Remember in 2012 when a couple of thieves somehow managed to steal $18 million worth of maple syrup–thatās six million pounds in weight–just overnight? That was one of the largest agricultural thefts in history, and has since been deemed āThe Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heistā. It was pretty smart considering that the golden sap is worth more than crude oil.
So the thieves probably werenāt stealing the syrup for its health benefits, though the golden sap does come with a list of health benefits nonetheless. And while there are plenty of āhealthyā sweeteners on the market, real health nuts know that natural maple syrup and honey still reign supreme. But how do they fare against one another?
Letās find out.
Calories, Carbohydrates, and Fat
Calories always seems to get the bad end of the stick, but it really depends on what youāre looking to get out of it. If youāre looking to cut down on calories, maple syrup is the way to go. A cup of maple syrup contains 819 calories whereas a cup of honey contains a whopping 1031 calories. This wonāt matter too much if youāre putting a little bit of sweetener in your coffee, but if youāre baking, probably stick with the maple tree sap.
When it comes to carbohydrates, maple syrup also has a lower content than honey. In one tablespoon, there are about 13 grams of carbohydrates in maple syrup, and about 17 grams in honey. But hereās the catch, maple syrup is actually a better energy source because honey is mostly made up of fructose, which isnāt usable by your bodyās cells.Too much of fructose is actually bad for your body. Maple syrup, on the other hand, is mostly made up of the healthy complex sugar, sucrose!
And fat? Well, thereās no fat in honey, and only 0.1 grams in one tablespoon of its syrup counterpart. I think youāre safe with either one on this.
Vitamins, Minerals, and Antioxidants
When it comes to vitamins, honey is indeed a better source than the maple sap. Itās got vitamin C and vitamin B6, both of which are not found in its rival syrup. And honey has a higher content of vitamin B2.
Minerals are another story. Maple syrup pretty much trumps honey in almost all mineral content. It offers more iron, manganese, calcium, zinc, and potassium. All of these minerals are essential to maintaining a healthy body.
Both maple syrup and honey offer about the same amount of antioxidants. Although they both only contain intermediate amounts, the antioxidants are valuable and help fight cancer-causing cells.
Verdict
So is the golden maple tree sap better than honey? For the most part, yes. Itās got lower sugar content, less fructose, and more minerals. But if youāre looking for a little vitamin boost, honey is the better option. And maybe you prefer the taste of one over the other! Either way, they are both delicious and much healthier sweeteners compared to the refined sugary concoctions on the market. Just make sure to take everything in moderation.
Share with us your thoughts on these two popular sweeteners. Are you team maple syrup or team honey?
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