Vegan Maple Syrup: Important Facts You Should Know

Vegan Maple Syrup: Important Facts You Should Know

Did you know that maple syrup is sap from Maple trees?

And the only place you can find maple trees is in cold climates.

These trees start by storing starch in the months leading to winter.

This starch found in the trunk and roots gets converted into sugar.

In winter, the sugar rises in the sap of maple trees and drips out.

Drilling holes into the maple trees makes it possible to tap the sap.

Buckets full of sap end up in a processing plant to evaporate the water and leave the delicious maple syrup.

Pure maple syrup is a good option for vegans because it doesn’t contain any contaminants.

So, always check the label for ingredients before purchasing any vegan maple syrup.

History of Maple Syrup

The indigenous people of North America were the first to tap vegan maple syrup. They also managed to produce delicious maple sugar for different uses. Maple syrup was a good ingredient that they used even to cook venison.

Local indigenous people loved maple syrup for its health benefits. They’d feel more energetic and healthier when they take the sap. Later, when the colonists arrived, the indigenous people showed them how to tap maple trees to get maple syrup.

Since then, maple syrup production has become a big business in the northern parts of the US and southern Canada. Technology continuously makes it easier to tap multiple maple trees and get the best sap for processing.

Unfortunately, with increased maple syrup popularity, companies have added preservatives, flavoring, and other ingredients. Maple syrup also comes in different grades; this is better to know when trying to learn more about vegan maple syrup.

Does Maple Syrup Come in Grades?

The US and Canada once had different classifications regarding vegan maple syrup. This classification was mainly concerned with the color of the maple syrup. However, the two nations have come together in recent years with a uniform grading system for maple syrup.

Grade A vegan maple syrup is further classified into:

  • Golden with a delicate taste
  • Amber with a rich taste
  • Dark with a robust taste
  • Very dark with a strong taste

The only way a maple syrup fits in Grade A (vegan maple syrup) is if it doesn’t have an off-flavor, sediment, and turbidity. Any problems with the vegan maple syrup mean it can’t be classified as a grade A.

Facts About Vegan Maple Syrup You Should Know

1. Vegan Maple Syrup Is Nutritious

Vegan maple syrup is pure and doesn’t contain any harmful additives. The final product after processing contains essential nutrients like sucrose and water. 100g of pure maple syrup is 32% water and has 260 calories. There are also 67% carbs, of which 90% are sugar.

Maple Syrup has essential nutrients like Riboflavin and Magnesium in abundance. However, there aren’t too many other macronutrients in it. Some trace amounts of Calcium and Zinc are available in vegan maple syrup. It’s better to have vegan maple syrup in low quantities because of its high sugar content, which can affect your health and well-being.

2. Vegan Maple Syrup Contains Essential Antioxidants

Antioxidants are crucial to the body since they help fight free radicals that damage healthy cells. Well, it’s good to know that vegan maple syrup, in its purest form, contains 24 different antioxidants. This fights off oxidative damage by free radicals that can lead to illness and aging.

3. Canada is a Main Producer of Vegan Maple Syrup

Millions of people delight in adding maple syrup to pancakes for breakfast. But do you know who the main producer of this delicious syrup is? Canada is the leading producer of pure vegan maple syrup with no additives. In fact, 91% of Canada’s maple syrup is produced in Quebec.

4. High Manganese and Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) Content

Vegan maple syrup doesn’t have numerous essential minerals for better body function. But, it does contain high levels of Manganese and Riboflavin. The body requires trace amounts of Manganese for better tissue and bone development. It also helps with blood clotting and sexual function.

As for Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), it’s essential for better skin formation and function. Vitamin B2 also lines the digestive tract and vital organs of the body.

5. One Gallon of Maple Syrup is Made from 40 Gallons of Sap

Vegan maple syrup is pure and good for vegans to enjoy. But it was not cheap. The high cost of vegan maple syrup makes more sense when considering the production cost. It requires 40 gallons of maple tree sap to produce one gallon of pure maple syrup.

6. One Maple Tree Can Only Produce 15 Gallons of Sap Per Year

When you want to get 40 gallons of maple sap to produce 1 gallon of maple syrup, you must tap multiple trees. This is because one maple tree can only produce approximately 15 gallons of sap per year. Thankfully, there’s an abundance of maple trees to tap in the US and Canada.

How is Vegan Maple Syrup Made?

Making vegan maple syrup is a strenuous process that requires patience and timing. It all starts with tapping the maple trees in spring. At this point, the ice is melting, but it’s still cold enough for ample sap production.

In the past, tapping was mainly done by drilling a hole into a maple tree, adding a dripping pipe, and hooking a bucket underneath it. The sap would collect in the bucket, and then it would be drained and placed back to collect more. But, today, major maple syrup producers use suction lines to maximize sap extraction from the maple trees.

As winter ends, vegan maple syrup producers start drilling small holes in maple trees. A small tap is placed in this hole, and a suction line is connected, leading to a collecting tank. At the collection point, vegan maple syrup producers begin the evaporation process to remove the excess water in the sap and remain with pure maple syrup.

After that, it’s time for filtration to remove all contaminants like sand. This can impact the quality of vegan maple syrup. It’s important at this stage to measure the syrup and ascertain it meets set industry standards before packaging it. This is also the best time to determine the grade of the vegan maple syrup.

What is the Sugar House?

Traditionally, the sugar house was the structure where maple syrup was made. This structure contained the collection tank where all the sap from the maple trees would end up. There’s no definite style and size for sugar houses as each producer chooses the one they like.

These sugar houses are no longer old rustic structures out in the woods. Most vegan maple syrup producers have chosen to upgrade or build sleek processing plants. They come with vents to allow better air circulation.

The modern sugar houses also comprise a dome that allows steam to escape as the syrup boils. This happens during the evaporation stage to eliminate the excess moisture and remain with vegan maple syrup.

Is Maple Syrup Healthier Than Honey?

It’s important to use natural sweeteners for your meals other than artificial ones. Natural sweeteners tend to have more health benefits. Examples of great natural sweeteners are vegan maple syrup and honey.

You’ll come across many kinds of maple syrups and honey in stores. But always go for pure products with no additives, preservatives, or flavors. Vegan maple syrup, for instance, is pure maple syrup from the sap of maple trees. Pure honey is from the honeycombs of bees.

Are the two the same, or which is healthier? When you consider the caloric content of vegan maple syrup and pure honey, maple syrup is a better option. This is because pure honey contains more calories than vegan maple syrup.

One tablespoon of vegan maple syrup has 52 calories, while one tablespoon of pure honey contains 64 calories. The difference isn’t too significant, but it’s something to consider when counting calories.

Regarding sugar content, vegan maple syrup is still a better option. In 100g of pure maple syrup, you can find 13.5g of carbs, of which 12.4g is sucrose (complex sugar). Pure honey, on the other hand, contains 17.4g of carbs, of which 17.3g is fructose.

Pure honey takes the upper hand when considering fat content. Pure honey has no fat content, while one tablespoon of vegan maple syrup contains 0.1g of fat. Pure honey also contains Vitamin C and B6. Still, vegan maple syrup is richer in Potassium, Iron, Zinc, and Calcium.

How Long Does Vegan Maple Syrup Last?

An unopened bottle of vegan maple syrup can last for a long time. But this has to be pure top-quality maple syrup free from additives.

However, it’s better to use vegan maple syrup within a year of production. Once you open a bottle, use it within 12 months and store it in the refrigerator. Placing it in the refrigerator is a great way to preserve freshness.

Conclusion

Vegan maple syrup contains no additives or flavorings. Producers get pure maple syrup once they process sap from maple trees. The syrup does contain some essential nutrients and antioxidants that are good for health and well-being. Plus, the real thing tastes amazing.

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