Today, maple syrup has gained fame as a natural sugar substitute. Bottles with a sweet brown liquid will be found in any kitchen, supporters of a healthy diet and those who seek to get rid of extra pounds. It is believed that this sticky product provides the body with vital elements and helps to be healthy. Is it really so, and is the maple supplement shown to everyone, let's take a look at it together.
What is maple syrup
Maple syrup is a sticky sweet substance, which is obtained from the sap of certain varieties of maple. Such trees are not at all uncommon and are found on many continents. But, despite this, Canada manages to maintain leadership in the world food market for centuries.
Of all the inherent goods, about 80 percent is produced in this country. Historically, Canadians have this traditional delicacy. No wonder that the maple leaf is depicted on the Canadian flag.
Did you know? It is known that maple syrup was popular with the Indians even before Christopher Columbus discovered America. Although the first written mention of this delicacy dates back to 1760. They talk about the marvelous Canadian maples, the juice of which is suitable for the production of edible sugar.
Appearance and taste
Maple syrup can be purchased today in specialized stores or ordered through the Network from distributors. You can also do it yourself.
Familiarize yourself with the beneficial properties and contraindications of maple sap.Quality product is different:
- density;
- transparent or translucent consistency (similar to honey);
- toughness;
- a wide range of amber shades (from light yellow to dark red);
- pleasant aroma.
The taste of this woody product is very sweet, so it is widely used in cooking. The liquid is suitable for baking pancakes, waffles, corn bread, gingerbread, as well as for making ice cream and other desserts. Original syrup has a specific woody flavor. 
How to get maple syrup
And in industry, and at home maple syrup is produced in several stages. The first includes the collection of raw materials, which is carried out through the drilling of trunks of sugar, spiky, red and black maples. And the second involves the evaporation of juice to a certain density.
Important! The coloring of maple syrup depends on the time of collection of raw materials. The later this happens, the more saturated the color will be. As a rule, these are variations of purple and brown hues. It is believed that such a product has a more concentrated flavor and rich taste.
The technology of making genuine syrup is very close to the technology of coconut sugar. The tree sap flows through numerous tubes, which are fixed on the maple trunk, into a special container. Then the liquid is poured into clean containers and languished over low heat until honey consistency is obtained.
If overexposed raw materials, maple sugar can turn out. In cooking, it is customary to use dark varieties of syrup for dishes that require heat treatment. And light served to desserts in the "raw" form. Unfortunately, there are many fakes on sale, which have nothing in common with maple. They are made from fructose and regular sugar. And for masking add maple flavor. Therefore, you should be careful when buying such products.
Delicious and healthy syrup can also be made from lavender, chokeberry, dogwood, blueberry, cranberry, cherry and strawberry.
The composition of the syrup
Despite the popularity of this herbal product, there are very opposite opinions about its benefits. Some argue that this is an excellent tool to maintain the vital functionality of the body, while others are convinced that the poor composition of maple syrup can do little to help the body, and even less so.
Did you know? Every year the Canadian people earn about $ 145 million from the export of maple sap.
Therefore, before judging the benefits or dangers of Canadian delicacies, try to look into its contents. Specialists who studied the quantitative composition of the nutrients of this product in the laboratory, came to the conclusion that there is a small proportion of vitamins and minerals in the syrup. As a result, the myth of the healing properties of the liquid was dispelled. 
If you take the equivalent of the daily needs of the human body in nutrients, then in a hundred gram portion of maple syrup the following were found:
- magnesium (165%);
- zinc (28%);
- calcium (7%);
- iron (7%);
- potassium (6%).
But what kind of benefits can we talk about, when in order to saturate the body, for example, zinc and magnesium, you need to eat at least 100 grams of the product. But in addition to these components, it contains 67 grams of sucrose. It turns out that the minimum indicators of bonus minerals can not compensate for this amount of sugar.
Important! In the process of making sweet desserts, it is unacceptable to combine sugar and maple syrup.
Vitamins of group B, as well as polyphenols, Quebecol and 24 antioxidants are found in maple delicacy. They can be successfully replaced by a small amount of walnuts or any berries. In addition, in the alternative, much less sugar.
Therefore, all lovers of maple sugar substitute should consider this nuance. Moreover, there are no proteins and fats in 100 grams of fluid, but 67 grams of carbohydrates are present. And this is with a caloric content of 268 calories.
Beneficial features
It is quite obvious that the herbal product can not act as an effective means for losing weight and improving health. It is much more useful to replace sugar in your diet, for example, with stevia.
Along with this, there is a perception that with the help of regular use of maple syrup, it is possible to treat the cardiovascular system, improve immunity and male potency. It has also been experimentally proven that Quebecol, which is contained in a liquid, blocks the development of cancer cells and slows down the breakdown of carbohydrates.
Consumption of hazel, bitter pepper, melon, scorzonera, periwinkle, parsley, shooter of garlic, ginger, horseradish, thyme, saffron, asparagus, fenugreek, orchid, moss of Icelandic and nutmeg also has a positive effect on potency.
But these experiments were carried out not even on animals, but in vitro. Therefore, confidently talking about the benefits of the product for a person can not.
Important! Experts recommend taking no more than 60 grams of maple syrup per day. If we are talking about children, then this portion should be reduced by half.
Possible harm and contraindications
It is possible to harm maple syrup in cases of its uncontrolled eating. Indeed, the presence of sucrose in the composition will contribute to disruptions in metabolic processes, as well as provoke diabetes and obesity.
Therefore, people with high blood sugar levels, as well as those who are diagnosed with an individual intolerance to the product, refuse from the sweet supplement.
How to select and store the finished product
Despite the disadvantages of this sweet sauce, many recommend it to try. 
And all because of the pleasant taste and aroma. Therefore, in order not to get caught on the crook hook, we offer you a selection of rules. Guided by them, you can easily distinguish a real product from a fake.
- High-quality liquid is always transparent or translucent. Muddy texture should be alerted.
- Be sure to read the information on the label. It is important to pay attention to the country of manufacture and distributor. Also on the back of the bottle should be a golden maple leaf. This is another confirmation of the authenticity of the Canadian product.
- Do not count on cheap goods. This syrup is expensive, due to the costly process of its production. Just imagine: to get 1 liter of syrup you need 40 liters of maple juice.
- In the taste of an authentic product, a touch of wood is felt. And we are talking about the additive collected from different varieties of maple and at any time of the year.
To store sweet sauce, you can choose a refrigerator or a regular kitchen cabinet. But if the product is stored at room temperature, it necessarily requires an airtight lid. 
Experts advise that the unpacked additive be poured into a glass container and, for reliability, put in the refrigerator. If the measures and conditions specified by the manufacturer are observed, the product can be stored for up to 3 years.
Recipe: from juice to syrup
If you decide for yourself to delve into the secrets of the reproduction technology of a traditional Canadian delicacy, you will initially need to be patient. The fact is that it will take a long time from the moment juice is prepared to the finished product.
Trimming trees and sap
In the spring, when the sap flow begins, select maple trees with thick trunks. Trees must be healthy. If buds started to bloom on them, you need to look for other specimens for juice collection.
Did you know? On the world stage of the 18th century, the production of maple syrup was minimized. This was due to the popularity of cane sugar, the manufacture of which required less financial and labor resources. But Canadians continued to transfer their secrets from generation to generation..
Later on, a small hole is made on a suitable bore. It is important that its depth does not exceed 8 centimeters. After that, an iron “spout” is inserted into the recess, from which the tube departs. From one such hole a day you can collect no more than 3 liters of juice.
Boiling process
We can not allow the collected raw materials stood idle - it can deteriorate. In order to avoid this, first filter all the prepared liquid from litter and particles of bark. And then place in a wide container (preferably with a non-stick coating) and torment for a few hours over low heat.
Watch out for the consistency of the substance, otherwise you can get sugar together with syrup. If you miss the evaporation time, the liquid may not be thick enough. In this case, its shelf life is limited to a few months. And an overly thick product will quickly fry. 
All work on the production of homemade maple syrup is recommended to do on the street. After all, when evaporated, particles of sucrose fall on all kitchen items, as a result of which they become sticky.
Did you know? Maple syrup, except Canadians, is very revered by residents of the United States of America. This delicacy in those places is considered traditional on any table.
Filtration and spill
If there was no initial filtration, strain the liquid through a strainer. And after it reaches the desired consistency, give it a little time to cool. Then pour into a glass container and seal the lids tightly.
Maple syrup can not have significant benefits for the body. In nature, he will find many alternative options that are much richer in nutritional components. Therefore, do not take seriously the myths about the healing properties of this product. It is recommended only from the tasting point of view. 
