What is maple syrup?
Maple syrup is the mixture of sugars formed when the sap of sugar maple trees is boiled down to a thick syrup. Maple sugar contains about 33% water and 60% sucrose. The remainder is a mixture of glucose, other sugars and minute traces of naturally present acids, minerals and some B-vitamins. What is dextrose? Dextrose is the commercial name used for the crystalline glucose produced from starch. If the crystallized dextrose (glucose) contains no water, it is listed as “dextrose anhydrous” or “anhydrous dextrose” in an ingredient statement. If the crystallized dextrose contains one molecule of water, it will be listed as “dextrose” or “dextrose monohydrate” in an ingredient statement. The majority of the dextrose listed in food ingredient statements began as cornstarch. Food manufacturers may list dextrose produced from cornstarch as “corn sugar” in an ingredient statement. If the dextrose comes from another source like rice or wheat, the ingredient list would read “rice sugar” or “wheat
Maple syrup is made from the sap of the sugar maple tree. After collecting the sap, it is boiled until it’s thick and syrupy. Maple syrup is graded according to color and flavor. Generally, US grades are: Fancy or Grade AA, a light amber colored syrup with a mild flavor; Grade A is medium amber and mellow-flavored; Grade B is dark amber and hearty flavored; and Grade C is very dark with a robust, molasses-like flavor. Since the processing of maple syrup is labor-intensive, pure maple syrup is quite expensive. Pure maple syrup should be refrigerated after opening.
Maple syrup is a viscous sweetener derived from maple tree sap. Many people use it in baking in place of sugar or other sweeteners, some use it in tea instead of honey, and it is frequently used as a topping for pancakes, waffles, and other breakfast foods. Since true maple syrup is rather expensive, a wide range of imitation syrups exist, containing little to no actual maple syrup. Maple syrup originated in the northeast region of North America, and it is in this region where the bulk of the world’s maple syrup is still produced. Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and the eastern portion of Canada are all known for their fine maple syrups, each with slightly different flavor qualities. Maple syrup is produced by tapping maple trees to release and collect their sap. A tree’s sap is the fluid that, much like blood in animals, carries water and food to different parts of the tree to keep it nourished. A mature maple produces about ten gallons (40 liters) of sap in a given season, after which
