My brother and sil returned from Canada recently and gave us a few bottles of maple syrup, maple butter and maple cookies. My mom did a google search on maple syrup and found out that this nice smelling syrup is more than just sweetness.

Maple syrup is one of the many wonders of the world. When you want to satisfy your sweet tooth, don’t forget to consider using maple syrup which contains fewer calories and a higher concentration of minerals than honey.

Food For Thought:

Cancer Prevention
Researchers have suggested that the compounds contained within pure maple syrup offer cancer prevention benefits. A study performed at Université du Québec à Chicoutimi in Canada revealed that the antioxidant capabilities of pure maple syrup were effective at inhibiting the damage that is caused by nitric oxide. The ability to inhibit overproduction of nitric oxide will also prevent the proliferation of cancer cells. This study also suggests the cancer fighting properties are greater if the syrup is of darker color rather than a clear color.

Diabetes
Recent studies also suggest that the consumption of pure maple syrup may also be effective in lowering blood glucose levels. According to United Press International, pure maple syrup contains a significant concentration of abscisic acid. Abscisic acid is a chemical that promotes insulin secretion of the pancreas and increases the insulin sensitivity of fat cells. The presence of abscisic acid and the qualities it possesses allow pure maple syrup to be an effective treatment against diabetes.

Cardiac Benefits
Pure maple syrup is very rich in many essential vitamins and minerals, especially zinc. A study performed by the Department of Medicine at the University of Turku in Finland suggests there is a direct relationship between low serum zinc levels and incidence of cardiovascular heart disease. The results of the study confirmed that low serum zinc levels is a risk factor for cardiovascular heart disease in diabetic and non-diabetic patients. The zinc concentration in pure maple syrup can regulate serum zinc levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular heart disease.

Men Benefit From Maple Syrup
Maple syrup may help to support reproductive health and provides special benefits for men. Zinc is concentrated more highly in the prostate than in any other human tissue, and low levels of zinc in this gland relate to a higher risk for prostate cancer. In fact, zinc is a mineral used therapeutically by health care practitioners to help reduce prostate size. Manganese may also play a role in supporting mens health since, as a catalyst in the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol, it also participates in the production of sex hormones, thus helping to benefit reproductive health.

Here’s Baby enjoying maple butter spread on a slice of wholemeal bread, cut into strips.