Maple syrup explored as a potential sugar substitute

A study published in The Journal of Nutrition found that substituting two tablespoons of pure maple syrup, instead of refined sugars, reduced several cardiometabolic risk factors in humans. The placebo-controlled clinical trial explored potential health benefits of maple syrup in humans.

“We know from decades of research that maple syrup is more than just sugar. It contains over 100 natural compounds, including polyphenols, that are known to prevent disease in part through their anti-inflammatory effects,” said Dr André Marette, lead scientist on the study. “Because the fundamental chemistry of maple syrup is unique, I wondered if ingesting maple syrup instead of an equivalent amount of refined sugar would differently impact the cardiometabolic health and the intestinal microbiota in humans. The results were extremely encouraging. I did not expect to see so many improvements of risk factors within a relatively short treatment period.”

The study was conducted by a Laval University team led by Marette at the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute and Dr Marie-Claude Vohl at the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods.

Forty-two volunteers from the Québec area, between the ages of 18 and 75 in good health, and with a BMI of 23–40, participated in the study. Participants substituted 5% of their daily caloric intake (corresponding to two tablespoons) from refined sugars with either Canadian maple syrup or an artificially flavoured sucrose syrup. Each phase lasted eight weeks with participants switching between maple syrup and sucrose syrup groups after a four-week washout period.

Study participants who consumed pure maple syrup are reported to have had an improved response to the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) than those who received a flavoured syrup of refined sugar. Their bodies managed blood sugar levels better after eating (-50.59 vs +29.93).

Blood pressure was also lowered in the subjects who consumed maple syrup during the trial. “Lowering blood pressure continues to be an important factor in lessening the risk of cardiovascular disease,” Marette said. “Natural sweeteners, such as pure maple syrup, when substituted for refined sugars, can be part of an overall solution in helping to prevent metabolic diseases.”

The maple syrup trial showed that android fat mass, the fat in the abdominal region, significantly decreased in the maple syrup group as compared to an increase in the group consuming the sucrose solution (-7.83 g vs +67.61 g).

An unexpected discovery was the improved levels of potentially beneficial gut bacteria and a decrease in levels of potentially harmful gut bacteria in the maple syrup participants. The study showed a reduction in Klebsiella species and Bacteroides pectinophilus, which are linked to inflammation and metabolic disorders, and the increased growth of beneficial bacteria like Lactocaseibacillus casei and Clostridium beijerinckii.

“Both individually and collectively, the study findings are quite significant,” Marette said. “The combined decrease of such key risk factors may help to reduce the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”

“While this study was limited to a relatively small sample size (42 men and women) and took place during a relatively short duration of time, the results are still significant,” Marette said.

“We now have human evidence to support replacing refined sugars with maple syrup, a natural sweetener, for preventing metabolic diseases. Our next goal is to conduct larger studies with other populations to explore how replacing refined sugars with maple syrup might impact their unique health conditions.”

Image credit: Maple from Canada.