Why This Natural Sugar is More Than Just Sweetness
Is it palm Sugar is a sweet superfood? and are you ever wondered where sugar comes from? Meet the Arenga pinnata tree, a tropical marvel that produces pure, unprocessed, and nutrient-rich palm sugar. What makes it special? Arenga pinnata sugar is rich in antioxidants, with a total phenolic content of 2432 ± 32 µg/g—nearly 90 times higher than white sugar and far above brown sugar and molasses (Table 1). It also combats oxidative stress, linked to aging and diseases like cancer, with an IC50 value of 0.6 mg/ml—far outperforming refined sugars (Table 2).
Table 1: Total Phenolic Content of Different Sweeterners
| Products | Total phenolic compounds (μg/g) |
| Palm (Arenga pinnata) sugar | 2432 ± 32 |
| Refined/white sugar (sugarcane) | 26.5 – 31.5 |
| Brown sugar (sugarcane) | 108.1 – 372 |
| Sugar cane molasses | 381.62 ± 6.82 |
| Sugar beet molasses | 62.25 ± 1.72 |
Table 2: Antioxidant Activity (IC50 Values) of Sweeteners
| Products | IC50 (mg/ml) |
| A. pinnata sugar | 0.6 |
| Brown sugar | 0.0594 ** |
| White sugar | insignificant inhibitory activity** |
| Refined sugar | insignificant inhibitory activity** |
| Sugarcane molasses | 1.47 |
| Sugarbeet molasses | 7.25 |
** EC50 (effective concentration) was used instead of IC50 (inhibitory concentration).
What’s behind this impressive performance? Arenga pinnata (palm) sugar is unrefined, meaning it retains natural compounds from the tree’s sap, including phenolics and antioxidants.
So, the next time you’re choosing a sweetener, why not go for something that not only sweetens your day but also boosts your health? Arenga pinnata (palm) sugar is proof that natural can be better—and tastier!
Source: Inneke Victor & Valerie Orsat. 2018. Characterization of Arenga pinnata (palm) sugar. Sugar Tech. Vol. 20 Issue 8, 2018. Nayaka et al. 2009. Cytoprotective and antioxidant activity studies of jaggery sugar. Food Chemistry 115: 113-118, Valli et al. 2012. Sugar cane and sugar beet molasses, antioxidant-rich alternatives to refined sugar. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 60: 12508-12515.
Read another article : https://palmlarbreseho.com/the-secret-of-fresh-sugar-palm-arenga-pinnata-sap/
Writer by Inneke Victor
