What Are You Eating: Syrup v. Maple Syrup

Wednesday's What Are You Eating - My daughter's extensive list of unusual and changing food allergies has ruled my food life for almost two years. During these years, I've learned a lot about our Nation's food supply. My hope is to share a little bit of what I've learned so that awareness might increase about our food

When I was a young child, my aunt spoiled me rotten with delicious food. I mean, seriously, delicious food! Every morning, there were fresh berries, like-homemade jams, and cereals on the table. She had sourdough bread shipped in from San Francisco. She had the most amazing chocolate covered raspberries (Bissinger's) I've ever had in my entire life. Yes. They are worth the price! The dark chocolate is my favorite.

She also treated me to real maple syrup. I had never eaten real maple syrup until I ate it at her house. In fact, I used to not like pancakes, waffles, etc, UNTIL I ate them with real maple syrup at her house. My mom and my husband have (sarcastically) thanked her for this revelation many-a-times. I won't order pancakes, french toast, or waffles at a restaurant until the wait-staff has guaranteed to me the type of syrup they serve. Yup. It's an illness.

Here's the deal, though: unless you're eating real maple syrup, you're not eating any maple syrup. Don't believe me? Read the Aunt Jemima label:

Aunt Jemima: CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WATER, CELLULOSE GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, SALT, SODIUM BENZOATE AND SORBIC ACID (PRESERVATIVES), ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE.

Still don't believe me? Here's Mrs. Butturworth's label:

Mrs. Butterworth: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Water, Salt, Cellulose Gum, Molasses, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Natural and Artifical Flavor (Caramel Color, Corn Syrup), Artificial Flavor, Citric Acid, Caramel Color, Mono and Diglycerides.

How does that mix of chemicals sound with your pancake?! No wonder I wouldn't touch breakfast foods for so long! 

Do you want to know what's in my syrup? 

Yep, just maple syrup. Straight from the tree to the boiling tank. You really don't need to buy organic maple syrup, btw. It's what Trader Joe's had, though, so I bought it. 

Besides the lack of chemicals being healthy, there are some other health benefits to maple syrup. A researcher out of Rhode Island, Navindra Seeram, has found that pure maple syrup has 20 compounds beneficial to human health. This article is linked from his university webpage, if you'd like to read it.  

Of course, I'm not sure how much I want to promote real maple syrup because it has limited availability. I don't want you to buy all my maple syrup! Check back tomorrow for a delicious French Toast Casserole recipe to eat with your syrup!