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When
you want to satisfy your sweet tooth, don't forget
to consider using maple syrup which contains fewer
calories and a higher concentration of minerals
than honey.
Maple syrup is one of the many wonders of the world.
This viscous amber liquid with its characteristic
earthy sweet taste is made from the sap of the sugar.
Maple syrup comes from the boiled down sap of the
sugar maple tree. The process of creating maple
syrup begins with tapping (piercing) the tree, which
allows the sap to run out freely. The sap is clear
and almost tasteless and very low in sugar content
when it is first tapped. It is then boiled to evaporate
the water producing syrup with the characteristic
flavor and color of maple syrup and sugar content
of 60%. It takes
40 gallons of sap to boil down to one gallon of
maple syrup. After the syrup
has been boiled, it must be strained, cooled, and
boiled again. It is first graded, and then ready
for containers.
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Health
Benefits
Maple syrup is sweet - and we're not just talking
flavor. Maple syrup, as an excellent source
of manganese and a good source of zinc.
Sweeten Your Antioxidant Defenses
The trace mineral manganese is an essential
cofactor in a number of enzymes important in
energy production and antioxidant defenses.
For example, the key oxidative enzyme superoxide
dismutase, which disarms free radicals produced
within the mitochondria (the energy production
factories within our cells), requires manganese.
One ounce of maple syrup supplies 22.0% of the
daily value for this very important trace mineral.
Be Sweet to Your Heart with Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is a good sweetener to use if you
are trying to protect the health of your heart.
The zinc supplied by maple syrup, in addition
to acting as an antioxidant, has other functions
that can decrease the progression of atherosclerosis.
Zinc is needed for the proper function of endothelial
cells and helps to prevent the endothelial damage
caused by oxidized LDL cholesterol and other
oxidized fats. (The endothelium is the inner
lining of blood vessels.) Endothelial membranes
low in zinc are much more prone to injury. Additionally,
studies have found that in adults deficient
in manganese, the other trace mineral amply
supplied in maple syrup, the level of HDL (the
"good" cholesterol) is decreased.
Sweet Support for Your Immune System
Zinc and manganese are important allies in the
immune system. Many types of immune cells appear
to depend upon zinc for optimal function. Particularly
in children, researchers have studied the effects
of zinc deficiency (and zinc supplementation)
on their immune response and their number of
white blood cells, including specific studies
on T lymphocytes, macrophages, and B cells (all
types of white blood cells important for immune
defenses). In these studies, zinc deficiency
has been shown to compromise numbers of white
blood cell and immune response, while zinc supplementation
has been shown to restore conditions to normal.
In addition to the role played by zinc, the
manganese in maple syrup is important since,
as a component of the antioxidant SOD, it helps
lessen inflammation, thus supporting healing.
In addition, manganese may also act as an immunostimulant.
Real Healthy Men Use Maple Syrup
Maple syrup may help to support reproductive
health and provides special benefits for men.
Zinc is concentrated more highly in the prostate
than in any other human tissue, and low levels
of zinc in this gland relate to a higher risk
for prostate cancer. In fact, zinc is a mineral
used therapeutically by healthcare practitioners
to help reduce prostate size. Manganese may
also play a role in supporting men's health
since, as a catalyst in the synthesis of fatty
acids and cholesterol, it also participates
in the production of sex hormones, thus helping
to maintain reproductive health. |
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Few Quick Serving Ideas:
Maple syrup, used in place of table sugar
as a sweetener, gives tea and coffee a unique
taste.
Pour some maple syrup on oatmeal topped with
walnuts and raisins.
Add maple syrup and cinnamon to puréed
cooked sweet potatoes.
Combine maple syrup with orange juice and
tamari and use as a marinade for baked tofu
or tempeh.
Spread peanut butter on a piece of whole wheat
toast, top with sliced bananas and then drizzle
maple syrup on top for a sweet, gooey treat.
Another great thing about
maple syrup is that it's better for you than
sugar. Sugar doesn't digest, it goes directly
into the blood stream causing a rise in blood
sugar. Usually the swift rises are then followed
by a sharp decline. Maple syrup, however,
is one of the few sweet treats that does digest
in the system helping to keep the blood sugar
more even. So it not only tastes good, but
is also good for you. We use maple syrup all
the time as a sugar alternative.
Maple can be substituted
for granular sugar in almost any baked product
with the following modifications to the recipe:
• Use 1-1/2 cup of syrup for each 1
cup of granulated sugar.
• Decrease the liquid in a recipe by
one-half.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon soda for each cup
of maple syrup used in substitution.
• Decrease oven temperature by 25 degrees
F.
Maple syrup is also one of
the three ingredients in "the
lemonade diet" also called "the
master cleanser"... |
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Our
maple syrup is produced from right here
in Bedford County by a local dairy farmer. |
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