Maple syrups come from a maple tree and the sap is further boiled to get concentrated syrups. Around 10 gallons of sap is needed just to get around one quart of maple syrup. The rich color and flavor of maple syrup come from the caramelization of the sugar. Maple syrups are widely used to add flavor to pancakes, french toasts, porridge, and a variety of other foods. It is also used as a flavoring agent and a sweetener as well. It is a natural sweetener so it is good for health too. It is rich in nutrients like magnesium, calcium, zinc, and riboflavin, etc. The calories are also lesser than any other sweet, so you can happily use maple syrup instead of sugar for toppings.
The maple syrup became very famous over the last few decades because most people become health conscious because of desk jobs and a sedentary lifestyle. To satisfy the sugar cravings, maple syrup became the best option as it is tasty and healthy at the same time. Although it became famous recently, it has been around in the United States since the 17th century itself. To shed more light on this topic, we have decided to reveal some of its fascinating facts in this article. Keep reading the article to know more.
You need around 40 gallons of sap to get one gallon of syrup
Most of the trees produce only 10 to 15 gallons of sap per season and this only helps to get one quart of maple sugar. Some other species of sap have very low levels of sugar in them, so at times it may require 60 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of syrup. By boiling sap, a large amount of steam is generated, so it’s better to boil outdoors. The sap usually consists of 98% water and just 2% sugar and this 2% is used for the production of maple sugar. If you boil the sap, the water will be removed and the sugar concentration is what remains. This is how maple syrups are produced in general.
There is a maple syrup institute
This institute was founded in 1975, the main motto for them is to protect and promote pure maple syrup. It focuses on ideas to develop the whole maple industry and also advocates for the industry in trade and government affairs. It fights for the issues where sugars are added to the maple syrups to make them tastier. It stood for any other issues that are put on the entire maple industry. For instance, issues like California Prop 65 court challenge. If the institute hadn't stood for issues like these, maple syrup’s reputation would have been spoiled.
Maple syrup comes in different colors
Canada’s system includes dark, amber, medium, and light whereas the U.S Grade A syrup is lighter in color, and Grade B is usually darker and mostly used for baking. The golden color has a delicate taste, try it over greek yogurt and it tastes very good, you can try out different recipes with vanilla ice creams and other desserts. The amber color gives a rich taste and is good over salad dressings and waffles. The dark color usually gives a robust taste and it suits all types of recipes, typically with eggs, fish fruit, tofu turkey veal, and turkey veal vegetables. The dark color is for cooking and baking purposes and can be used for ice cream toppings or a barbecue sauce as well. All these syrups are tested and made sure it reaches the expectations of the typical maple syrup taste.
More than 80 percent of syrup is from Canada
The other interesting fact is that in the 17th century, the US-dominated the production of maple syrups but over the years, the Canadians produced more maple syrups. Quebec and Ontario are the places in Canada where more maple syrups are produced. Almost 90% of the world’s maple syrup is produced from Quebec alone. In 1958, many of the syrup producers started an organization called the Federation of Quebec Syrup Producers.
This organization is responsible for maintaining a reserve for sweet maple syrup and marketing it. There are many warehouses for storage and on a whole, more than 12000 people are working in this industry. Ontario has another association where they research the health effects of maple sugar on the human body.
There are many fake maple syrups are made
Some brands like Mrs. Butterworth or Aunt Jemima use ingredients like cellulose gum, high fructose corn syrup, and caramel coloring to produce a substance that is very similar to the natural maple syrups. Their bottles are also named as original and authentic but they are not. Real maple sugar doesn’t contain any of these ingredients as it is made from concentrating sap. Sometimes, there might be a mix of real and artificial maple syrup, you should spot it carefully. Use products that are verified by the Food and Drug Administration to ensure the syrup is not fake.
South Koreans prefer sap over syrup
The North Americans are all about Syrup but the South Korean people prefer sap. This sap is considered to be good for bones which is the reason why it is popular in South Korea. It is also considered to be useful for body detox, people in South Korea believe that if you drink 5 gallons of sap, all the waste will be flushed out of your body. For locals, it’s a frequent practice as they drink large volumes of sap at one stretch.
McDonald's and Vermont state went for a legal battle over false syrup
“Fruit & Maple Oatmeal” was a dish produced by McDonald's way back in 2011. Vermonters felt that the word “maple” shouldn’t be used unless it contains 100 percent pure maple syrups. But the oatmeal didn’t meet this criterion. Over the years, Vermonters only produced maple syrups that are not only tasty but also authentic. When they say really, it means it’s 100 percent maple syrup. As a result, McDonald’s was asked to change the name or use only 100 percent natural and real maple syrup.
Not every maple tree produces sap
There are around 13 species of maple trees, but not every tree produces sap. They are different types called black, red, and sugar maple. Of all these, sugar maples are widely used for syrup production because of their high sugar content. However, the maple trees are not just used to produce sap. On average, sugar maples will produce for 20 days across a one and a half month season and produce roughly one quart of syrup for each tree tapped.
Maple syrup has its season
Maple syrups are generally made between February and April. But some regions may start a bit earlier and end later than April. But on a whole, a general crop is grown and produced roughly around three months. Before maple trees get tapped, they should be at least 30 years older or even more. Maple syrups are only produced in winter because the content of sugar in sap is higher in winter only. warmer-than-average winters make the syrup farmers worry because the trees start to bud and the quality of the sap goes on a toss. However, you shouldn’t tap early as that would be your only chance.
They are a healthier choice
Maple syrups are healthier than most of the sugars that are available to you, be it high-fructose corn syrup or white sugar. They are high in nutrients and antioxidants which makes them a unique choice for toppings on various foods and they are tasty too. But you cannot drizzle this on any food you eat because it is high in calories. One tablespoon of maple syrup is over 50 calories, so you have to be cautious while using it.
Conclusion:
Maple syrup is one of those natural sugars which are rare to find and costly at the same time too. They are a wonderful substitute for sugar as they are a healthier choice. But be careful when you try to buy maple syrups as tons of fake maple syrups are being sold. We hope this article helps you in knowing about different facts about maple syrup.
Related questions:
What makes maple syrup special?
Maple syrups are made from maple tree sap that is boiled down to reduce the water content which is around 98 percent and concentrate on the sugars. The sugars are caramelized and the maple syrup color and flavor are formed. They are costly because they are mostly found in Canada and North America only and to produce maple syrups, you need extensive labor work. On top of this, around 40 gallons of sap are needed to produce one gallon of maple syrup. For these reasons, maple syrups are costly and many fake maple syrups are found in the market. There are different color grades in maple syrups, if the weather is warmer, then the syrup produced will be darker. They have great taste and are produced in golden color, amber color, and dark color, etc.
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