Swap It Series: Replace Your Syrup with Pure Maple Syrup

Why Maple Syrup?

First, its downright delicious. Second, its a natural byproduct of nature, making it a healthier and cleaner choice then your conventional commercial syrups.

Just look at the difference in ingredients! Less is always more to me when it comes to ingredients in products I buy. And the less ingredients that come from a laboratory the better.

Is Maple Syrup Healthy?

Well first, it’s still sugar and should be used sparingly. But it is free of artificial additives and artificial sugars. It’s definitely a better alternative to conventional pancake syrups made primarily with corn syrup.

Maple syrup also contains minerals and antioxidants, setting it apart from refined sugar.

According to Consumer Reports Website - “If you downed ¼ cup of maple syrup—the amount listed as a serving on the Nutrition Facts Label—you’d get 80 percent of your daily need for riboflavin, about 6 percent of calcium, 11 percent of zinc, and 4 percent of potassium.”

That doesn’t mean maple syrup is “healthy” - it’s still a high calorie and sugar load. But it is a good alternative to other syrups.

Differences Between Grade A and Grade B Maple Syrup

In 2015, the USDA did away with the Grade B classification and instead switched to a more descriptive classification system:

    • Grade A Light Amber is now Grade A Golden Color/Delicate Taste
    • Grade A Medium Amber is now Grade A Amber Color/Rich Taste
    • Grade A Dark Amber is now Grade A Dark Color/Robust Taste
    • Grade B is now Grade A Very Dark Color/Strong Taste

The grades weren’t intended to reflect differences in quality but rather differences in taste.