Why choose maple? First and foremost, for pure enjoyment! Its unique sweet taste, beneficial properties, and nutritional values are undeniable.
Maple Syryp Harvest
Even before the arrival of the first Europeans in New France, the First Nations had discovered some of the virtues of maple sap. Together, they learned how to make maple sugar and syrup.
The flow of maple water, known as sap, is a characteristic phenomenon in the eastern region of North America. It occurs every spring, usually between mid-March and late April, when night and day temperatures fluctuate between freezing and thawing. Nowadays, maple water is collected through complex tubing systems that transport the water to sugar bushes, where it undergoes the initial transformation process of boiling and concentrating the maple water. The resulting syrup is then packaged in barrels for sale to buyers.
The annual maple water harvests are subject to the whims of Mother Nature and can vary greatly from year to year. For example, the respective yields in 2020, 2021, and 2022 were 175 million pounds, 133 million pounds, and 211 million pounds. Production surpluses, if any, are stored in the strategic reserve of the Quebec Maple Syrup Producers to meet buyers’ future demands, especially in years of lower harvests.
The Benefits of Maple Syrup
Pure 100% Quebec maple syrup is a unique natural product made from a single ingredient: maple sap. It is sterile, gluten-free, and entirely plant-based. Our syrup contains no artificial colorings, flavors, or preservatives. In tablet form, it can be stored for 18 to 36 months, depending on the type of container used. It is rich in numerous essential nutrients, including minerals, vitamins, amino acids, phytohormones, and polyphenols.
Maple syrup is simply the best sweetening agent on the market and a sugar alternative for many recipes or everyday uses, such as in coffee and yogurt.
Nutritional Value
A 60 ml (1/4 cup) serving of maple syrup contains the minerals we need to meet our daily nutritional requirements: 72% manganese, 27% riboflavin, 17% copper and 6% calcium.
A Source of Energy
In terms of energy, maple syrup is also a highly effective natural fuel for active people, providing simple carbohydrates that are easily converted into glucose.
The Differences between Syrups
There are two grades of syrup in Canada: Grade A for sale to consumers, and Processing Grade for syrup used as an ingredient in processed food products.
Four color classes have been established for sale to consumers, based on their percentage of light transmission:
- Golden, delicate taste
- Amber, rich taste
- Dark, robust taste
- Very Dark, strong taste
All syrups sold to consumers must meet impeccable quality standards, according to criterias pre established by the industry, and possess the characteristic maple flavor.