Understanding the Differences between Honey & Maple Syrup
Pure maple syrup and honey are commonly
regarded as two of the most popular natural sweeteners. They are widely
considered to be the best substitutes to sugar and there’s no question
that using these foods is much better than consuming sugar. Moreover,
adding honey and maple syrup to our foods – from baked goods and
beverages to even meat dishes - gives them a distinct natural sweetness
and also enhances their flavor considerably.
Since both honey and maple syrup are made
naturally, they are usually believed to be healthy. And plenty of
households use the two foods interchangeably, depending on their tastes.
However, while these two sweeteners might appear to be very similar,
they do have plenty of differences that you might not be aware of – from
their nutrition makeup to their health benefits. Today, we will discuss
some of the important differences between honey and maple syrup.
How are they made?
As you might be aware, honey is made by bees as pollen as a food source.
The nectar is stored and broken down into simple sugars inside the
honeycomb. “The design of the honeycomb and constant fanning of the
bees' wings causes evaporation, creating sweet liquid honey,” says the
National Honey Board.
Maple syrup, meanwhile, has a much simpler
process flow. It is made from the circulating fluid, or sap, of sugar
maple trees. Once the sap is taken from a tapped maple tree, it is
boiled into concentrated syrup. And that’s it!
Zinc 0 .046 mg 0. 0294 mg
Nutrition Differences
Nutritionally, both pure maple syrup and honey vary widely. Let’s take a
look at the nutrition information for 1 tablespoon of maple syrup (20
grams) and honey (21 grams) based on the information provided by the
United States Department of Agriculture:
Honey (1 tbsp.) Maple syrup (1 tbsp.)
Calories: 64 52
Fat: 0 g >1g
Sodium: >1mg 2.4mg
Carbohydrates: 17.3g 13.4g
Fiber: >1g 0g
Sugars: 17.2g 12.1g
Protein: >1g >1g
Calcium: 1.26mg 20.4mg
Manganese: 0.17mg 0.582mg
Zinc 0 .046 mg 0. 0294 mg
Riboflavin 0.008mg 0.254 mg
As you can see from the table above, honey
and maple syrup are the most similar in calorie content. However, honey
does contain more protein and carbohydrates, as well as fiber and
sugars. That being said, while the carb content between the two foods is
quite close, the amount is almost a difference of one teaspoon of added
sugar, according to dietitians.
Honey, however, does not contain any fat which gives it a great edge
among those who are health conscious. The fat in a tablespoon of maple
syrup, meanwhile, is 1 gram, including tiny amounts of saturated,
monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats. Both sweeteners do not
contain any cholesterol.
Furthermore, honey does contain small amounts of vitamin C and B
vitamins (Vitamin B6, niacin and folate, and Vitamin B5). But dieticians
observe that to receive the true benefits of these vitamins, we would
have to be consuming honey in considerably large amounts. To elaborate,
after consuming 100 grams (about five tablespoons) of honey, you’ll
receive about 1% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for vitamin
C. Maple syrup contains neither vitamin B-6 nor vitamin C but it
comprises more minerals than honey and is considered a good source of
manganese, riboflavin, and zinc.
Lastly, maple syrup contains more sodium than honey while honey does
contain fluoride which is beneficial to dental health whereas maple
syrup doesn’t contain any.
Shelf Life
The National Honey Board says that over
time, honey may “darken and lose its aroma and flavor or crystallize,”
depending on changes in temperature or storage conditions. However, that
doesn’t mean that the honey has gone bad; these are just natural
changes and won’t change its taste. Crystallization usually happens
since natural honey contains natural sugars and pollen.
Honey, in fact, does not have an expiration date. It consists of
numerous vitamins and enzymes and can last for many years. Bear in mind,
though, that processed or altered honey doesn’t preserve the natural
benefits of honey. So, only look for real, raw and unfiltered, honey
when you are out buying it.
Meanwhile, maple syrup, owing to its
density is more vulnerable to growing mold. According to the USDA, “all
maple syrup can be stored in the pantry about a year” before opening.
It’s recommended to keep unopened bottles of maple syrup in a dry, cold
area. Once it’s opened, genuine maple syrup should be stored in the
refrigerator where it can easily last for a year.
Meanwhile, maple syrup, owing to its
density is more vulnerable to growing mold. According to the USDA, “all
maple syrup can be stored in the pantry about a year” before opening.
It’s recommended to keep unopened bottles of maple syrup in a dry, cold
area. Once it’s opened, genuine maple syrup should be stored in the
refrigerator where it can easily last for a year.
Health Benefits of Honey
Even though it is a natural sweetener,
honey has many potential health benefits.
* Natural, high-quality honey is rich in antioxidants, including organic
acids and phenolic compounds like flavonoids. Studies have shown that
eating honey can lead to some reductions in blood pressure.
* Several studies show that honey can have a positive effect on your
cholesterol levels.
* Honey can be used to provide relief from burns, wounds, and many other
skin conditions when applied to the skin. Manuka honey, in particular,
is considered especially effective for treating burn wounds, research
has shown.
* Honey can be effective in suppressing coughs, particularly in
children. Studies have indicated that honey can work even better than
some common cough medicines. Honey has also been found to reduce cough
symptoms and improve sleep more than cough medication, according to a
study.
Health Benefits of Maple Syrup
As we have already mentioned, maple syrup
contains some vitamins and minerals. This natural sweeter has some
health benefits too.
* Studies show that maple syrup can be used as a decent source of
antioxidants and provides at least 24 of them. However, its high sugar
content means that it must be used with caution when being used to lose
weight or improve your metabolic health.
* Maple syrup has a lower glycemic index (of 54) as compared to honey
(61). That makes the syrup a better choice for those with diabetes or
other blood sugar issue.
* People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may be able to digest maple
syrup better than honey. While both maple syrup and honey contain
simple sugars, the fructose present in honey may not be suitable for
people with irritable bowel syndrome, according to food experts.
Use in Cooking
Both honey and maple syrup have a
deliciously distinctive flavor. So how you use it in cooking, depends a
lot on your personal tastes as well. Some of you might enjoy honey’s
thicker texture and floral hints. Many others might prefer the more
woodsy and earthy taste of maple syrup.
More importantly, though, both honey and maple syrup can be used in
place of sugar. For every 1 cup of sugar that is replaced by honey or
maple syrup, make sure that you reduce your other liquid ingredients by
at least 3-4 tablespoons, say experts. Both foods work excellently to
sweeten baked goods cereals, granola, muesli, and more.
In general, honey can be used to sweeten
any hot beverage. It can also be added to smoothies or spread over toast
or used as a dressing or for marinades.
Maple syrup has been famously used for drizzling onto a stack of
pancakes or on waffles, and French toast in countless homes for years.
But you can also add it to cooked sweet potatoes and baked beans or
replace the icing of your cinnamon rolls and drizzle some maple syrup on
them. You can even mix maple syrup with butter to cook vegetables to
give your meal a unique taste.
However, if you use maple syrup in place of sugar or corn syrup in your
food, you should expect some changes in the flavor of your food as the
syrup has a strong maple aroma.
The Bottom Line
In summary, we can say that both honey and
maple syrup can be used as a substitute for sugar and can be made part
of a healthy diet. You can use them to sweeten a variety of dishes –
from oatmeal in breakfast to many meat dishes during dinner. While honey
does appear to have a slight edge over maple syrup considering its
overall nutritional and health benefits, what you ultimately choose will
depend much on your tastes. Neither of the two can be said to be
naturally better than the other.