Editing Maple syrup (section)

== Nutrition ==
{{nutritional value | name=Maple syrup
| kJ=1088
| protein=0.04 g
| fat=0.06 g
| carbs=67 g
| sugars=60.4
| calcium_mg=102
| iron_mg=0.11
| magnesium_mg=21
| phosphorus_mg=2
| potassium_mg=212
| sodium_mg=12
| zinc_mg=1.47
| manganese_mg=2.908
| vitC_mg=0
| thiamin_mg=0.066
| riboflavin_mg=1.27
| niacin_mg=0.081
| pantothenic_mg=0.036
| vitB6_mg=0.002
| folate_ug=0
| choline_mg=1.6
| opt1n=Water
| opt1v=32.4 g
| note=[https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169661/nutrients Link to USDA Database entry]
}}

The basic ingredient in maple syrup is the sap from the [[xylem]] of sugar maple or various other species of maple trees. It consists primarily of [[sucrose]] and water, with small amounts of the monosaccharides [[glucose]] and [[fructose]] from the [[inverted sugar]] created in the boiling process.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Sugar Profiles of Maple Syrup Grades |first1=Abby |last1=van den Berg |first2=Timothy |last2=Perkins |first3=Mark |last3=Isselhardt |pages=12–13 |journal=Maple Syrup Digest |date=December 2006 |url=http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc/sugarprof.pdf |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130810105502/http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc/sugarprof.pdf |archivedate=10 August 2013 |accessdate=16 October 2013 }}</ref><ref name=legace/>

In a 100g amount, maple syrup provides 260 [[calorie]]s and is composed of 32 per cent water by weight, 67 per cent [[Carbohydrate|carbohydrates]] (90 per cent of which are sugars), and no appreciable protein or fat (table). Maple syrup is generally low in overall [[micronutrient]] content, although [[manganese]] and [[riboflavin]] are at high levels along with moderate amounts of [[zinc]] and [[calcium]] (right table). It also contains trace amounts of [[amino acid]]s which increase in content as sap flow occurs.<ref name="chem">{{cite book |last1=Morselli |first1=Mariafranca |last2=Whalen |first2=M Lynn |editor1-first=Melvin R |editor1-last=Koelling |editor2-last=Heiligmann |editor2-first=Randall B |title=North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual |chapter-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060701150215/http://ohioline.osu.edu/b856/index.html |year=1996 |publisher=Ohio State University |chapter=Appendix 2: Maple Chemistry and Quality |accessdate=23 September 2016 }}</ref>

Maple syrup contains a wide variety of [[polyphenol]]s and [[volatile organic compound]]s, including [[vanillin]], [[hydroxybutanone]], [[lignan]]s, [[propionaldehyde]], and numerous [[organic acid]]s.<ref name="li-1">{{Cite journal|last1=Li|first1=Liya|last2=Seeram|first2=Navindra P.|date=2011-07-27|title=Further investigation into maple syrup yields 3 new lignans, a new phenylpropanoid, and 26 other phytochemicals|journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry|volume=59|issue=14|pages=7708–7716|doi=10.1021/jf2011613|issn=1520-5118|pmc=3140541|pmid=21675726}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Stuckel|first1=Jackie G.|last2=Low|first2=Nicholas H.|date=1996-04-01|title=The chemical composition of 80 pure maple syrup samples produced in North America|journal=Food Research International|language=en|volume=29|issue=3|pages=373–379|doi=10.1016/0963-9969(96)00000-2|issn=0963-9969}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Liu|first1=Yongqiang|last2=Rose|first2=Kenneth N.|last3=DaSilva|first3=Nicholas A.|last4=Johnson|first4=Shelby L.|last5=Seeram|first5=Navindra P.|date=2017-05-31|title=Isolation, Identification, and Biological Evaluation of Phenolic Compounds from a Traditional North American Confectionery, Maple Sugar|journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry|volume=65|issue=21|pages=4289–4295|doi=10.1021/acs.jafc.7b01969|issn=1520-5118|pmid=28494583}}</ref> It is not yet known exactly all compounds responsible for the distinctive flavour of maple syrup,<ref name="ball">{{Cite journal |title=The Chemical Composition of Maple Syrup |journal=Journal of Chemical Education |date=10 October 2007 |first=David |last=Ball |volume=84 |issue=10 |pages=1647–1650 |doi= 10.1021/ed084p1647}}</ref> although primary flavour-contributing compounds are maple [[2-Furanone|furanone]] (5-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2(5H)-furanone), [[Furaneol|strawberry furanone]], and [[maltol]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Taste Buds and Molecules: The Art and Science of Food, Wine, and Flavor |first=Francois |last=Chartier |publisher= Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |date=30 March 2012 }}</ref> New compounds have been identified in maple syrup, one of which is [[quebecol]], a [[natural phenol]]ic compound created when the maple sap is boiled to create syrup.<ref name=Li>{{cite journal | title = Quebecol, a novel phenolic compound isolated from Canadian maple syrup  | doi = 10.1016/j.jff.2011.02.004 | year = 2011 | last1 = Li | first1 = Liya | last2 = Seeram | first2 = Navindra P. | journal = Journal of Functional Foods| volume = 3 | issue = 2 | page = 125 }}</ref> Its sweetness derives from a high content of [[sucrose]] (99% of total sugars).<ref name="legace">{{Cite journal|last1=Lagacé|first1=Luc|last2=Camara|first2=Mariane|last3=Martin|first3=Nathalie|last4=Ali|first4=Fadi|last5=Houde|first5=Jessica|last6=Corriveau|first6=Stéphane|last7=Sadiki|first7=Mustapha|date=2019-06-01|title=Effect of the new high vacuum technology on the chemical composition of maple sap and syrup|journal=Heliyon|volume=5|issue=6|page=e01786|doi=10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01786|doi-access=free|pmc=6556809|pmid=31198865}}</ref> Its brown colour &ndash; a significant factor in the appeal and quality grading of maple syrup &ndash; develops during thermal [[evaporation]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Perkins|first1=Timothy D.|chapter=Chapter 4 Maple Syrup—Production, Composition, Chemistry, and Sensory Characteristics|date=2009|chapter-url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043452608006049|editor-last=Taylor|editor-first=Steve L.|title=Advances in Food and Nutrition Research|volume=56|pages=101–143|last2=van den Berg|first2=Abby K.|doi=10.1016/S1043-4526(08)00604-9|pmid=19389608|isbn=9780123744395}}</ref>

One author described maple syrup as "a unique ingredient, smooth- and silky-textured, with a sweet, distinctive flavour – hints of caramel with overtones of toffee will not do – and a rare colour, amber set alight. Maple flavour is, well, maple flavour, uniquely different from any other."<ref name="ce"/> [[Agriculture Canada]] has developed a "flavour wheel" that details 91 unique flavours that can be present in maple syrup. These flavours are divided into 13 families: [[vanilla]], burnt, milky, fruity, floral, spicy, foreign (deterioration or fermentation), foreign (environment), maple, confectionery, plant (herbaceous), plant (forest, humus or cereals), and plant (ligneous).{{sfn|Taylor|2011|p=133}}{{sfn|Eagleson|Hasner|2006|pp=71, 73}} These flavours are evaluated using a procedure similar to [[wine tasting]].{{sfn|Eagleson|Hasner|2006|p=74}} Other culinary experts praise its unique flavour.<ref name="Roehl1996">{{cite book|author=Evelyn Roehl|title=Whole Food Facts: The Complete Reference Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H8lwmA52ltIC&pg=PA135|year=1996|publisher=Inner Traditions * Bear & Company|isbn=978-0-89281-635-4|pages=135–136}}</ref><ref name="Davidson1981">{{cite book|author=Alan Davidson|title=Oxford Symposium 1981: National & Regional Styles of Cookery|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zcNdB_sl2JkC&pg=PA251|year=1981|publisher=Oxford Symposium|isbn=978-0-907325-07-9|page=251}}</ref><ref name="Figoni2010">{{cite book|author=Paula I. Figoni|title=How Baking Works: Exploring the Fundamentals of Baking Science|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XqKF7PqV02cC&pg=PA182|date=October 2010|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0-470-39813-5|page=182}}</ref> Environmental factors, including weather and [[soil type]], impact flavor.<ref>{{Cite book |author=Peter Greweling |title=Chocolates & Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner |publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons]] |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-470-42441-4 |edition=2nd |page=6}}</ref>

Maple syrup and its various artificial imitations are widely used as toppings for [[pancake]]s, [[waffle]]s, and [[French toast]] in North America. They can also be used to flavour a variety of foods, including [[fritter]]s, [[ice cream]], [[porridge|hot cereal]], fresh [[fruit]], [[bacon]], and sausages. It is also used as sweetener for [[granola]], [[applesauce]], [[baked beans]], candied [[sweet potato]]es, winter [[Squash (fruit)|squash]], cakes, pies, breads, tea, coffee, and [[hot toddy|hot toddies]].{{sfn|Elliot|2006}}