Cool and zesty energy drink, sweet yet sour wine, brown penuche, or drizzled as golden granules over hot and steamy suman (sticky rice delicacy wrapped in banana or coconut leaves). These are a few of the comprehensive, wide-angle views of this delicate sap—from the simplest tuba (palm wine) recipe to potential feedstock for ethanol production.
Meant to be sampled and appreciated over the years, greenhorns can pick up and make something right away, while skilled cooks will find plenty of wiggle room for innovation.
From where it came
Nipa, commonly known as the nipa palm, is a species of palm local to coastlines and brackish habitats. As the only palm considered adapted to marshy ground with its trunk or stem under the mud while its leaves project upward, its uniqueness is exceeded only by the manifold uses one can explore from it.
Consider these products—roof thatch, mats, baskets and other household items, wine, vinegar, instant energy drink, tea, golden syrup or liquid sugar, penuche or coarse grade sugar, feedstock for ethanol production—and recently low glycemic index (GI) granulated sugar—all from nipa and its sap.
The cornucopia of nipa products has evolved through a complex interaction of its natural environment and different cultural trends.
A 177-year-old tradition passed down through generations and authenticity are the recipe ingredients for the popularity of some of these products.
Essential yet lesser-known, some of these have yet to be tried, still others may never make it into any booklist, if at all.
Low GI alternative sugar from nipa sap
At the Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) of the Department of Science and Technology, its Food Processing Division (FPD) has successfully developed an improved collection system for nipa sap. The new method uses transparent flexible pouches.
Using this system minimizes deterioration of quality and inversion of sugar in the sap. In addition, one can obtain clear nipa sap during an entire eight-hour collection period.
To evaporate moisture from the collected sap, FPD designed a double-jacketed kettle. This innovation prevents scorching while cooking.
Sweetness at its healthiest
What makes this indigenous sugar substitute a great alternative to commercially sold white sugar is its relatively low glycemix index at 60. Glycemix index is a number associated with the carbohydrates in a particular type of food that indicates the effect of these carbohydrates on a person’s blood glucose or blood sugar level. A value of 100 represents the standard, an equivalent amount of pure glucose.
With this, nipa sap can be effectively used to replace table sugar and artificial synthetic sweeteners. It can also be used as a food ingredient in native kakanin (delicacies), confectionaries and pastries.
Classified in food materials as food additive that duplicates the effects of sugar in taste with less food energy or calories, sugar from nipa sap is rich in minerals, which provides some health benefits that can reduce and regulate blood sugar level, as well as boost the immune system. Easy to digest, these golden brown crystals can also help to elevate moods without some of the disadvantages of table sugar. S&T Media Service