Most of your (artificially flavored) syrups such as Aunt Jemima or Mrs. Butterworth’s have zero nutritional content. They are mainly composed of high fructose corn syrup, artificial maple flavor, and preservatives. They contain very little syrup and a lot of additives to make it taste like syrup. You should avoid these at all costs.

Don’t Choose This:
Aunt Jemima Ingredients:
CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WATER, CELLULOSE GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, SALT, SODIUM BENZOATE AND SORBIC ACID (PRESERVATIVES), ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE.

Mrs. Butterworth’s Ingredients:
Corn Syrup High Fructose, Corn Syrup, Water, Salt, Cellulose Gum, Molasses, Potassium Sorbate Preservative, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Citric Acid, Caramel Color, Flavor(s) Natural & Artificial

Choose This:
Organic Grade B organic maple syrup, although pricey, is well worth the cost. It is darker in color and has a robust flavor. Maple syrup, in its unrefined pure form, contains a ton of nutritional benefits and should have a spot on every pantry shelf (or refrigerator)! It contains no fat, and has only 52 calories per tablespoon. It is a great sweetener option. It also provides vitamins and minerals in their naturally occurring forms such as vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and C, iron, choline, calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, copper, phosphorous, sulfur and silicon. The organic is important in maple syrup due to the processing; in conventional processing, a synthetic (chemical) de-foaming agent/emulsifier is used when cooking down the syrup, whereas in organic maple processing, it is either eliminated or a safe alternative to this chemical is used. Read this article.

Grade A is a more processed form of maple syrup, and many of the benefits listed above are eliminated during the processing procedure.

Organic Grade B maple syrup is a delicious and nutritious option when used in moderation. So the next time you need a syrup for pancakes or waffles or if you just need a sweetener for a recipe, consider Organic Grade B Maple syrup! You can find it in whole food stores or most supermarkets. You can also order it online here.

5 Comments

  1. Carma Hedrick on January 14, 2014 at 3:26 pm

    Costco carries Grade A- what is the difference with Grade B? Thanks



    • Shawna Culp on March 12, 2014 at 8:50 pm

      it is pure and less processed



  2. Linda Engel on May 10, 2014 at 5:02 pm

    Having grown up in Vermont, I can say that basically the only difference is how long the sap is boiled. There may be a bit more filtering. I prefer grade A because that’s what I grew up on, but there is no health or quality difference (just a deeper taste & darker color). ENJOY



  3. Mia on January 29, 2015 at 2:46 pm

    I’ve been using grade B for over 5 years now, and I can’t stand the taste of the artificial syrups now.



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