Is Maple Syrup Refined Sugar?

We all know that it’s important to enjoy sugary foods in moderation, but it’s not always easy to limit our intake of this sweet-tasting carbohydrate. 

If you’re looking to lead a healthier diet while still getting your sugar fix, natural sugars offer a more nutritious alternative to refined sugars. 

If you’re a fan of maple syrup, you may be wondering what category it falls into. So, is maple syrup a refined sugar? And what benefits does it offer? Let’s find out!

What is refined sugar?

Before we dive into the nutritional makeup and benefits of maple syrup, it’s important to establish what actually constitutes a refined sugar. 

While most sugars stem from plant sources, refined sugars are processed in a way that removes most of their vitamins and minerals, leaving them with little to no nutritional value. 

Here are some examples of refined sugars: 

• Caster sugar 

• Brown sugar 

• Sugar syrup 

• Corn syrup 

• Golden syrup 

These sweeteners come from products like corn, sugar cane and sugar beets, but by the time they have been refined, the nutrients naturally present in the plant source are lost.

Most refined sugars are processed using additives like colourings, flavourings and preservatives, making them even unhealthier. 

The result tends to be an artificially sweet, energy-dense product that’s high in calories but lacking any kind of healthy carbohydrates, vitamins or minerals. 

Due to their extremely high sugar content, refined sugars break down in the body very quickly, leading to sudden spikes in insulin and blood sugar levels.

Refined sugar vs natural sugar

Unlike refined sugars, natural sugars retain many of the nutrients from the plant source through the production process, generally making them the healthier option. 

Natural sugars still have a high sugar content, so it’s best to limit consumption, however they also provide nutrients like fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

These sugars are found in a variety of foods and drinks, from the fructose in cherries and bananas to the lactose in a glass of milk. 

There are plenty of natural sweeteners available in Australian supermarkets that offer greater nutritional value than the refined sugars listed above.

Is maple syrup a refined sugar?

Pure Canadian maple syrup – that is, maple syrup free from additives – is a natural sugar, not a refined sugar. This is because it is processed in a way that preserves the nutrients from the plant source, which include riboflavin, manganese and various antioxidants. 

This makes maple syrup one of the few sweeteners that’s widely available in Australian supermarkets and considered a natural sugar, offering itself as a more nutritious option than refined sugars like caster sugar, brown sugar and golden syrup.

Pure maple syrup is derived from just a single ingredient – maple tree sap – which is harvested during spring when a unique set of weather conditions push the sap out from the roots up toward the trunk and branches.

Small holes are inserted into maple trees to extract the sap. From here, it’s transported to a sugar shack and then boiled for a few hours to reduce the water content and thicken the consistency. 

Once the sugar content in the sap reaches 66%, it has officially become maple syrup – and that’s it! No artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives are used during production, preserving the natural taste and nutritional value of the sap.

Learn more about the maple production process below.

Pure maple syrup vs maple-flavoured syrup

While it’s true that pure maple syrup contains natural sugars, maple-flavoured syrup – an imitation product that’s heavily processed and has artificial additives – is made up entirely of refined sugar. 

If you’re looking for the natural, more nutritious option, make sure your bottle of maple syrup is labelled ‘100% pure’ or ‘organic’. This way you’ll know that it’s derived solely from maple sap. 

Bottles described as ‘maple-flavoured’, on the other hand, will often not contain any maple extract. Instead, they are usually made with processed ingredients like inverted sugar syrup and high-fructose corn syrup. 

While these two sweeteners stem from plant sources, they are processed in a way that removes virtually all their nutrients. In addition, artificial colourings and flavourings are often added, further reducing the product’s nutritional value. 

Pure maple syrup and maple-flavoured syrup are often placed side by side in Australian supermarkets. To the untrained eye, they may look similar, but the former is a natural sugar while the other is heavily refined.

Learn more about the differences between maple syrup and maple-flavoured syrup below.

How does maple syrup compare to refined sugar?

As the names suggest, refined sugars and natural sugars like pure maple syrup are both high in sugar. As such, they should be enjoyed in moderation. However, if you are to pick one, natural sugars offer added nutritional value as they contain vitamins and minerals.

Compared to both caster sugar and golden syrup – two of the most popular refined sugars – maple syrup has fewer calories per portion as well as less sugar and a lower glycaemic index. 

A closer look at the nutritional breakdown of these sweeteners shows that the refined sugars are essentially just pure sugar. Maple syrup is comparatively lower in sugar and supplemented by micronutrients in the form of riboflavin and manganese.

Maple syrup also has the added benefit of containing various antioxidants. Scientists have identified 67 different polyphenols – a family of plant-based compounds with antioxidant properties – in maple sap.

In 2023, a landmark study into the effects of replacing refined sugar with an equivalent amount of maple syrup found strong evidence to suggest maple syrup is the healthier option.

In the space of eight weeks, the experimental group that swapped refined sugar for maple syrup reported a reduction in blood pressure and belly fat as well as improved glycaemic response.

Learn more about the benefits of maple syrup over sugar below.

Maple syrup: an all-natural ingredient

If you’re trying to avoid refined sugars but still want to satisfy your sweet tooth, it’s good to know that pure Canadian maple syrup is a completely natural product that offers greater nutritional benefits than processed sweeteners like caster sugar, brown sugar and golden syrup.

Not only is it healthier, but its more complex flavour also makes it more versatile! Don’t believe us? Check out our range of maple syrup recipes to discover the many ways maple syrup can be incorporated into your cooking!