Getting to Know Palm Sugar: Healthy and Traditional Natural Sweetener

Palm sugar is a type of natural sugar that has been gaining popularity recently. Made from the sap of palm family trees such as aren, coconut, and siwalan, palm sugar has a distinct taste and many health benefits. Known by various names in different regions, its traditional production process makes it a healthier choice compared to regular white sugar. This article will further discuss what palm sugar is, how it is made, and its health benefits.

What is Palm Sugar?

Palm sugar is sugar made using the sap or juice from palm family trees. Sap is a sweet liquid extracted directly from palm trees. For instance, aren sap is taken from aren trees, while badheg water is sap taken from coconut trees. This sap extraction process is traditionally done by sugar farmers, known as tappers. They climb coconut trees every morning and evening to ensure the sap remains fresh and of good quality. The collected sap is then processed into sugar through a series of natural and traditional steps.

The Process of Extracting and Processing Sap

Extracting sap from palm trees is done very carefully. Sugar farmers climb coconut trees in the morning and evening to maintain the sap's freshness. This process requires special skills as tappers need to prepare tools to collect the sap and ensure no contamination occurs during extraction. Once collected, the first step is to filter the sap using a fine sieve (mesh >80) to remove impurities such as leaves, wood chips, and insects.

After filtering, the sap is placed in a large pan with a production capacity of between 5 to 15 kilograms. The sap is then heated to around 140°C to turn it into caramel. Sugar farmers do not need a thermometer to determine the caramel's readiness; they use instinct and experience to know when the caramel is done. Once the caramel is ready, the heat is reduced, and the caramel is continuously stirred until its temperature drops. At this stage, the caramel is stirred using a special tool until it turns into palm sugar powder or crystals.

The Process of Forming Palm Sugar Crystals

Once the caramel turns into powder or crystals, the next step is to sift it using a mesh 18 sieve to ensure the produced palm sugar is of good quality. Powder that does not pass through the sieve will be ground again or re-cooked until it reaches the desired texture. The final process is drying the palm sugar in an oven to reduce its moisture content to a dryness level of 1-2%. The result is high-quality palm sugar ready for consumption.

Conclusion

Palm sugar is a healthier and more environmentally friendly natural sugar option. Made through a traditional process involving sap extraction from palm trees, palm sugar offers a distinct sweetness and various health benefits. With a lower glycemic index and essential nutrients, palm sugar is a good alternative to regular white sugar. It is no wonder that more people are switching to palm sugar as a natural sweetener in their food and drinks. As a palm sugar producer, we are committed to maintaining our product's quality in terms of texture, color, dryness level, and most importantly, consumer health. The palm sugar we produce is an organic product without chemicals or artificial preservatives because health starts with what we consume.