Maple Syrup Health Benefits

Maple Syrup - Nature's Sweetener

Barred Woods 100% Pure Vermont Maple Syrup is made only from the sap of maple trees. The raw sap is about 2-3% sugar and we boil it down (evaporate the water) and concentrate it to 67% sugar. No other ingredients or preservatives, 100% pure and natural. Because our maple syrup uses the sap from healthy, wild, natural trees it is rich in the same minerals and nutrients that these trees need.   In addition, the evaporation process concentrates these nutrients further.  Similar to the contrast between whole and refined grains, pure maple syrup contain higher levels of beneficial nutrients and antioxidants than refined white table sugar or high fructose corn syrup.   Here is an excerpt from the Vermont Sugar Makers Association:

Did you know maple syrup contains an abundant amount of naturally occurring minerals such as calcium, manganese, potassium and magnesium?  And like broccoli and bananas, it’s a natural source of beneficial antioxidants.  Antioxidants have been shown to help prevent cancer, support the immune system, lower blood pressure and slow the effects of aging. Maple syrup is also a better source of some nutrients than apples, eggs or bread. It’s more nutritious than all other common sweeteners, contains one of the lowest calorie levels, and has been shown to have healthy glycemic qualities....
Maple syrup has a higher nutritional value than all other common sweeteners. In addition, researchers have found that pure maple syrup contains numerous phenolic compounds, commonly found in plants and in agricultural products such as blueberries, tea, red wine and flax-seed. Some of these compounds may benefit human health in significant ways.

Anti-inflammatory Properties of Maple Syrup

Two researchers at the University of Rhode Island are conducting work exploring the anti-inflammatory properties of maple syrup phytochemicals.

Inflammation is a risk factor for chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. Maple syrup contains dozens of compounds, called polyphenols, that have been found to have anti-inflammatory properties.  They  found that maple syrup, with its diversity of (molecular) structure types, has a little bit of all the helpful compounds you find in different healthy plant foods such as berries, flaxseed, red wine, green tea.  As this research progresses they hope to develop maple extracts which further concentrate this beneficial property.