What is maple syrup, what is this natural sweetener made of - these questions are of interest to everyone who adheres to a healthy lifestyle. Interest in the product increased after it began to be produced not only in Canada but also in Russia on its own maple farms.
Material Content:
Maple Syrup Origin
Long before the Europeans came to America, its indigenous people skillfully made maple juice syrup. The Indians collected the juice of sugar maples growing throughout the northern part of the mainland. It was boiled on a fire in special clay vessels, receiving a sweet dark liquid. The syrup was then added to various dishes and drinks.
Europeans adopted the traditions of the North American Indians. Useful sweetness came to their taste. Syrup was prepared in sugar camps, because it was a long and laborious process.
Currently, modern technologies are used to produce syrup. In early spring, the juice is collected on maple farms, evaporated in special machines and sent to the factory, where it is further processed, checked for quality and packaged in glass bottles. Maple syrup prepared industrially can be stored for up to 4 years without losing taste and quality. The leader in its production is Canada.
Maple syrup in Russia, made from local raw materials, appeared after a successful experiment by Alexei Gribin to create a maple farm. Following him, other entrepreneurs began to develop a new business.In 2018, the first maple syrup festival outside the United States was held on the territory of the Botanical Garden in St. Petersburg.
Taste and appearance
Pancakes and pancakes are usually watered with maple syrup. The syrup is sweet, with a pleasant aftertaste of molasses. By consistency, it resembles liquid honey. The color of the syrup, as well as the taste and aroma, can be expressed stronger or weaker: it all depends on the time of collecting the juice.
There is a classification of this product, according to which 5 classes are distinguished:
- A light amber;
- A mid-amber;
- A dark amber;
- In the dark:
- FROM.
The most pleasant taste and aroma of class A syrup. The last class C in its pure form is not used.
In the United States, they also sell syrup aged in oak bourbon barrels. It can contain up to 2% alcohol and costs a little more than regular syrup. The product can be added instead of sugar in drinks, pour ice cream, sprinkle fruit and cheese, use as a sauce for meat and fish during baking.
Maple Syrup Composition and Nutrition Facts
The benefits of maple syrup are a matter of debate. Some believe that it has high nutritional value, others are convinced of the opposite.
The composition of the syrup includes such components:
- carbohydrates;
- 24 antioxidants;
- B vitamins;
- mineral salts (Fe, K, Ca, Mg, Ph, Zn).
100 g of product contains 260 kcal, 67 g of carbohydrates and half the daily intake of vitamin B2. For an adult, the optimal amount of syrup is 60 g per day, and for a child two times less.
How to cook at home
To collect maple juice, you need to find in the vastness of Russia the acutifoliate maple (sugar maple grows only in the USA). Collect it in late February or early March, when the air temperature during the day is above 0 ° C. Carefully make a hole in the wood with a drill. A groove or tube is inserted into the hole, a container is placed at the bottom near the tree, into which the juice will drain.
Having obtained maple juice in the forest, you can try to cook maple syrup. From 5 liters of juice, approximately 100 ml of the finished syrup will be obtained. It is necessary to evaporate the juice at a certain temperature (not very high) so that all useful substances are preserved in the finished product. By technology, water and sugar cannot be added to real maple syrup.
What can be replaced
If you decide that making maple syrup at home is too difficult, try replacing it with regular caramel syrup.
Caramel Syrup Recipe
Products:
- sugar - 2 tbsp .;
- water - 1 tbsp .;
- lemon - ½ pcs.
Cooking:
- In two small pots add 1 tbsp. Sahara.
- In one of them pour 1 tbsp. water.
- In another - the juice of half a lemon.
- Both pots are placed simultaneously on medium heat.
- The sugar water is brought to a boil, mixed, and left to boil for 5 or 8 minutes, depending on the power of the fire.
- The sugar will dissolve to form a simple sugar syrup.
- Sugar in another pan is heated, stirring constantly, brought to a boil. A lot of bubbles will appear on the surface of the syrup, and the sugar color will change to brown or caramel.
- As soon as the syrup darkens, pour light syrup from another pan into it.
- Keep the caramel syrup on fire, stirring constantly, until the moment when it begins to thicken a little - about 5 minutes. When it cools, it will be even thicker, so you can not keep it on fire for too long.
Caramel syrup can be used to impregnate biscuit and as an addition to various desserts - pancakes, pancakes, ice cream, as well as maple syrup.
How to choose a quality product in the store
You can find in stores cheap fakes of maple syrup that contain regular sugar, water, flavor enhancers and colorings. They are very sweet and do not bring any benefits to the body.
Natural maple syrup costs more than a fake. Even 10 years ago in Russia it was possible to buy only a product made in Canada. Its hallmark was the golden Canadian leaf on the label.Now in Russian stores appeared maple syrup of domestic producers. Often it is not inferior in quality to imported, but costs 5 times cheaper. On the label you need to carefully read the composition. It should be stated that it is pure maple syrup without any additives. Store the open product in the refrigerator.
Benefits and harm to human health
Real maple syrup does not contain preservatives or dyes; it is rich in vitamins and mineral salts. In America, research was conducted on this product by scientists from the University of Rhode Island.
They found that maple syrup contains more than fifty useful substances for the body. Among them are antioxidants that slow down aging, anti-inflammatory components, substances that help cure diabetes, cancer, and bacterial diseases.
Other useful properties of the product:
- The mineral salts of magnesium and potassium contained in the syrup strengthen the nervous and cardiovascular systems and help overcome nervous stress.
- Maple syrup is an excellent natural sweetener with a low glycemic index, after its use there is no sharp increase in blood sugar, which is valuable for diabetes.
- The use of syrup during the diet helps to reduce appetite, not to gain extra pounds.
Doctors do not recommend maple syrup to pregnant women, as it has a stimulating effect on the muscles of the uterus and can cause miscarriage.
There are no other contraindications to the use of syrup, except for individual intolerance and abuse. Even the most useful product can be harmful if there is too much of it.
