Health Bite

Coconut sugar, made from boiling down the sap of coconut palms, tastes like ordinary sugar but has health advantages which might make it worth considering a swap.

The refining process means ordinary white sugar is stripped of most of its nutrients, but unrefined coconut sugar contains potassium, zinc, iron and calcium, and it can be a source of vitamin B1, too.

It also has a lower glycaemic index (GI), which means it is better at keeping blood sugar levels stable. Although sugar ranks relatively high at 60-75 on the GI index, coconut sugar sits at 35. This means it is less disruptive of energy and mood.

Coconut sugar is available from health food shops and most large supermarkets.