Maple syrup may reduce cardiometabolic risk: study

A new study presented to the Maple Syrup producers of Quebec suggests that maple sugar may have some health benefits compared to regular refined white sugar.

Dr Andre Marette, a medical researcher specializing in endocrinology, studied the metabolism of 42 people over two months by providing them with servings of white sugar, then replacing it with maple sugar. Once the study was completed, the study revealed that maple sugar actually reduced certain cardiometabolic risk factors.

"When we are giving participants maple syrup instead of giving them an equivalent amount of sucrose, we are improving the way they're handling sucrose, so their glycemic control is improved." Dr Marette told CTV News.

What's more, his team found that there could be an incidence on weight loss.

"We've also seen change in the abdominal fat, in those individuals, as well as a small reduction in blood pressure," added Dr Marette.

For maple producers, this is good news. Quebec is responsible for 72 per cent of the world's production of maple syrup.

"Like we have done for the past 20 years, (the purpose of the study is) really to deepen the knowledge on the product and its properties to help improve maple products to consumers," said Simon Doré-Ouellet, from the Quebec Maple Producers Association.

His conclusions have yet to be peer-reviewed by other scientists in this field. While the sample size was relatively small, Dr Marette thinks it clears the way for future research, but it's also drawing criticism.

"To suggest that replacing a spoonful of sugar with a spoonful of maple syrup is gonna have a significant effect on anyone's life is, I think, wishful thinking," said chemist Dr Joe Schwarcz, director of the McGill Office for Science and Society.

"By all means, put Quebec maple syrup on your pancakes, it is better than corn syrup," he added. "Why? Because it tastes better."

"It would be important to validate them in other populations, in other studies, and this is what we hope to do in the future," noted Dr Marette.