Every household wouldn’t be complete without sugar. Your morning coffee or tea may have it, your kitchen counter has it, your fruits and vegetables have it and the snacks, sweets, and treats you consume contain it, sometimes to a great extent. But as we all know, consuming excess sugar may impose negative effects on our health.
Limiting sugar is a must according to just about everyone you know. There are many substitutions for refined sugar but are they as good as pure maple syrup? You have likely come across discussions about maple syrup as an alternative to sugar, particularly if you have been trying to cut sugar and don’t want to miss out on the flavor. Even though many people relate sweeteners such as sugar and honey to maple syrup it is vastly different.
Maple Syrup as an Alternative to Sugar For Cooking
Maple syrup is a great sugar alternative because it contains antioxidants that are beneficial to the body's immune and cardiovascular systems. It varies by recipe how much maple syrup can be replaced with cane sugar, but typically one cup of white sugar can be replaced with two-thirds to three-quarters cup of maple syrup.
In your cooking, you can still taste the sweetness of maple syrup if you substitute it for sugar. Maple syrup has a lower glycemic index, which makes it a better sweetener for diabetics. Its high concentration of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants makes maple syrup very nearly a superfood, while still being sweet. Still not convinced to make the switch?
Sugar can be substituted with maple syrup in nearly any recipe with the correct substitution ratio. When using maple syrup instead of white sugar in general cooking, three-fourths of a cup of maple syrup is ideal for each cup of sugar. The same amount of maple syrup should be used when baking, but also be sure to reduce the liquid content by about 3 tablespoons for every cup you substitute maple syrup for. Honey and maple syrup can be substituted in the same way in cooking - one tablespoon of maple syrup replaces each tablespoon of honey, and so on. Though remember, maple syrup is a nice vegan alternative to honey! Whenever you substitute maple syrup for sugar in a recipe, you should reduce the oven temperature by about 25 degrees. Why? Because maple syrup caramelizes at a lower temperature than refined sugar.
Benefits of Maple Syrup
1. Lowers Cholesterol
A study conducted on animals looked into how maple syrup may affect cholesterol levels. Maple syrup is not only known to lower cholesterol levels in mice, but it may also prevent inflammation of the liver.
2. Better Brain Health
Researchers have just begun investigating maple syrup's effect on brain health, but the findings point to exciting advantages. Some proteins in the brain appear to be prevented from misfolding, tangling, and clumping when maple syrup is consumed. Alzheimer's disease, as well as other neurodegenerative diseases, is associated with these abnormalities. Furthermore, animal studies have shown a longer lifespan for Alzheimer's patients who consume maple syrup.
3. Manganese Deficiency Prevention
Maple syrup offers simple prevention and treatment for manganese deficiency due to its high manganese content. Manganese deficiency, thought to be an uncommon disorder, has serious consequences, including abnormal skeletal development and impaired wound healing.
4. May Help Protect Against Cancer
There is evidence that sugar may in some way cause cancer or at least contribute to it. Maple syrup is believed to be a much less harmful sweetener. Maple syrup contains antioxidants that protect cells from mutation and DNA damage due to their presence. The consumption of maple syrup alone won't likely reduce your risk for cancer, but it's a much safer choice than making your diet rich in refined sugars or artificial sweeteners.
5. Fights Inflammatory Diseases
Since maple syrup is packed with inflammation-reducing polyphenol antioxidants it can help aid in the management of diseases such as arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and heart disease. Our immune system declines when we are exposed to oxidative stress, which maple syrup reduces with its plant-based compounds.
6. Helps Protect Skin Health
It has been reported that maple syrup can be applied to the skin. Bumps, redness, blemishes, and dry skin may all be reduced by applying maple syrup to the affected area. You can use maple syrup alone topically or blend it with raw milk or yogurt, raw oats, and raw honey as a face mask to keep the skin stay hydrated while reducing bacteria and itchiness.
7. Healthier Alternative to Artificial Sweeteners
As you consider your health journey, you may want to consider switching from artificial sweeteners and refined sugar products such as Splenda, agave, aspartame, and sugar to forms of unrefined sweeteners like maple syrup or raw honey. While artificial sweeteners may be calorie-free, the health effects of these products are numerous, including weight gain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, short-term memory loss, and more.
Conclusion
Given the benefits that maple syrup may give, consider it as a replacement for sugar! It still gives off that sweet taste when including it in your dishes while reaping plenty of health benefits. At EAT G.A.N.G.S.T.E.R we suggest using maple syrup for many of our mixes, including our
