Is maple syrup good for you?

Pure Canadian maple syrup is a 100% natural sweetener with a high-quality taste and a versatile range of uses. It is good to know that pure Canadian maple syrup is a natural product, with no artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives. Maple acts as a flavour enhancer and is a great alternative to refined and processed sweeteners. So, with it being a natural sweetener, people ask the question ‘is maple syrup good for you?’  

Maple syrup contains natural vitamins and minerals  

Something that people may not expect is that pure Canadian maple syrup is full of natural vitamins and minerals that come from it being a natural product. Minerals such as manganese help to keep bones and connective tissue strong and healthy. Riboflavin is also a vitamin found in pure Canadian maple syrup, which helps reduce tiredness and fatigue. This makes maple syrup a reliable source of energy, which we will delve deeper into further a little later 

This may be a surprise to many, but the mineral copper is also found in pure Canadian maple syrup. Copper is an important mineral for looking after the nervous and immune systems, as well as contributing to the pigment of hair colour and skin pigmentation. 

Source of energy 

As mentioned earlier, pure Canadian maple syrup is a great source of energy as it contains simple carbohydrates that convert into glucose that can be used as fuel during exercise. Maple syrup, along with maple products such as maple sugar, maple spread and more, can provide a healthier alternative to commercial sports drinks and snacks that are often processed and include other, less natural sweeteners.  

This is why athletes consume drinks and snacks that include pure Canadian maple syrup before, during, and after training sessions and competitions. Research shows that maple syrup is best suited to providing an energy source for endurance athletes as a slow-release carbohydrate. This shows how sports drinks such as our cranberry, maple and star anise sports drink is an excellent alternative to popular commercial sports drinks as it is free from processed sugars, colouring, additives and is vegan. 

But it is best in moderation 

If you are wanting to up your vitamin and mineral levels, pure Canadian maple syrup is probably not the best way to consume them. You would be much better off increasing the number of whole foods in your diet. This is because maple syrup has a high sugar content, so it is best to consume maple syrup in moderation, as with all sweeteners. To compare maple syrup with table sugar, maple syrup has a glycaemic index of around 56, whereas table sugar has a glycaemic index of 65. This means that maple syrup raises your blood sugar levels slower than table sugar. 

So, in conclusion, pure Canadian maple syrup is good for you as a sweetener option, and in terms of a well-balanced diet, like everything, it should be consumed in moderation.