- *MSRP:
$6.99- Our Price:
- $6.30
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- UPC: 733739069153
- # N6915
NOW Real Food® Organic Coconut Sugar (16 oz)
Looking for a natural, unrefined sweetener that swaps straight into your daily routine without the chemical processing or harsh spike of white refined cane sugar? NOW Real Food® Organic Coconut Sugar (Item #6915) delivers rich, golden sweetness straight from nature, offering a delicious 1:1 table sugar replacement that supports mindful nutrition.
Extracted sustainably from the pure sap of cut coconut palm flower buds (Cocos nucifera), this organic coconut palm sugar preserves the subtle caramel notes and natural trace elements that industrial sugar mills strip away. Unlike table sugar, which undergoes sulfur bleaching, lime treatment, and heavy crystalline extraction, NOW coconut sugar is gently heated to evaporate water, leaving behind wholesome, unbleached golden granules.
- ✓Direct 1:1 Sugar Alternative: Replace granulated white and brown sugar cup-for-cup in cookies, warm oatmeal, morning coffee, marinades, and yeast baking.
- ✓Lower Glycemic Impact: Natural inulin prebiotic fiber and intact plant compounds provide a gentler metabolic curve than stripped sucrose (Food and Nutrition Research Institute, 2007).
- ✓Certified Organic & Non-GMO: USDA Certified Organic by QAI, Non-GMO Project Verified, Kosher (Triangle K), Halal, and naturally gluten-free.
- ✓Nutrient-Dense Profile: Retains naturally occurring potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and active polyphenols directly from living palm sap.
Biochemical Profile & Physiological Mechanism: How Coconut Sugar Works in the Body
To evaluate whether organic coconut sap sugar fits your wellness goals, it helps to look at carbohydrate biochemistry. Understanding how your digestive tract hydrolyzes and absorbs these granules highlights why unrefined palm sugar behaves differently than factory-refined table sugar.
1. Carbohydrate Composition and Hydrolysis
Pure coconut palm sugar consists of approximately 70% to 79% sucrose, alongside roughly 3% to 9% each of free glucose and free fructose (Asghar et al., Food Sci Nutr, 2020). Because sucrose is a disaccharide formed by equal parts glucose and fructose, the net monosaccharide delivery is roughly half glucose and half fructose—similar to standard sucrose. However, the botanical matrix surrounding these molecules alters digestion. In industrial cane sugar, refined crystalline sucrose enters the small intestine naked, where brush-border sucrase enzymes instantly break it down, dumping free glucose straight into the bloodstream via sodium-glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) proteins. In organic coconut sugar, the monosaccharides remain suspended alongside plant polyphenols, amino acids (notably glutamic acid), and dietary polysaccharides.
2. The Role of Prebiotic Inulin Fiber
A distinct functional component of unrefined coconut sap is inulin, a soluble fructooligosaccharide fiber (Roberfroid, J Nutr, 2007). Inulin resists enzymatic hydrolysis in the human stomach and upper small intestine. Within the digestive tract, inulin forms a light, water-binding gel matrix that gently slows gastric emptying and moderates the diffusion rate of simple carbohydrates toward mucosal absorption sites. Furthermore, as inulin reaches the colon intact, beneficial commensal bacteria (such as Bifidobacterium species) ferment it into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like acetate, propionate, and butyrate, which support gut barrier integrity and metabolic signaling.
3. Clinical Glycemic Index (GI) Clarification
Much discussion surrounds the Glycemic Index of coconut palm sugar. Standard white table sugar carries a high-moderate glycemic index of 60 to 65. Clinical testing performed by the Philippine Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI, Department of Science and Technology) measured a glycemic index value of approximately 35 for pure coconut sap sugar, categorizing it as low-GI (<55). Subsequent international testing, including analyses by the Sydney University Glycemic Index Research Service (SUGiRS) and published human trials (Trinidad et al., Br J Nutr, 2010), indicate practical postprandial GI values ranging between 35 and 54 depending on individual metabolic health, background meal composition, and harvest conditions.
Crucial Dietary Reality: While coconut sugar offers a lower glycemic impact than bleached table sugar, it is still a caloric carbohydrate (4 calories per gram). Fructose metabolism remains concentrated in the liver via hepatic fructokinase. Coconut sugar is not a zero-calorie non-nutritive sweetener, nor is it a therapeutic cure for insulin resistance. Individuals managing Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes must calculate it within their total carbohydrate allocation under clinical guidance (American Diabetes Association, 2026).
Complete Nutrition Facts & Ingredient Transparency
Transparency is essential for informed health decisions. Below is the full nutritional panel and verified single-ingredient declaration for NOW Real Food® Organic Coconut Sugar (16 oz / 454 g, Item #6915):
| Nutrient / Measurement | Amount Per Serving | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Serving Size | 2 tsp (8 g) — Approx. 57 servings per 16 oz container (or ~114 servings at 1 tsp / 4 g) | |
| Calories | 30 | — |
| Total Fat | 0 g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat | 0 g | 0% |
| Trans Fat | 0 g | — |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 5 mg | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 8 g | 3% |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g | 0% |
| Total Sugars | 7 g | — |
| Includes Added Sugars | 7 g | 14% |
| Protein | 0 g | — |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0% |
| Calcium | 10 mg | 0% |
| Iron | 0.1 mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 40 mg | 0% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Complete Ingredients: Organic Coconut Sugar.
Botanical Source: Pure sap tapped from the inflorescence blossoms of non-GMO coconut palms (Cocos nucifera), sustainably harvested in Indonesia.
Allergen Specifications: Packaged in a peanut-free facility that processes tree nuts. Not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, sesame, or corn ingredients.
Rigorous Lab Purity & Contaminant Verification: The NOW Foods Gold Standard
Imported agricultural products can pose hidden risks. Unregulated open-air drying, contaminated irrigation water, and soil runoff frequently introduce heavy metals, pesticide drift, and pathogenic microbes into natural sweeteners. NOW Foods operates one of the most advanced analytical private testing facilities in the world to ensure unmatched safety.
ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Accredited In-House Laboratories
NOW Health Group maintains in-house laboratories accredited to the international ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA, Certificate #6253.01). Conducting more than 31,000 analytical tests every single month, NOW screens every incoming raw agricultural shipment and finished batch against rigorous quality benchmarks:
- ✓Heavy Metal Screening via ICP-MS: Utilizing Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), NOW conducts over 11,000 heavy metal tests annually. Every batch of coconut sugar is screened for lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury down to parts-per-billion (ppb) sensitivity, strictly enforcing standards far more stringent than federal FDA limits and compliant with California Proposition 65.
- ✓Molecular Pathogen Detection (GENE-UP® PCR): Utilizing automated Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) molecular testing, incoming sap sugar is screened for foodborne pathogens including Salmonella species, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli, alongside total aerobic plate counts, yeast, and mold assays.
- ✓Multi-Pesticide Residue Analysis (LC-MS/MS & GC-MS/MS): Advanced liquid and gas chromatography mass spectrometry monitors agricultural residues to verify zero contamination from synthetic organophosphates, carbamates, or chlorinated compounds.
- ✓Zero Chemical Additives or Bleaches: Guaranteed 100% free of sulfur dioxide (frequently used as a preservative in commercial sugars), bone char, synthetic anti-caking agents, and artificial flavor enhancers.
Practical Kitchen Usage, Culinary Applications & Dietary Guidelines
Switching to an unrefined sweetener should be seamless. NOW Real Food® Organic Coconut Sugar behaves remarkably like traditional cane sugar, making it the most versatile natural swap in your pantry.
The Exact 1:1 Replacement Ratio
You do not need conversion charts, specialized measuring spoons, or moisture adjustments. Replace white granulated sugar or light brown sugar cup-for-cup (1:1 ratio) in any family recipe. Because it possesses a delicate golden grain and a rich, toasted caramel-molasses flavor (not a coconut taste), it enriches baked goods with warm, rounded sweetness.
Top Culinary Applications
- ✓Artisan Baking & Cookies: Perfect for chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, sourdough rolls, blueberry flax muffins, and fruit crumbles where brown sugar notes enhance taste.
- ✓Hot & Cold Beverages: Dissolves smoothly into morning espresso, black teas, matcha lattes, and golden milk without leaving chalky or artificial aftertastes.
- ✓Savory Glazes & Sauces: Adds authentic depth to Asian stir-fry sauces, homemade barbecue glazes, dry rubs for roasting, and tangy vinaigrettes.
- ✓Morning Breakfast Bowls: Dust lightly over steel-cut oatmeal, chia seed puddings, Greek yogurt parfaits, or warm grain bowls.
Storage & Freshness Recommendations
Because coconut palm sugar is naturally hygroscopic (it naturally attracts ambient moisture from humid air), always seal the heavy-duty resealable pouch tightly after opening. Store in a cool, dry, dark pantry away from direct heat and stove steam to prevent clumping and preserve freshness.
Why Purchase Your NOW Real Food® Coconut Sugar From VitaNet®, LLC?
Where you purchase your food and dietary supplements matters[cite: 1]. When you order online, you deserve authentic, freshly rotated products backed by direct operational expertise rather than anonymous automated third-party drop-shippers[cite: 1].
- ✓Serving Online Wellness Since 1995: Founded in 1995 as an independent, family-owned retailer based in Hartville, Ohio, VitaNet®, LLC brings over 31 years of continuous hands-on natural health industry experience to every customer order[cite: 1].
- ✓Extensive Curated Inventory: We maintain an extensive catalog of over 16,000 name-brand vitamins, organic pantry staples, and specialized herbs at competitive discount prices[cite: 1].
- ✓Direct Warehouse Temperature Control: Our inventory is held in our owned facility at 887 Edison Street Northwest, Hartville, Ohio 44632[cite: 1]. Your products never sit in uncontrolled freight containers or overheated third-party fulfillment centers.
- ✓Unconditional 100% Money-Back Guarantee: We stand fully behind every item we carry with an unconditional 100% money-back guarantee that even covers return shipping costs on opened items[cite: 1].
- ✓BBB A+ Accredited Business: VitaNet maintains an unblemished A+ accreditation rating with the Better Business Bureau, reflecting over three decades of earnest, transparent customer support[cite: 1].
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does NOW Organic Coconut Sugar taste like coconut?
No. Coconut sugar is collected from the sap of unopened flower blossoms of the palm tree, not from the coconut meat or water. It has a rich, toasty flavor reminiscent of light brown sugar with gentle caramel and maple notes, blending seamlessly into coffee, tea, and baked goods without introducing coconut flavor.
What is the exact substitution ratio for white or brown sugar in recipes?
NOW Real Food® Organic Coconut Sugar substitutes on a direct 1:1 ratio. If your recipe calls for 1 cup of white granulated sugar or 1 cup of packed brown sugar, use exactly 1 cup of organic coconut sugar. No liquid adjustments or recipe modifications are needed.