Maple syrup, the famous maple syrup
Maple syrup is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, but has a lot of sugar.
Edited and resized image by Sonja Langford is available on Unsplash
Maple syrup, better known around the world as maple syrup, is a popular natural sweetener reputed to be healthier and more nutritious than white sugar and a vegan alternative to bee honey. But is he really healthy? Check out:
- Vegan philosophy: know and ask your questions
what is maple syrup
O maple syrup it is the circulating sap of the maple trees. More than 80% of production comes from the province of Quebec, Canada, being divided into two stages:
- A hole is drilled in a maple tree so that its sap is poured into a container;
- The sap is boiled until most of the water has evaporated, leaving a thick, sugary syrup, which is then filtered to remove impurities.
different degrees
There are different grades of maple syrup characterized by color, although the classification may vary between countries.
In the US, maple syrup is classified as grade A or B, where grade A is further categorized into three groups - light amber, medium amber and dark amber - and grade B is the darkest syrup.
The darker syrup is made from the sap extracted from the later harvest. This type has a more pronounced maple flavor and is most commonly used in roasts, while the maple syrup milder is used to accompany foods such as pancakes.
When purchasing maple syrup , keep an eye on the label to make sure it's real maple syrup, as it could be another similar product laden with white sugar or corn syrup.
- Corn and fructose syrup: tasty but careful
Despite being high in sugars, it contains vitamins and minerals.
The difference between maple syrup and white sugar is its vitamin and mineral content.
About 1/3 cup (80 ml) of maple syrup pure contains:
- Calcium: 7% of the IDR
- Potassium: 6% of the IDR
- Iron: 7% of the IDR
- Zinc: 28% of the IDR
- Manganese: 165% of the IDR
although the maple syrup provide a fair amount of some minerals, especially manganese and zinc, it has a lot of sugar, and too much sugar can be harmful. Sugar and other refined foods are the main causes of some of the world's biggest health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease (see studies on this here: 3, 4, 5).
About two-thirds (80ml of 100ml) of the maple syrup is sucrose, and the remaining one-third provides 60 grams of sugar.
The glycemic index of maple syrup is around 54, while that of white sugar is 65. This means that consuming maple syrup raises your blood sugar more slowly than regular sugar and is healthier.
It's rich in antioxidants
In addition to these characteristics of maple syrup, it has 24 different types of antioxidants, according to a study, being the darker grade types with the highest amount of antioxidants. These substances reduce oxidative damage, which is responsible for causing diseases such as cancer.
One study estimated that replacing refined sugar in the diet with alternative sweeteners such as maple syrup , increases the total intake of antioxidants as much as the intake of a single serving of nuts.
Active compounds of maple syrup they help reduce the growth of cancer cells and can slow down the breakdown of carbohydrates in the digestive tract (see studies on this here: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10).
The problem is that most studies about the maple syrup they are sponsored by the product's manufacturers, which casts doubt on the credibility of the results. So consume maple syrup in moderation, just as if it were an ordinary white sugar.
