Sunday, February 12, 2012

Maple Syrup Nutritional Information


Pure maple syrup: Pure maple syrup is a 100% natural food product, processed by the boiling and concentration of the pure maple sap. Maple sap is a sterile, clear liquid, which provides the trees with water and nutrients before the tree buds and leaves open in the springtime. In the boiling of the maple sap, concentrating it down to the syrup, and filtering processes, all the nutrients remain in the finished maple syrup. Please note, there are some numerical differences in the nutritive composition of maple syrup. This is due to the trees size and strength and environmental differences due to location among maple trees.
Sugars: Sugars are an important source of energy. The main sugar in pure Maple syrup is sucrose. The darker grades, especially Grade B syrup, contain small and variable amounts of fructose and glucose. In order of sweetness, sucrose is less sweet than fructose, and sweeter than glucose.
Minerals: Minerals have specific and nonspecific nutritional functions in the body's metabolism. In pure filtered maple syrup the main minerals present are: calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron.
Vitamins: Vitamins are essential to maintain health; they cannot be manufactured by the body (except Vitamin D) so they must be acquired through food or taken separately. In pure maple syrup trace amounts of vitamins are present, mainly B2 (Riboflavin), B5 (Pantothenic Acid), B6 (Pyridoxine), PP (Niacin, B1), Biotin, and Folic Acid.
Amino Acids: Amino Acids are the building blocks of the proteins. In pure maple syrup many amino acids are present in trace amounts.
Total Solids: The total solid's in pure maple syrup amount to 66.5%, with the remaining 33.5% consisting of water. The table below represents the main elements within the total solids.

TOTAL SOLIDS 66.5%
CarbohydratesPercentOrganic AcidsPercent
Sucrose88-89Malic.141
Hexoses, Fructose,  Citric.015
Glucose0-11Succinic.012
Other SugarsTraceFumaric.006
    UnidentifiedTrace
       
Amino AcidsParts per MillionVitaminsMicrograms/Liter
Amino Nitrogens50-280Niacin (PP, B1)276
Phenols450-1440Pantothenic Acid (B5)600
    Riboflavin (B2)60
    Folic AcidTrace
    Pyridoxine (B6)Trace
    BiotinTrace
    Vitamin ATrace
       
MineralsParts per MillionCalories 
Potassium1300-3900Maple Syrup50 per Tablespoon
Calcium400-2100   
Magnesium12-360Compares to: 
Manganese2-220Karo Corn Syrup60 per Tablespoon
Sodium0-6Honey60 per Tablespoon
Phosphorus79-183Molasses40 per Tablespoon
Iron0-36   
Zinc0-90   
Copper0-2   
Tin 0-33