(NaturalNews) To be sold under the name "maple syrup" in the United States, a product must contain nothing but the concentrated sap of the maple tree, with the exception of certain minor approved additives such as salt. Products labeled as Vermont Maple Syrup may have no additives at all.
Maple syrup production begins by drilling one to three holes into the trunks of maple trees during the early spring, when the sap begins to rise. A metal or plastic spout is then inserted into each hole, so that the sugary sap can be gathered into a bucket or plastic tubing, depending on the collection method.
Because the sap is only 2 percent sucrose by weight, it is then boiled, evaporated or concentrated to increase the sugar concentration to 66.9 percent. Mineral solids are then filtered out, but not the natural mineral enzymes that give maple syrup its distinctive flavor.
Recent research indicates maple syrup may have
powerful medicinal benefits. As we reported here on NaturalNews last year:
"Navindra Seeram and her colleagues from the University of Rhode Island discovered that maple syrup contains 20 unique health-promoting compounds, 13 of which have never before been identified in maple syrup. And according to a release from United Press International, five of the compounds identified have never been previously identified in nature at all." (
http://www.naturalnews.com/031957_maple_syrup_diabetes.html)
These compounds are believed to help prevent both diabetes and cancer. More research may shed additional light on the true benefits of these unique compounds.
Source: 25 Amazing (and Weird) Facts about How Food is Made and Where it Comes From, authored by Mike Adams and David Guiterrez. This report reveals shocking but true things that will blow your mind about how food is actually made.
Click here to download the full report (FREE) (PDF Adobe Acrobat, non-DRM), and you'll learn about weird food ingredients, food manufacturing processes and bizarre food sources. FREE report from NaturalNews.com.
Additional sources:http://vermontmaple.org/make-maple-syrup.phphttp://vermontmaple.org/maple-faq.phphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple_syrup
About the author: Mike Adams is an award-winning journalist and holistic nutritionist with a passion for teaching people how to improve their health He has authored and published thousands of articles, interviews, consumers guides, and books on topics like health and the environment, reaching millions of readers with information that is saving lives and improving personal health around the world. Adams is a trusted, independent journalist who receives no money or promotional fees whatsoever to write about other companies' products. In mid 2010, Adams produced NaturalNews.TV, a natural health video sharing website offering user-generated videos on nutrition, green living, fitness and more. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also a noted pioneer in the email marketing software industry, having been the first to launch an HTML email newsletter technology that has grown to become a standard in the industry. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and practices nature photography, Capoeira, martial arts and organic gardening. He's also author a large number of health books offered by Truth Publishing and is the creator of numerous reference website including NaturalPedia.com and the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. His websites also include the free reference sites HerbReference.com and HealingFoodReference.com. Adams believes in free speech, free access to nutritional supplements and the innate healing ability of the human body.
Have comments on this article? Post them here:
people have commented on this article.