Maple Syrup Nutrition: A Breakdown of Health Benefits and Nutritional Value
The sweet, sticky goodness of maple syrup is a favorite among many. Whether you’re drizzling it on your pancakes or using it to glaze your roasted vegetables, there’s no denying that maple syrup has its special flavor. But what about the nutritional value? Is there more to this sugary condiment than taste? The answer is yes! Let’s look at maple syrup’s health benefits and nutritional value.
What Makes Maple Syrup Healthy?
Maple syrup is made from the sap of certain species of maple trees, most commonly sugar maples. About 40 gallons of sap must be boiled to make one gallon of pure maple syrup. This lengthy process concentrates the natural sugars in the sap and creates an incredibly flavorful product that also happens to be packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Here are some notable components found in pure maple syrup:
-Zinc-
Zinc plays an important role in our immune system by boosting our ability to fight off infection. It can also help maintain healthy skin, hair, eyesight, bones, and muscles and regulate hormones.
-Calcium-
Calcium helps build strong teeth and bones, aiding muscle contraction and nerve function.
-Potassium-
Potassium helps regulate blood pressure levels while promoting heart health by reducing sodium levels in the body which can lead to high blood pressure when too much is present.
-Iron-
Iron carries oxygen throughout our bodies, helping us stay energized throughout the day by providing oxygen for cell metabolism processes like respiration and digestion. It can also improve cognitive function, such as memory retention and mental clarity.
-Magnesium-
Magnesium helps relax muscles, reduce stress levels, promote restful sleep, balance hormones, regulate blood sugar levels, support bone health, boost energy levels, aid digestion, detoxify organs such as the liver & kidneys & improve circulation.
-Vitamin B6 –
Vitamin B6 helps convert food into energy used for daily activities & supports overall brain health & mood stability. It can also help prevent age-related memory loss & reduce fatigue.
Nutrition Facts Of Maple Syrup
A single serving (two tablespoons) contains roughly 130 calories with 33 grams of carbohydrates (31 grams from sugars), along with trace amounts of protein (1 gram) and fat (0 grams). With regards to vitamins/minerals per two tablespoons, we find 4% RDI zinc; 2% calcium; 8% potassium; 3% iron; 6% magnesium; 10% vitamin B6 ; 0 % vitamin C ; 0 % cholesterol ; 0 % dietary fiber; 10 % manganese; 1 % phosphorus & 8 % sodium. As you can see, these numbers are relatively high compared to other sweeteners like honey or white sugar! Even better is that pure maple syrup does not contain any artificial ingredients or additives like other syrups may have, so you know exactly what you’re getting every time you use it!
How To Enjoy Maple Syrup In Your Diet?
Maple syrup makes a delicious addition to many savory and sweet dishes! From pancakes or French toast for breakfast through dinner, where it pairs perfectly with roasted vegetables or baked fish recipes – there are endless possibilities when incorporating this tasty condiment into your diet plan! You don’t need much either, as even small amounts add big flavor without adding extra calories or fat content, so feel free to experiment away, knowing that whatever dish you create will surely please everyone at your table! If you want something refreshing, mix a batch of homemade lemonade with fresh lemons juice and pure organic maple syrup for added sweetness.
Conclusion
We now know how beneficial adding pure organic maple syrup into our diets is thanks to its impressive array of vitamins/minerals plus natural sweetness without any added artificial ingredients/additives, making it an ideal choice over processed white sugar or honey options available on store shelves today! Whether drizzled over morning oats or used as a part glaze on grilled meats, rest assured that each time choosing this delicious condiment will provide fantastic flavor plus tremendous nutritional value!