The viscous golden syrup from maple juice has become a real symbol of Canada, having spread around the world as an excellent component of many dishes. It is especially good in combination with desserts, for example, Canadians themselves like to water them with magnificent pancakes, which are usually cooked for breakfast. Not the worst option would be ice cream with such a syrup or a variety of pastries based on it, and some will like meat in a sweet sauce. How is this unusual treat made and is it healthy to eat?
Appearance story
Mentions on how to make maple syrup first appeared in 1760. The indigenous people of the mainland, the Indians, invented the production technology. There is even an old legend dedicated to this dish. A young Indian trained to throw his tomahawk at a maple tree. Of the remaining marks on the tree, juice began to ooze. The Indian's sister gathered it and tried to use it when cooking. Everyone liked the unusual sweet taste. And so began the story of the main Canadian goodies. Each spring, the Indians procured syrup for the year ahead, they had no sugar, and maple juice was the only sweetener available. Over time, they shared the recipe with the colonists. Since what is produced from syrup, namely sugar maples of a special variety, is found only in Canada, the delicacy has become a real national treasure.
What it is?
In order to produce natural maple syrup, you need to thicken the juice of a special breed of the corresponding tree.
Thirty to fifty liters of raw materials are required per liter of the final product, which cannot but affect the cost. The quality of what maple syrup is made of is of great importance. Suitable maples are black, red, silver and sugar. It is in them, especially the latter, that the juice contains the desired concentration of sugar. Such trees grow in North America, mainly in Canada, so it is their syrup that is considered the best. It is important that all necessary technologies are respected during production. So, maple for juice must be mature, older than forty years. From it during the season you can get about twelve liters of raw materials daily for fifty years. Immediately after collection, you need to start cooking the syrup. When boiled, the juice thickens naturally and without any additional components, turning into a mouth-watering product loved by many people around the world.
Production secrets
To collect what maple syrup is made of, special weather conditions are needed. You need to start the procedure in late winter or spring, when the temperature during the day is above zero, and at night it drops to minus points. Such weather stimulates the maximum circulation of juice in the tree. As a rule, this is the end of February and the first weeks of March. Spring juice is considered the sweetest. At a height of thirty centimeters from the ground, holes or notches are made on the trunk, grooves with tubes are inserted into them, along which the juice flows into the container. After that, the production process begins. How to make maple syrup? Quite a long time, this is what greatly increases its value. The juice is completely liquid, like water, in addition, it contains a small amount of sugar - no more than two percent. During processing, it undergoes thorough phased cleaning and thickens during evaporation in huge, but flat containers. Neither sugar nor other ingredients are added. Thus, what maple syrup is made of and what results are absolutely natural products without additives. The production process is monitored by a state commission, so the Canadian dessert is guaranteed to meet the highest standards.
Features of maple syrup
Despite the fact that it is a dessert, maple juice also contains considerable benefits. The syrup has a significant amount of calcium and iron, as well as vitamin B. It should be borne in mind that there are also imitations in which there is nothing useful. You should not buy a cheap product, the packaging of which says that it is maple-flavored syrup. You need to look for a bottle with a maple leaf, which is a kind of quality mark. The letter must indicate the letter A to D. This label indicates the intensity of the syrup: AA will be very light, A - light, B - medium, C - amber, and finally, the letter D can be found on the darkest and most dense product.
Medicinal properties
Without even knowing how maple syrup is useful, you can gladly add it to your food. However, taking into account its invaluable benefits, it will be desirable to do this even more often. Still, maple juice stimulates the immune system, energizes the body, serves as an antioxidant, slows the development of atherosclerosis, favorably affects potency, fights cancer, and reduces the likelihood of obesity and diabetes. The syrup has a small glycemic index, in addition, it does not contain fat at all. High levels of phenolic compounds and high levels of organic acids help the body fight the formation of cancer cells. In addition, the syrup contains phytohormones that stimulate the pancreas.
Mineral composition
According to the mineral content, maple syrup, the beneficial properties of which are already quite widely known, even bypasses honey. The Canadian dessert contains magnesium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, calcium, sodium, potassium, zinc, a complex of vitamins B and many polyphenols. A little sugar in maple syrup, honey contains more of it. In addition, the first contains not sucrose, but dextrose, which is much more beneficial for the body. The use of maple syrup will be an excellent solution during a diet, since its calorie content is very low. It is suitable for both diabetics and allergy sufferers. A portion of sixty milliliters will provide your body with a daily norm of manganese, a third of vitamin B2, and noticeable amounts of zinc, magnesium, potassium and calcium. A multivitamin composition is exactly what maple syrup is useful for. In combination with excellent taste, this feature makes the product the perfect choice.
Liver benefits
Scientists found out the properties of maple syrup and concluded that, among other things, it perfectly heals the liver. A diet using this product reduces the amount of harmful enzymes in the blood and inhibits the production of ammonia. The scientists fed rats natural maple syrup for eleven days, and by the end of the experiment, the state of the rodents had surprisingly improved. One or another liver dysfunction occurs in every fourth person, especially in middle-aged people, prone to drinking alcohol and being overweight. The complex of useful components of maple syrup allows you to take preventive measures and significantly improve your health.
Other maple juice products
Since what maple syrup is made of is an extremely useful raw material, it is not surprising that other products are also made from it. For example, in Canada, special honey and sugar are made from maple juice. Such products are notable for their high cost, so the scale of production is small, however, you can buy and try them. Both sugar and honey from maple juice are healthier than regular counterparts. A variety of syrup-based products that are very popular in North America are more widely available and distributed. This breakfast cereal, and butter, and jelly, as well as a real variety of all kinds of sweets, from caramel to toffees and chocolates. All of them will seem very tasty to someone who loves the rich and bright taste of maple juice. Of course, they are less useful than pure syrup, but it’s quite reasonable to buy such treats as a souvenir or just eat them sometimes.
Maple Syrup Baking
To get a real Canadian flavor as bright as possible, try making cupcakes. Take 2 chicken eggs, 100 grams of fresh butter, 225 milliliters of maple syrup, 3 or 4 apples, 2.5 cups flour, a tablespoon of baking powder, a teaspoon of table salt, as much cinnamon and nutmeg. Turn on the oven immediately and preheat to one hundred and seventy degrees. Beat eggs by adding butter. Pour the syrup into the mass and pour the finely chopped apples, mix everything thoroughly. Sift flour with baking powder and spices into the dough, mix and arrange according to the molds. Bake for twenty minutes, after which fragrant muffins will be ready to serve. Bon appetit and good mood!