One of the he althiest things you can do for your body is to cut down or cut out sugar. When you decide to do it, it's normal to turn to natural and natural sweeteners that not only add a bite of sweetness to your daily life, but also bring you nutrients.
Honey and maple syrup are among the most preferred and he althy natural sweeteners. Due to their liquid texture, they can be used in all kinds of ways, both in dishes, baked goods, desserts and drinks.
Due to their natural origin and minimal processing, honey and maple syrup are saturated with numerous vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, proteins, but also carbohydrates. We must not forget their caloric value. These two useful alternatives to sugar bring a lot of calories to the body, which is why they should not be overdone, just like anything else otherwise he althy.
Despite the similarities between honey and maple syrup, there are some significant differences between them.
The nutritional value of honey per tablespoon:
- 64 calories;
- 0 fat;
- >1 mg sodium;
- 17, 3 g carbs;
- Of which sugars 17.2 g;
- >1 g fiber;
- >1 g protein;
- 1, 26 mg calcium;
- 0.17 mg manganese;
- 0.46 mg zinc;
- 0.08 mg vitamin B2.
Nutritional value of maple syrup for 1 tablespoon:
- 52 calories;
- >1 g fat;
- 2.4 mg sodium;
- 13, 4 g carbs;
- Of which 12, 1 g sugars;
- 0 fiber;
- >1 g protein;
- 20, 4 mg calcium;
- 0.582 mg manganese;
- 0.294 mg zinc;
- 0.254 mg vitamin B2.
How are honey and maple syrup alike?
The similarities between honey and maple syrup come not only from their similar taste, but also from the fact that they contain fairly close amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Almost all of the calories that both products provide come from the carbohydrates and sugars in them. Both types of sweeteners are very rich in antioxidants, important for the prevention of a number of diseases, inflammation in the body, aging.
How are honey and maple syrup different?
Although similar, the two products differ significantly. One of the differences is in calories. Honey is higher in calories than maple syrup. The amount of calories for one tablespoon is only 8 calories more in favor of honey, but if you increase the amount proportionally you will see that for one cup of honey it means a whole 128 calories more than those in maple syrup.
There is also a difference in the amount of carbohydrates in the two natural sweeteners. Those in honey are quite a bit more.
The other difference is in the mineral content. Honey contains small amounts of vitamin C and B. However, you need to consume more honey to get the right amount of these vitamins. While in maple syrup they are more abundant. Maple syrup is also a better source of zinc and manganese.
What are the he alth benefits of honey and maple syrup?
Honey is very useful for the immune system. It can help relieve the symptoms of viral infections, relieve coughs and sore throats. Thanks to the antioxidants in its composition, honey successfully fights free radicals that cause inflammation.
Honey can also help with seasonal allergies. Consuming honey could relieve runny nose, throat irritation and redness, itchy skin.
Maple syrup also has wonderful he alth benefits. Due to the good amounts of manganese and vitamin B2 in its composition, maple syrup is beneficial for bones and normal tissue growth. These substances are also important for the prevention of certain types of cancer, writes verywellhe alth.com.
Maple syrup has a lower glycemic index, making it more suitable for people with various types of impaired glucose tolerance, as well as prediabetes and diabetes.
