Many love maple syrup because it has a unique sweet taste making it perfect for many pastry foods including pancakes and waffles. However, maple syrup is not only good because of its taste but also because it of its health benefits. Maple syrup is, firstly, a purely organic substance. It is created by taking fresh sap from maple trees and boiling this sap until it thickens completely into syrup. Absolutely no preservatives added! It has also a lower amount of calories compared to sugarcane but is 3 times sweeter! Therefore, it is a perfect sweetener and ideal for the diabetics. It can be used as your pastry or coffee sweetener rather than honey or white sugar. In the US, grade b maple syrup are classified that way based on their color and flavor. No matter if you choose Canadian maple syrup or some other variety, you will be healthier for it. The health benefits of maple syrup supplies are numerous.
Manganese, a mineral that plays an important role in energy production and antioxidant defenses, is contained also in maple syrup. This is because the so-called “powerhouses” of our body, mitochondria, require manganese for it to be able to produce energy. The enzyme superoxide dismutase that functions in oxidation by disarming free radicals also needs manganese to function properly. Just an ounce of maple syrup is enough to provide our bodies with the daily needed amount of manganese which is 22%.
Aside from this, maple syrup is also good for the heart because it contains zinc. Besides functioning as an antioxidant, zinc also promotes the health of the hearth by decreasing substantially the development of atherosclerosis. Endothelial cells also need it in order to function properly. It has been established that endothelial cells with low levels of zinc are more susceptible to injury.
Furthermore, the doy’s immune system needs these two minerals, zinc and manganese, contained in maple syrup to perform its function correctly. Many immune system cells depend on zinc to properly function optimally, specifically in children. Studies have also shown that poor immune response and an increase in the number of white blood cells are some of the effects of low zinc levels. Moreover, manganese is important for healing since it decreases the swelling of sores and wounds.It also acts as a stimulant of the immune system.
Maple syrup is also very beneficial to reproductive health, especially that of men. This is because the prostate is where zinc is more highly concentrated than in any other tissue in the body. Studies have also shown a link between zinc deficiency and higher risks of prostate cancer and prostatitis development. As a matter of fact, many health care professionals use zinc as a therapeutic remedy that helps reduce the size of the prostate. On the other hand, reproductive health also benefits from manganese because is participates in the production of hormones that stimulate sexual drive.