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Maple Syrup: The Canadian Sugar Alternative

Household sugar no longer has a good standing in our society. And rightly so. Too much sugar makes you fat and, in the worst case, can lead to diabetes and other diseases. Therefore, more and more people are looking for a substitute for white sugar. In addition to molasses and honey, maple syrup is also considered an adequate sugar substitute and natural sweetener. But is the sticky sap of the maple tree healthier than regular sugar?

What is maple syrup?

Maple syrup is mainly made from the Canadian maple tree. It is the pure resin of the tree, which is thickened by heating. Similar to rubber, “taps” are driven into the tree, from which the viscous syrup then runs into a bucket. Canada is the world’s largest exporter of maple syrup and is also considered the mother country. But be careful: the term maple syrup is not protected. Since the juice is quite expensive and complex to produce, it is increasingly being diluted with sugar water. This does not violate any currently valid European law. If you want to be on the safe side, only use organic maple syrup.

The properties of maple syrup

Maple syrup is very similar in appearance to honey. However, the sap of the maple tree is slightly darker and much more liquid. Like most natural sweeteners, maple syrup is 60 percent sugar, with 59 percent being sucrose (normal sugar) and 1 percent fructose (fruit sugar). Maple syrup consists largely of ordinary table sugar. The remaining 40 percent consists of vitamins and other minerals. Accordingly, maple syrup has better properties than ordinary white sugar.

Is Maple Syrup Healthy Compared to Table Sugar?

Maple syrup is a bit sweeter than table sugar, so don’t use the same amount for cooking and baking unless you like it a little sweeter. The general rule is that a certain amount of table sugar is replaced by two-thirds of maple syrup. When cooking or for muesli, sugar can simply be replaced with maple syrup. However, if you want to bake with the resin, you should also reduce the other liquids by the amount of maple syrup added. Otherwise, the dough may become too runny. The taste of maple syrup is strongly tart to hot with a slight hint of caramel, depending on which maple syrup you prefer. This means that it is not suitable for every dish, as it can distort the taste.

The benefits of maple syrup as a sugar alternative

Leaving aside the high sugar content, maple syrup scores with numerous positive properties. Like honey, the resin of the maple tree also has an antiseptic effect and is therefore considered anti-inflammatory. It also contains a lot of antioxidants, which break down free radicals in our bodies. Maple syrup can counteract the aging process. It also contains numerous minerals such as iron, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. However, these are only contained in small amounts, so maple syrup cannot be regarded as a dietary supplement. But it is a better alternative to conventional sugar.

What Are the Disadvantages of Maple Syrup?

Although maple syrup is a good alternative to table sugar, it is not a panacea. For example, diabetics cannot use dark liquid as an alternative. Maple syrup causes the blood sugar level to rise too much for this. The glycemic index (the glycemic index describes substances that increase the blood sugar level to a greater or lesser extent) of maple syrup is in the middle at 43 and thus far below the value of normal sugar, but it is still not suitable for diabetics. In addition, all the ingredients are of little use if they appear in such small quantities that you would have to drink maple syrup to meet your needs. But then it contains too much normal sugar. And lastly, don’t forget that pure maple syrup is quite expensive. It starts from four euros for 250 milliliters. So if you want to replace sugar completely with maple syrup, you can expect expensive fun.

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Written by Danielle Moore

So you landed on my profile. Come on in! I am an award-winning chef, recipe developer, and content creator, with a degree in social media management and personal nutrition. My passion is creating original content, including cookbooks, recipes, food styling, campaigns, and creative bits to help brands and entrepreneurs find their unique voice and visual style. My background in the food industry allows me to be able to create original and innovative recipes.

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