Real vs Artificial

When it comes to picking the right sweetener it’s important to have all the information so you can make an informed choice. While all sweeteners should be consumed in moderation, it’s important to note that every sweetener has a different composition meaning some sweeteners contain more additives, less nutritional benefits, or a higher calorie content.

In this article, we’ll tackle all of this and let you in on a best-kept secret, pure Canadian maple syrup. It’s the superior sweetener if you’re looking for something that’s not only delicious and versatile but is also completely free of artificial maple flavours.

Sourcing and production  

Pure Canadian maple syrup is made from the sap of maple trees. Producers tap maple trees, extract the sap and boil it down until it becomes maple syrup. This is not the process that a lot of syrups in store follow.  

Manufacturers can create something that resembles the texture and taste of maple syrup however, if you were to look closely at the ingredient list, you’d most likely find other sweeteners such as corn syrup, artificial colouring, and water.  

Health benefits

Pure Canadian maple syrup has a high concentration of phenolic compounds which give it it’s antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. It also contains minerals such as potassium, calcium, zinc, and manganese.

And that’s not all. Maple syrup contains quebecol, a polyphenolic compound found exclusively in the sweetener. Quebecol contains powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Maple syrup also has a glycaemic index of 54 which is lower than several other natural sweeteners such as honey. This avoids blood sugar spikes making it a good choice for diabetics.

Natural source of energy

Maple is a natural source of energy due to its unique composition where it’s sap contains high amounts of simple carbohydrates such as sucrose, glucose, and fructose that break down quickly into glucose.

It also has electrolytes such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium. It also contains energy-regulating vitamins such as riboflavin and manganese.

This combination makes pure maple easily digestible and a great choice for endurance athletes. It has a lower glycaemic index than refined sugars which means it gives someone a sustained energy boost instead of a crash. These natural sugars give runners a consistent energy level when they’re on long runs or provide a burst of energy before a workout.

Furthermore, the high amount of natural electrolytes such as potassium keep a person properly hydrated and protect muscles which counteracts the electrolyte losses that happen when a person sweats.

Maple’s lower glycaemic index allows the energy it provides you with to last overtime.

As if it couldn’t get any better, maple syrup is also easy to digest and is gentle on the stomach. This reduces the risk of any stomach issues during runs.

These benefits cannot be offered by artificial maple flavour because they do not contain the tree sap and are full of additives. When these products are formulated in the factory, they become so heavily refined, and these artificial products contain essentially no manganese, zinc, potassium, or calcium.

They also do not contain the polyphenols present in maple syrup which means no antioxidants. These artificial flavours usually rely on corn syrup which has a much higher glycaemic index than pure Canadian maple syrup.

These refined sugars cause a spike in insulin which is then followed by an energy crash.

Taste and flavour profile

Pure Canadian maple syrup has a different taste to artificial sweeteners and that authenticity is hard to replicate. After all it only contains one ingredient, sap taken directly from maple trees.

Pure Canadian maple syrup has a complex naturally sweet flavour with hints of caramel, vanilla, and toffee. On the other hand, artificial maple syrups use synthetic flavours to try and replicate this taste, and, in this process, they compromise the natural sweetness of pure maple syrup.

Sustainability

Pure Canadian maple syrup is more sustainable than syrups with artificial maple flavours and other maple syrups that are not 100% pure. This is because it only contains one ethically sourced ingredient from Quebec maple forests.

Tapping trees is not harmful to the trees and forests are legally protected from logging, which prevents deforestation and protects the forest ecosystem.

The trees in these forests are also carbon sinks, which means any carbon emitted during the production process is recaptured. The Quebec sugar bush captures and stores eight times the amount of carbon emitted during the production process.