What is coconut sap and is it good for you?

Coconut sap is the wonderful natural raw ingredient that we use to make our coconut sugar, coconut nectar, coconut vinegars and coconut aminos. Unsurprisingly, we’re huge fans of the stuff – and with good reason. Here we dive into what coconut sap is and explain why it’s a healthier option in many ways.

What is coconut sap?

Coconut sap comes from the tree - from the flowers, to be precise. It’s not sweet and sticky like many tree saps, but rather it’s white and milky. But nonetheless, it is naturally sweet. This means it can be used in two core ways: to ferment to make things like vinegars and sauces, or heated to make a sugar product. In the Philippines they even ferment coconut sap into a wine called Tuba or lambanong.

Coconut sap is collected from the coconut palm by a tapper. It’s a manually intensive process, supporting local communities. Tappers make a cut into the flower-bud stem (inflorescence) of the tree and placing a tap into it. They then return to the tree a couple of times a day to collect the coconut sap.

Tapping the sap stops the tree from producing coconuts (which can be good for the safety of nearby communities) but doesn’t affect the life of the tree. The tree continues to flower and produce sap, and the many different coconut sap products can be made. It’s a fantastically sustainable process which supports local community farmers, providing reliable income streams.

How is coconut sap used?

As stated above, coconut sap is used in a variety of ways.

Fermenting coconut sap is the process behind two main coconut products: coconut vinegar and coconut aminos.

·        Coconut vinegar

Coconut vinegar, especially our mother of vinegar, is a way to enjoy all of the natural benefits of coconut sap without such high sugar content.

·        Coconut aminos

We also use coconut sap to create our popular coconut aminos. Coconut aminos are cooking condiments or sauces, much like soy sauce.

A different process to fermentation which is used with coconut sap is using it for a natural sugar. Coconut sap is naturally high in sugar. Once harvested, it is mixed with water and heated. Gradually, a sticky caramel syrup remains. This is coconut nectar. If the boiling process is allowed to continue, the substance crystallises and, once dried, this becomes a beautifully unrefined coconut sugar.

Coconut nectar can be enjoyed as it comes, on toast, crumpets or your other favourite baked goods. It can also be used to sweeten hot drinks. It’s wonderful in cooking, particularly in baking, stir-fries and marinades.

Coconut sugar is a natural and versatile sugar. It can be used as a cane sugar replacement. It’s there when you want to sweeten your coffee and it’s perfect for healthier baking.

Is coconut sap good for you?

Coconut sap is a completely natural product. There are no chemicals or nasties used in its creation. It is plant-based and so naturally vegan (unlike honey). It is densely nutritious, packed with essential minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium and potassium. Coconut sap is also naturally rich in inulin. Inulin is a fibre that serves as a pre-biotic (facilitating the growth of good bacteria) and is associated with helping to regulate blood sugar.

However, while coconut sap can be used more directly at source, it won’t last long enough to be transported. Hence it is made into vinegars, aminos, nectar and sugar, so that you can enjoy the benefits.

Depending on the product made, the benefits of the coconut sap vary. For example, with coconut vinegars, much of the original nutrient profile of coconut sap remains. Indeed, the fermentation process adds even more benefits as well. However, with the nectar and sugar making process, the end result is still a sugar (albeit with a lower glycaemic index compared to others) and sugar should always be consumed in moderation.  

However, we all want to reach for sweet things from time to time, and as part of a balanced diet, this isn’t a problem for most of us. So, if we’re reaching for sugar – to bake or sweeten our drink or to draw out some flavours – then we obviously want to make the healthiest choice. And that’s where coconut nectar and coconut sugar really come into play. They are sugar, yes, but they are one of the healthiest and cleanest sugars you can find.  Some recent studies suggest that using coconut sap derived sugar could prevent the blood sugar spike that you experience with regular cane sugar. Furthermore, when you buy coconut sugar and coconut nectar from a reputable source, like The Coconut Company, you can feel confident that you’re contributing to fair trade processes and supporting local communities.

How to get the benefits of coconut sap?

If you’d like to get the benefits of coconut sap then we highly recommend using coconut vinegar. Coconut vinegar is excellent for supporting a healthy balance of gut bacteria. Coconut vinegar, especially the mother of vinegar, is brilliant for nutritional support. As well as being rich in probiotics, it is known to be good for heart health, lowering cholesterol and triglycerides. It’s rich in potassium, vitamin C, manganese, zinc and B vitamins, as it comes from the coconut sap. Indeed, some small research suggest that coconut vinegar may even help you manage your weight and blood sugar.

Coconut vinegar is very enticing!

The good news is that there are multiple different ways in which you can use coconut vinegar to get the benefits of the coconut sap.

You can straight up drink coconut vinegar neat, or use it to make a pleasant shrubbery (diluted fruity drink). You can use it to make a refreshing and tasty sparkling coconut and lime drink which includes some coconut nectar for natural sweetness.

You can also use coconut vinegar in a wide variety of ways for cooking. It can form the base of marinades for meat and veggies. It can be used within a salad dressing. Try it in our Nutty Roasted Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Cranberry Salad.

Get your coconut sap products

Head on over to our shop to buy your coconut sap products today and discover them for yourself.