Rachel

Is Maple Syrup Healthy?

Since Maple Syrup is a plant product (made from trees), it is rich in antioxidants which reduce damage due to oxygen in the body.
100% pure Maple syrup from Quebec has 67 different polyphenols, nine of which are unique to it. One of these polyphenols, called Quebecol, is naturally produced when the sap is boiled to become Maple Syrup. In vitro studies have even shown that maple syrup may protect you from cancer (*In test tube studies, this has not been proven in human trials.)

Let’s take a look at what’s in a serving of maple syrup:

2 TBS Maple Syrup:
26 grams of sugar
35%* Manganese (helps the body form connective tissue, bones, blood clotting factors, and sex hormones. It also plays a role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, and blood sugar regulation.)
15%* Riboflavin B2 (a key component of coenzymes involved with the growth of cells, energy production, and the breakdown of fats, steroids, and medications.)
8%* Copper (making energy, connective tissues, and blood vessels. Copper also helps maintain the nervous and immune systems, and activates genes)
2%* Calcium
2%* Potassium
2% Thiamine
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

So, should you add maple syrup to your diet because of this?

Unfortunately, no. It is still a very concentrated source of sugar, and calorie for calorie is a very poor source of nutrients compared to whole foods like vegetables, fruits, and unprocessed animal foods. But, if you’re going to use sugar in a recipe, you might as well substitute in maple syrup since it’s slightly better for you than refined sugar….and it tastes amazing!

As with most things, moderation is the key here 🙂