10 Health Benefits of Maple Syrup
Maple syrup, as the name suggests, is a product made from the sap tapped from maple trees. North America, especially Canada, grows most of the maple trees and, therefore, also produces most of the maple syrup sold and used around the world.
Maple syrup is used as a flavoring and sweetening agent. It is a common ingredient in pancakes, French toast, oatmeal, and porridge.
Besides being a natural sweetener that may rival white table sugar, maple syrup contains a variety of nutritional, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory components, which give maple syrup many medicinal benefits. This article looks at 10 of these benefits.
Maple Syrup Benefit #1: Antioxidant
One of the great benefits of maple syrup that should entice you to include it in your diet is its antioxidant properties. In fact, over twenty chemical constituents found in maple syrup can work as antioxidants. These substances help to mop up the reactive chemicals that often build-up from normal metabolic processes. Free radicals lead to oxidative stress, which can cause damage to normal cells and chronic inflammation.
Consequently, various body processes can be derailed or, worse still, disease conditions can arise from the excessive oxidative stress. It is well established that one of the common causes of cancer is excessive reactive species. So, the next time you snack on something laced with maple syrup, you know the important benefits.
Maple Syrup Benefit #2: Heart Health
Are you keen on guarding your heart health and avoiding the complications that come along with a failed heart system? Then you need to mind your diet, in addition to other lifestyle factors. You must be aware that eating lots of junk food affects your blood fat levels, which can in turn bring about narrowing of blood vessels and a rise in blood pressure.
Getting into the habit of using maple syrup as opposed to the more refined sugars found in most products can cut down on much of the unhealthy sugar you consume. This, together with lowering your sugar intake, can lead to reduced incidence of obesity. Overall, maple syrup can help you in your efforts to promote heart health.
Maple Syrup Benefit #3: Controls Blood Sugar
It is probably paradoxical that maple syrup, as sweet as it is, can help with blood sugar control. The benefit of taking maple syrup over other sources of sugar, such as refined white sugar, is the relatively lower increases in sugar levels associated with maple syrup. With refined foodstuffs and sugar, there is a sharp rise in blood sugar levels followed by a drop later, which brings about a craving for more sugar.
However, in the case of maple syrup, the increase in blood sugar is steady and not as high. Similarly, there is no intense craving thereafter. So, if you are considering shifting to a diet with reduced refined sugars, trying out maple syrup is a good idea.
Maple Syrup Benefit #4: Male Reproductive Health
It isn’t just women that need to be cautious of their reproductive health. Men also need to take care of their reproductive health too. For an effectively functioning and healthy male reproductive system, men need to be diligent on the food they eat and especially ensure that they get an adequate intake of nutritional elements. One of the most important trace elements for good male reproductive health is zinc.
Zinc is vital in the maintenance of the prostate gland health and the production of sperm. Deficiencies in zinc have been linked to increased risk of prostate cancer. In order for men to avoid such health issues, it is important to boost their intake of foods rich in zinc. Maple syrup is a good source of zinc.
Maple Syrup Benefit #5: Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury or attack by foreign substances or infections. Although helpful for such purposes and for a properly controlled length of time, when unchecked, inflammation can be disastrous as it may set the stage for diseases, some of which may be chronic in nature.
Maple syrup has demonstrable counter-inflammatory activities. This is an interesting property for a sweet foodstuff since, normally, sugar flares up inflammatory responses. To benefit from this property of maple syrup, incorporate it in your diet regularly. Some studies have also shown that maple syrup provides relief from pain in conditions like arthritis and heart-related disorders [^2].
Maple Syrup Benefit #6: Energy Booster
If you often suffer from drained energy and frequent fatigue, then adding maple syrup to your meals could give you an energy boost. A sudden change in your tolerance to exercise or ability to perform activities requiring high energy input could be a sign that you need to rethink your intake of food. Consider including in your diet foods that provide your body with a steady supply of sugar. Maple syrup is good at doing exactly that.
The type of sugar found in maple syrup is natural compared to the white sugar present in many refined foods; it is a healthier alternative in many respects. For example, the sugar in maple syrup does not cause a surge in sugar levels. As a result, your body gets a steady and sustainable supply of sugar. This way, you won’t suffer the unpleasant feelings of high- and low-energy times.
Maple Syrup Benefit #7: Improves Digestion
The efficiency of the digestion process depends on the kind of food and eating patterns that you adopt. There are some foods that are generally heavy to digest, stay in the gut for much longer, and can give quite some feeling of discomfort. It is advisable to interchange between heavy and light foods.
Refined sugars are generally more cumbersome to digest and can make you feel bloated due to indigestion. On the other hand, natural sugars like those found in maple syrup are much easier to digest. Thus, changing to foods that are more readily digestible can help your gut to heal and recover from bloating, fatigue, and general abdominal discomfort.
Maple Syrup Benefit #8: Boosts Immunity
The ability of your body to wade off infections posed by invading microorganisms, or to accelerate the healing process, is tied to an effective and robust immune system. When your immune system is compromised, you are susceptible to succumbing to common ailments and it may take a long time to recover from disease. The richness of maple syrup in nutrients involved in the production of white blood cells makes it a suitable dietary complement to boost your immunity.
White blood cells are the soldiers that protect the body and keep in check any invading microorganisms. Zinc has been shown to be important in the development and sustenance of a healthy immune system. To increase your zinc levels and those of other important elements, nutrient-rich foods such as maple syrup should be included in your diet.
Maple Syrup Benefit #9: Source of Manganese and Zinc
Some of the body’s nutritional requirements are rarely thought of but are quite important for the normal functioning of the body. Examples of these are manganese and zinc. Besides being sweet and giving you a feeling of satiety, maple syrup is a good source of these two elements.
Manganese plays an important role in metabolism and the absorption of nutrients. Additionally, the element is critical for the proper functioning of the nervous system. On the other hand, zinc is helpful in modulating the response of blood vessels to various chemical substances. Low zinc levels have been associated with increased risk of damage to blood vessels, which can predispose to blood pressure problems.
Maple Syrup Benefit #10: Reduces Risk of Cancer
In many ways, the risk of developing cancer is related to our lifestyle, including the type of foods that we eat. Cancers arise when cells of the body become rebellious and start dividing in an uncoordinated and uncontrolled fashion. Sugars, especially as found in refined foods, have been implicated in the development of cancer. The same observation goes for preservatives found in most of the refined foods.
Because maple syrup contains natural sugars, it is a suitable replacement and alternative to refined sugars. By changing to maple syrup, you reduce your body’s burden of toxic substances that are generated such as free radicals, whose irritation can lead to the development of cancer.
