If you’re looking for another sugar alternative with some extra nutrients, date sugar is a noteworthy option.
Instead of coming from the palm tree itself, date sugar is made from the fruit of the date tree, which is ground up and dried into sugar, explains Perez. As a result, all the fiber, vitamin, mineral and antioxidant content we know and love about dates remains intact, like vitamin A, vitamin B complex, iron, and zinc. While its fiber content associated with slower blood sugar absorption is a plus, Perez says, you would need to consume large quantities of date sugar to achieve any significant nutrient benefits.
When it comes to cooking, you might be better off going for coconut sugar. That’s because it’s derived from the sap of coconut tree flowers, whereas date sugar is made from granulated dried dates, which will prevent it from dissolving in liquids, Appelö says. This makes coconut sugar more recipe-friendly, in general.