Ash Wednesday formally ushered in the start of the Lenten season and during a dinner that evening with some friends (who still had ashes on their foreheads), we discussed each other’s Lenten sacrifices. Their sacrifices took the form of giving up a kind of food, a habit, or a drink that they were addicted to.
One promised to give up smoking, (one pack a day), another one offered to give up alcoholic beverages (daily consumer of wine, brandy, etc.), one decided to give up red meat and pork four times a week (never eats seafood, only meat and pork), and another one decided to give up Coke light which she drinks in place of water. The others were still undecided as to which of their indulgences they were willing to give up for Lent.
I was in a quandary as to what to choose for my Lenten sacrifice in terms of giving up an indulgence. I do not smoke, I am just a social drinker, I don’t like red meat or pork, and I don’t drink sodas except for soda water. I can’t possibly give up exercising which is a daily habit, or texting as it is important for networking, so what can I give up for Lent? Then I remembered my weakness for sweets. I love desserts! Eating dessert is my guilty pleasure, a dinner does not seem complete without it. My lunches are fast and usually just a bite, but I look forward to dinner, complete with dessert. It is so painful to give up desserts for 40 days, so I decided to give it up during the weekends. And during the week, I decided to indulge only in healthy desserts — meaning desserts that are sugar- free, or with a healthy sugar substitute.
I was at the Rockwell Food Court and I bumped into a baker friend who offered me her desserts made with coconut sugar. She has caramel and chocolate cake, cookies, and Filipino kakanins made with coconut sugar. They were delicious and tasted clean and healthy. She uses coco sugar for health-conscious clients as it is made from the evaporated sap of organically grown coconut trees and produced with minimal processing, leaving much of the rich minerals, vitamins, and amino acids found naturally in coconut sap intact. It has the consistency of brown sugar, a mild caramel flavor, and dissolves readily. Because of its low glycemic index, which means that it does not cause a rapid rise in your blood sugar level, coco sugar can be used as an integral part of a weight management program and it is safe for diabetics to use in moderation.
My baker friend uses specifically Coco Natura, as it is one of the original pioneers to perfect and commercialize the production of coconut sugar. Aside from the health benefits and great taste, she assured me of the quality and safety of Coco Natura. They own their coconut plantation and employ centralized processing to ensure consistent quality and food safety controls. Their organic coco sugar is regularly tasted using globally accredited tasting labs and is never adulterated or blended with additives or other sugars. Diabetics can now enjoy sweetened beverage without fear of their blood sugar levels spiking to the roof.
Aside from the health benefits, there are also social and environmental benefits that come with the production of coconut sugar. Because the income from selling coconut sap is significantly higher than selling copra, the livelihood of Filipino farmers and their families has been greatly improved. From an environmental perspective, coconut sugar has been touted as one of the most sustainable sweeteners on the market. Coconut palm trees produce an average of 50-75% more sugar per acre than sugar cane and use less than 1/5 the soil nutrients and water for the production.
My first attempt to use Coco Natura (which can be bought in supermarkets) was to sprinkle my baked yams (camote) with it, mixed with some cinnamon powder. Really delicious, healthy and low in glycemic index! It took a long while before I got hungry. Then I also tried to caramelize my turon na saging with it, instead of using the usual refined sugar. I noticed that my blood sugar did not hit the roof as it would if I ate it with caramelized refined sugar. I have to say that I found a new product to make my guilty pleasure less calorie-filled and better for my blood sugar!
For diabetics and those who are interested in healthy desserts, Pasteleria Costa Brava at the Rockwell Food Court sells desserts and kakanins using coconut sugar.
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For more info on Coco Natura, go to www.coconaturasugar.com or e-mail at info@coconaturasugar.com.