Is Coconut Sugar Healthier Than White Sugar? A Nutrition Expert Explains

While brown sugar and coconut sugar are often marketed as healthier options, Israeli nutritionist Dr. Maya Rosman explains that these are as unnecessary in our diets as regular white sugar.

“White sugar is made from sugarcane or sugar beets and goes through extensive refining until nothing is left but sweetness,” Dr. Rosman explains. “It contains no vitamins or minerals—just calories. That’s why it’s called ‘empty energy’. Brown sugar is slightly less refined and a bit more natural because it’s been separated less from the original plant,” she says. “It does contain trace amounts of vitamins and minerals, but the amounts are negligible. It still contributes to weight gain and harms health just like white sugar. Not every food or drink labeled with brown sugar should be assumed to be healthier.”

Coconut sugar, on the other hand, is made from the sap of coconut palm flowers. The sap is filtered, boiled down into a thick syrup, and then dried and crushed into granules. Today, the food industry also uses quicker, industrial methods to produce it.

According to Dr. Rosman, the main benefit of coconut sugar is that it isn’t bleached or treated with chemicals like white sugar. However, she stresses that even organic coconut sugar still contains a high amount of simple sugars that are unnecessary and lacking real nutritional value. “It does have trace amounts of minerals like potassium and magnesium, and its glycemic index is slightly lower than white sugar, but it’s still not a good option for people with a tendency toward diabetes. The only real reason to use it is for its unique taste,” she said.

When it comes to calories, coconut sugar and white sugar are nearly identical—both contain about 4 calories per gram. Anyone trying to cut calories won’t find a solution in coconut sugar.

Coconut sugar may offer a slightly less processed alternative for those seeking different flavors, but it’s not a miracle ingredient. A balanced, varied diet remains the key to good health, and reducing all types of added sugar is still a smart move.