Sugar maple syrup has been a symbol of Canada for many years. The country's coat of arms depicts a pointed leaf of a tree from which the sap is extracted. This technology was invented in the 18th century, after the indigenous peoples of America realized that the liquid could sweeten food and significantly improve its taste. The benefits and harms of maple syrup are the subject of debate in North America and beyond.
What is maple syrup made from?
Sugar maple grows in the provinces of Canada. Artificial cultivation is practiced in other countries, but this approach is considered expensive, so traditionally the products are produced in North America.
The tree has a spreading crown and a thick, dense trunk. Wood is actively used for making furniture. The sap is obtained by cutting the bark and collecting the oozing liquid. The syrup is prepared using the boiling method.
Not all types of wood are suitable for cooking. The most common product is obtained from the sugar variety, which has beneficial properties that saturate the product. Red, black and holly-leaved species are considered suitable.
Industrial collection begins in maple forests in early spring using special plastic tubes.
Interesting! A special commission operates throughout the country, which establishes uniform requirements and monitors the quality and changes in the properties of products.
Briefly about manufacturing technology
The production of the traditional Canadian delicacy has been improved over the centuries, but the essence of the process has not changed. In early spring, shallow cuts are made on the trunks 20-30 cm above the soil level, tubes are inserted into the holes and lowered into placed containers into which the sap (tree sap) flows. By making notches in the right places, it is possible to obtain at least 4 liters of sap from one maple without causing even minimal harm to the living tree.
To obtain concentrated syrup or maple sugar, natural raw materials are heated in evaporators for several hours. By maintaining the correct heating time and temperature, it is possible to thicken the original liquid 40 times. At various stages of boiling, maple “honey,” oil, or sugar are extracted from the sap. The technology does not involve the use of artificial additives; all useful elements are retained in the final product.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embed/s_YWjJZqUF8
Appearance and taste of maple syrup
Compositions are classified by appearance. There are 2 classes of liquid. Class A:
- light amber (golden color, subtle, subtle smell),
- medium amber (rich amber color, faint woody taste),
- dark amber (dark brown liquid with a recognizable smell and taste).
Class B is a dark brown liquid with a strong odor.
Light varieties have a popcorn flavor, medium varieties resemble caramel, and dark varieties have a distinct maple syrup flavor.
Brown Sugar Syrup
Another great substitute for golden maple syrup for pancakes is brown sugar syrup. It is easy to make from brown (cane) sugar at home.
- For ¼ cup of water, take ½ cup of brown sugar.
- Add ¼ tsp. vanillin. This will give your homemade syrup that signature vanilla flavor.
- Place the mixture over medium heat and stir until all the sugar crystals have dissolved.
- Be careful not to allow the mixture to boil, as this can ruin the texture and taste of the future sweetness.
- Stir until you get the desired syrup consistency.
- Remove from heat and cool before using.
Chemical composition and calorie content of maple syrup
The benefits of maple syrup for the body are determined by the properties of the components of the composition. It contains B vitamins, amino acids and minerals.
The calorie content of 100 g is 260 kcal. Compared to refined sugar, it has a lower glycemic index.
It contains substances that have beneficial antioxidant properties:
- benzoic acid,
- cinnamic acid,
- linoleic acid,
- catechin.
Sucrose in the liquid reaches 58 g, the presence of fructose is 0.5 g, glucose is 1.6 g.
The highest content is considered to be manganese, zinc and sodium. They have beneficial properties and have a general strengthening effect.
Information! From 40 liters of juice, only 1 liter of concentrate is obtained.
When should you collect maple sap?
The collection of maple sap takes place in early March - late April, but the collection time depends directly on the weather.
It should be from -4 to +4 degrees (Celsius) outside, and the buds on the maple itself should swell (but not bloom!).
The flow of sap in the maple stops when the snow completely melts and the air begins to warm up, so it is important not to miss the moment. To extract maple sap, you need to carefully make a hole in the maple tree (diameter - 1 cm, depth - 5 cm) at a distance of 30 cm from the ground and insert a plastic tube into it
The spout of the straw should be slightly conical to prevent the juice from leaking out. Insert the other end of the plastic tube into a clean container where the juice will drain. One hole produces an average of 30 liters of juice. If you want to make several holes in the same tree, space them evenly
To extract maple sap, you need to carefully make a hole in the maple tree (diameter - 1 cm, depth - 5 cm) at a distance of 30 cm from the ground and insert a plastic tube into it. The spout of the straw should be slightly conical to prevent the juice from leaking out. Insert the other end of the plastic tube into a clean container where the juice will drain. One hole produces an average of 30 liters of juice. If you want to make multiple holes in the same tree, space them evenly.
This process is very similar to collecting birch sap.
Maple sap does not have a long shelf life, so it is often used to make maple syrup, which has a shelf life of 1 year.
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Beneficial properties of maple syrup
The qualities of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals make the concentrate healthier than regular refined sugar. This statement is true if you consume maple syrup in moderation.
Substances that have antioxidant properties are beneficial as protectors of cells from the effects of free radicals. Such mechanisms increase the body's defenses.
The presence of minerals and vitamins makes consumption beneficial for immunity, prevention of skin and colds.
Feature and undoubted health benefits - environmentally friendly composition, without adding impurities or preservatives.
Benefits and harms to human health
Real maple syrup does not contain preservatives or dyes, it is rich in vitamins and mineral salts. In America, studies of this product were conducted by scientists from the University of Rhode Island.
They found that maple syrup contains more than fifty substances beneficial to the body. Among them are antioxidants that slow down aging, anti-inflammatory components, substances that help cure diabetes, cancer, and bacterial diseases.
Maple syrup for weight loss
The famous diet, which was described by Peter Glickman in the middle of the last century, was built on the basis of the concentrate. The method is not aimed at actively getting rid of extra pounds, but at removing toxins from the body. Citrus fruits are added to the menu and the volume of clean water is increased. Carbohydrate-containing dishes are completely excluded from the diet.
This diet may be harmful for those with minimal health problems. The load on the liver is characterized by increased production of pancreatic juice, so a one-component diet is contraindicated for people with pancreatic diseases.
Researchers are considering a way to completely replace any sweets with concentrate, but this approach does not lead to rapid weight loss, it only helps control carbohydrate intake.
Corn syrup
For a Russian housewife, corn syrup is hardly an obvious choice. If only because it is difficult to find in our stores. Whereas for Americans this is the first and, importantly, cheaper analogue of maple syrup that comes to their mind.
Moreover, the vast majority of brands in the United States make imitation corn syrup-based products with added maple flavoring.
You can find such flavoring (artificial or natural extract) in specialized bakery stores. And add it, according to the instructions, to sugar or corn syrup yourself.
The replacement ratio is 1:1.
Maple syrup for diabetes
Maple syrup may have benefits and contraindications for diabetes: it all depends on the patient’s condition. Diabetes requires careful analysis of the foods consumed. Type 2 disease is characterized by a relative deficiency of insulin. By replacing other sweets with syrup, blood counts can be stabilized. This property provides benefits to those who are struggling with regular diabetic conditions.
It is not recommended to consume sweets if you have type 1 diabetes, which is characterized by a complete lack of insulin. Taking sugars provokes an increase in blood counts, which leads to a deterioration in the general condition of the patient.
Contraindications, harm
Problems can only arise when consumed in unreasonable quantities. Large amounts of woody sweetness can cause nausea. Regular overeating of liquid amber leads to dehydration of the body.
Syrup is pure glucose, which in large doses has a negative effect on the body. Diabetes, obesity and heart problems are just some of the problems associated with excessive consumption of sugary foods.
Consumption should be reduced by pregnant women. For children under 1 year of age, sweets are contraindicated.
What is maple syrup used for in cooking?
In Canada, they cannot imagine serving waffles, donuts or pancakes without maple syrup. It is successfully used as a sugar substitute in baking and as a topping for ice cream.
When marinating meat and subsequent baking, maple concentrate forms an appetizing glazed crust on its surface.
The use of maple syrup for making candy and toffee is common.
It is added as the main sweetener to hot drinks: grog or punch.
Maple syrup is added to hot tea: unlike honey, when exposed to high temperatures, it does not lose its beneficial properties and does not acquire carcinogenic properties.
What it is
Maple syrup is a sweet, thick liquid that is golden to dark brownish in color. It is made exclusively from the concentrated sap of certain types of maple. Used as a natural sweetener.
This is one of the oldest natural types of sugar substitutes, which was consumed hundreds of years ago by the indigenous people of North America.
Modern Americans most often pour maple syrup over freshly baked homemade waffles or pancakes, and also use it in candies and for making glazes and sweet sauces.
What maple syrup looks like - photo
How to replace maple syrup in baking
The concentrate can be replaced with sugar and honey: they have similar sweetening properties. To replace with 1 part use:
- ¾ parts sugar
- 1 part liquid honey.
Substitutes with similar physical properties can be: carob and agave syrups, pear jam.
Harm of maple syrup and contraindications
You can’t talk about the benefits of syrup without mentioning the harm. Like all foods that contain high amounts of carbohydrates, it may not have beneficial properties if taken in excess. The daily norm for an adult is several tablespoons.
Consumption may be harmful to those who are hypersensitive to sugar-containing products. People who have problems with blood glucose levels should be careful.
The risk of harm to the body is increased in people suffering from intestinal diseases. The production of enzymes for digesting carbohydrates tends to increase the load on the digestive organs and, above all, on the pancreas.
Product benefits
Maple sweetness should be consumed by people who care about their health and figure:
- The caloric content and glycemic index are lower than those of honey.
- A quarter glass of the product replenishes the daily intake of manganese. In turn, this microelement is responsible for healthy bones, brain and nervous system function.
- The high zinc content has a positive effect on reproductive function, heart function and strengthening the immune system.
- Abscisic acid fights metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Sugar is absorbed better, and the release of insulin from the pancreas is stimulated.
- The richness of antioxidants in the composition blocks nitric oxide in the body. Which prevents the appearance and development of cancer cells.
Real maple tree sap is very healthy and does not cause allergies. It is suitable for people forced to follow various diets. Compared to other sugar analogues, syrup is not artificial, does not undergo a refining process and does not contain additives or impurities.
How to choose maple syrup when purchasing
One of the difficulties of purchasing syrup in stores is the high cost and assortment. Not every supermarket has it in their product list. Inexpensive analogues that indicate the content of maple juice have nothing to do with a quality product.
The presence of dyes or food additives in the composition is evidence of a low-quality product, a counterfeit of the real thing.
The concentrate is usually sold in glass containers. A special feature of the release in Canada is considered to be special bottles in the shape of a maple leaf.
The color of maple syrup ranges from light amber to dark brown. The shade may vary depending on the variety. The liquid does not form sediment. Bottles must be tightly closed and not damaged.
What, how and where are they made from?
To produce syrup, they use the sweet sap of maple trees , which grow almost all over the globe. But, since maple syrup is a traditional Canadian delicacy, about 80% of the products are produced in Canada.
The delicacy production technology consists of several stages :
- Collection of raw materials . In order to extract sap, in spring, select trees with a trunk of at least 20 cm and swollen buds, drill a hole in it, insert a tube through which the sap will slowly flow into the container.
- Then the liquid must be boiled so that it becomes thicker, while the plant juice will evaporate from it.
Typically, sap from trees of the Sapindra family is used to make syrup. It includes black, sugar and red maple.
Important! When collecting sap, you need to make a hole in the tree not exceeding 5 cm in diameter. Otherwise, the product will have a slightly different, worse quality.
The resulting product can be of different colors - from light gold to dark amber. The shade depends on exactly when the juice was collected. The later the collection was carried out, the darker the product will be. The dark variety has a pronounced aroma, so it is more often used for cooking. But light varieties are more often used directly as syrup (it is this type that is most often poured over pancakes).
Video: How to make maple syrup
Reviews
Berg Ivan Sergeevich, 45 years old, Norilsk My children live in Canada, I was visiting them and I tried syrup for the first time as an additive to donuts. There were no other sweets for me anymore. Its taste is divine, I remembered it for a long time. Now they have no questions about the gift for me. Wherever I am, I always get a jar of real syrup for my birthday. Ivanova Vera Petrovna, 67 years old, Moscow It seems to me that the importance of replacing sugar is now too exaggerated. The syrup reminded me of boiled toffee to taste, I don’t understand what the benefit is from it. I consider these to be expensive marketing technologies; I traditionally use sugar and honey - these are the same organic products, I don’t think they cause more harm than all the newfangled sweeteners. Polyanova Marina Petrovna, 29 years old, Ivanovo I choose products with special care. Sweets are harmful to the body. To replace it, I take a healthy concentrate from maple sap or agave syrup. I order products online. I believe that you need to take care of your health from a very early age, so as not to have a bunch of different ailments in old age.
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Storage conditions
If the product is sealed, it can be stored for several years at room temperature. If the container has been opened, then you need to pour it into a plastic or glass container, close it tightly with a lid and place it in the refrigerator. If you decide to store the product at room temperature, choose dry, dark places. Storing syrup in the freezer is prohibited.
Shelf life in the refrigerator is 3-6 months.
