Honestly, who in their right minds would not enjoy warm pancakes with a dash of butter and a good helping of maple syrup, especially if you want to satisfy that sweet tooth in the morning? Maple syrup has been around for ages, and has always been a cupboard and table staple in many homes. The high grade ones usually contain relatively low levels of sugars (as compared to imitation syrups) and this property makes eating or incorporating the syrup in drinks and dishes ideal for providing that much needed energy boost in the morning. Aside from that, 100 grams or 6 ½ tablespoons of syrup in the morning can also provide about: 67 mg. Of calcium, 67.09 grams of carbohydrates, .20 grams of fat, 1.20 mg. Of iron, 14 mg. Of magnesium, 0.036 mg. Of pantothenic acid or Vitamin B5, 204 mg. Of potassium, .01 mg. Riboflavin or Vitamin B2, and 4.16 mg. Of zinc (according to the USDA Nutrient database.
So aside from drizzling maple syrup on your pancakes, how else can you enjoy this sweet concoction? You could top the syrup on your favorite breads and hot cereals. Freshly baked raisin rye bread would benefit a lot from a good dousing of maple syrup; and instead of placing honey or sugar on your oatmeal, why not add a dash of this amber colored liquid instead and match it with fresh fruits of your choice. Speaking of sugar, you can improve the taste of your baked goods greatly by using this syrup instead of sugar for baked beans, meat-filled pastries, sweet pies, and roasted meat. If you combine maple syrup with butter or margarine, you have a sweet mix you can use to glaze over your freshly cooked doughnuts, fried sweet potatoes or pureed winter squash. Adding a dollop or two into your favorite drinks should also provide that slightly different tang and this works well for coffee, hot toddies, milkshake and tea. You might also want to try incorporating a teaspoon or two of canadian maple syrup in your hamburger or sausage mix.
To make sure that you really enjoy the taste and the healthful benefits of maple syrup, try to buy only the genuine thing. There are imitation products out there that look and taste just like the real thing, but these are made from fructose sugar – or basically, commercialized sugar that is used in candy production. These imitation products contain very little maple sap and are likely to cause a lot of medical concerns that range from elevated blood sugar to tooth decay. It would also be wise to choose the maple syrup according to how you intend to use it. High grade products (very lightly colored) are perfect for drizzling and for adding to drinks and cooked dishes. Lower grade products (darker in color) are more suitable for cooking, baking and marinating purposes. You can store unopened bottles in cool dry places, but you might want to stick an already opened bottle of syrup in the fridge to extend its shelf life. Throw out any maple syrup bottle that already have mold growth, as the mold may have contaminated the entire bottle content.