Why is maple syrup one of the best alternatives to refined sugar?
Maple syrup has a rather interesting nutritional profile.
In short:
- It’s 100% natural, free of colourants and other additives.
- Apart from the boiling process, it could be said that maple syrup is practically a “from tree to table” product, with only the most minimal processing.
- Maple syrup is lower in calories than white sugar.
- It contains significant levels of potentially beneficial minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc, and copper.
- It may even contribute to good metabolic function and blood sugar moderation.
When compared to common white sugar (as well as brown sugar), maple syrup has a superior ability to sweeten, but with fewer calories: an average of 261 kCal per 100g vs 395 kCal for the same amount of traditional sugar.
Rich in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, maple syrup contains a good 67 polyphenols with antioxident effects, and has countless other beneficial effects on the body. Unlike sugar, the abuse of which can have numerous negative effects on your health – first among them being obesity, along with high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes – maple syrup aids digestion, stimulates the metabolism, and has both energizing and purifying effects to boot.
So, how do we use maple syrup in place of sugar? Let’s have a look!
How to use maple syrup to keep your daily sugar intake under control:
- One teaspoon in coffee is plenty. You won’t even miss regular sugar or other sweeteners.
- Instead of buying sweetened yoghurts, just add a drop or two of maple syrup and some fresh fruit to plain white yoghurt.
- Do you like salads? Try a dressing made of maple syrup, oil, and lemon juice.
- Instead of drinking sweet, carbonated soft drinks, add some maple syrup to water to get a drink that is refreshing, energising, and even detoxifying.
Naturally, it’s also an excellent sweetener for children: its rich mineral content and great taste make it a far better choice than refined sugars.
How can you use maple syrup in place of sugar in recipes?
Maple syrup is at its most beneficial when it is 100% pure, just like the syrup MapleFarm produces and packages in Canada, in accordance with the country’s generations-old tradition of harvesting and producing maple syrup.
In most recipes, you can substitute maple syrup for white or brown sugar in equal quantities.
The thing to remember is that you’ll need to reduce the liquid content of the recipe to make up for the extra liquid added by the syrup. For each cup of maple syrup you add, reduce the other liquid ingredients by ¼ cup.
