Pssst! Did you hear about the $18 million gold maple syrup heist? True story. Last year thieves made off with 9600 barrels of maple syrup in Quebec, Canada. Two arrests have since been made and only 70% of the syrup recovered. The remaining 30% is rumored to have been purchased across the border on the black market! Yes folks, this stuff is THAT good AND it’s serious business! Vermont and Maine have put new legislation before the senate whereby the sale of fake maple syrup would be a felony punishable by a jail sentence of 5 years! Don’t mess with maple syrup peeps! If you’ve ever had imitation pancake syrup here are a few good reason to never have it again (!):
CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WATER, CELLULOSE GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, SALT, SODIUM BENZOATE AND SORBIC ACID (PRESERVATIVES), ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE. (Aunt Jemima)
Aunt Jemima and other ‘pancake syrups’ don’t actually have a drop of real maple syrup to be found. Don’t worry Aunt Jemima, you never have to fear a ‘pancake syrup’ heist. Nothing even comes close to pure, sweet, nutritious maple syrup. mmmmm
It’s all sap my friends…
Maple syrup is actually the sap from the maple tree. It is harvested in the spring by tapping a hole into the trunk and collecting the glorious sap. The sap is then boiled down to leave only the pure sugar. Maple syrup has been revered for centuries by Native Americans. Over time many a festival has been celebrated around its collection. Quebec, Canada is the largest producer of maple syrup in the world (80%), with Vermont being the second (5%).
Get prepared to be impressed…
Pure maple syrup is loaded with manganese, riboflavin, zinc, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and high levels of antioxidants. It also contains niacin, B5, B2, folic acid, B6, biotin and vitamin A. In fact, researchers from the University of Rhode Island have now isolated and identified 54 beneficial compounds in pure maple syrup from Quebec, five of which have never been seen in nature (source). Furthermore, these compounds are anti-inflammatory and can be beneficial for inflammatory diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, certain types of cancers and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.
Why I don’t buy Grade A…
Maple syrup is categorized into grades. Grades are determined by color and how much light passes through the syrup. They can sometimes be subjective and may vary from producer to producer. Things can get a little confusing because certain regions have their own method of grading (ie. US, Vermont, Canada, Quebec). Below is a simplified list based on nationally recognized grades:
Grade A Light Amber Fancy (US) | Canada No. 1 Extra Light
- harvested at the very beginning of the season
- very pale in color
- ‘delicate’ flavor
Grade A Medium Amber (US) | Canada No. 1 Light
- harvested at the beginning of the season
- pale amber
- pure, subtle taste
Grade A Dark Amber (US) | Canada No. 1 Medium
- harvested in the middle of the season (the most popular of grades)
- rich amber color and thicker consistency
- a more pronounced flavor
Grade B (US) | Canada No. 2 Amber (*Libby’s side note: this is great!)
- harvested near the end of the season
- dark color
- strong maple flavor
- higher mineral content
Grade C Commercial (US) | Canada No. 3 Dark (*Libby’s side note: this is even better!)
- in US – only sold in bulk to producers of maple flavored products (ie. maple flavored bacon)
- harvested at the very end of the season
- is the least processed
- very dark and has the highest mineral content of all the grades
Popularity Contest
Grade B/Canada 3 has become quite popular in the last few years and as such has seen an increase in price. One of the reasons why the beloved Grade B maple syrup is gaining popularity is due to the rising popularity of the Master Cleanse (which is based on maple syrup, lemon juice and cayenne pepper). Another reason for the augmentation in price is simply that people are becoming more informed and taking charge of their health.
Interesting Tid Bits
Canadians sure love their maple trees! Long before they adopted a maple leaf on their flag, the maple leaf was used as a symbolic symbol of Canada. Maple syrup taffy has been a favorite of the French-Canadians for years. If you haven’t had one, you are missing out! Check out how to make them here.
Sources:
The University of Rhode Island
Photo credit
This Maplelicious post is also shared with: This Gal Cooks , Huckleberry Love, Nourishing Treasures, Alderberry Hill, Natural Living Mamma, A Life in Balance, Bizzy Bakes, Homegrown and Healthy, Skip to my Lou, Our 4 Kiddos, Table for Seven, Mandy’s Recipe Box, Love in the Kitchen, Real Food Forager, Healthy Roots, Happy Soul, Not Just a Housewife, Kelly the Kitchen Kop, The NY Melrose Family, This Silly Girl’s Life, Tessa Domestic Diva, Family Home and Life, Holistic Squid, Thank Your Body, My Cultured Palate, Domesblissity, Miz Helen’s Country Cottage, Intoxicated on Life, Food Renegade, Natural Family Today, Small Footprint Family, The Veggie Nook
