Types of syrup infographic

When agave hit the markets a few years ago everybody thought it was the answer to sweetening foods. People thought it was better than honey because it has a lower glycemic index but in reality honey is less processed and contains slightly less calories with more minerals the agave.

Both honey and agave are about 60-90% fructose making them as comparable to high fructose corn syrup. They are noted by the American Diabetic Society to be consumed in moderation and although agave is said to be lower on the glycemic table than honey, studies have shown that agave affects your blood sugar the same way as honey. When it comes to antioxidant content, dark honey and  pure maple syrup come in much higher than agave. (1)

This means you can toss your agave and if you want to keep using a natural sweetener turn to good old natural maple syrup! Moving forward I will compare natural honey and pure maple Syrup.

LET’S COMPARE NATURAL HONEY TO 100% PURE MAPLE SYRUP

1 tbsp of pure maple syrup = 52 calories 13 grams of carbohydrates, 12 grams are from sugars. These sugars are primarily from sucrose, which is a complex sugar that your body breaks down to the simple sugars fructose and glucose at a one-to-one ratio. Studies show that sucrose is easily metabolized and stimulates liver and muscle glycogen during exercise. Which makes it a great fuel source to improve performance and endurance during a workout as well as a good source of carbs post exercise to speed up recovery.

1 tbsp of honey= 64 calories 17 grams of carbohydrates, 17 are sugars. These sugars are mostly from fructose with small amount from glucose & sucrose.

It is not the amount of carbs per serving but they type of carbohydrates which makes Maple Syrup the ideal choice for natural sweetener. Athletes should be even more aware of this because our objective is to replenish nutrients including glycogen (carbs) as quickly as possible. Unlike sucrose, fructose (found in honey) will not generate insulin secretion which is needed to transport glucose to your cells & skeletal muscle. That process is what is what helps our muscles grow and replaces energy after a hard workout. Fructose will bypass the muscles and go directly to the liver.

VITAMINS & MINERALS

Honey has more of vitamins C and B6 but maple syrup contains minerals including iron, calcium, zinc, manganese, potassium, magnesium, copper, and manganese. Maple syrup also contains a ton of antioxidants more of the other B vitamins such as B1, B2 and B5 than honey.

CONCLUSION

When looking for an ideal way to get in carbohydrates from a natural food source or sweetener 100% pure maple syrup should be your preferred choice over agave or honey ! It’s quickly absorbed by your body to optimally refuel and repair after workouts, loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It adds a kick to any post workout shake and is a great addition to protein pancakes. Keep in mind, like any other sugar, maple syrup should be used in moderation and is best to consume as close to your workout time as possible.

 

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