2 milligrams of serine (aids brain and nervous system function), as well as lower amounts of other essential and non-essential amino acids. These amino acids, being components of proteins, are needed for cell growth and repair, metabolism function, and the production of hormones and enzymes.

Coconut sap is rich in vitamins, including several of the essential B vitamins, and coconut sugar inherits this benefit. For example, coconut sugar is high in thiamine, riboflavin, folic acid, pyridoxal, pantothenic acid, and nicotinic acid. It even contains trace amounts of vitamin B12, which is seldom found in plants. All of these B vitamins aid cellular metabolism and provide us with energy. Coconut sugar is also quite high in inositol, which is needed for the formation of healthy cells and has also been used to treat anxiety and sadness.

Coconut sugar contains numerous trace minerals that are not found in refined sugar. These minerals include phosphorous (important for bone growth and kidney function), potassium (reduces hypertension and lowers blood sugar levels), nitrogen (treats cardiovascular diseases), magnesium (regulates the metabolism and stimulates the brain), manganese (an important antioxidant), copper (helps release energy and aids melanin production in the skin), as well as lower amounts of zinc, iron, calcium, boron, sulfur, sodium, and chlorine.