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The Healthy Benefits of Maple Syrup and Other Maple Products

14th July, 2009 - Posted by health news - No Comments

Maple syrup is popular because of its sweet and unique taste that blends perfectly with waffles, pancakes and other pastry foods. Nonetheless, aside from its sweet tase, maple syrup is good because promotes the health of our body.First and foremost, maple syrup is 100% organic. It is created by taking fresh sap from maple trees and boiling this sap until it thickens completely into syrup. Absolutely no preservatives added! It has also a lower amount of calories compared to sugarcane but is 3 times sweeter! Thus, it can be used as a sweetener and is perfect for individuals with diabetes.Instead of using white sugar or honey for your coffee or baked pastries, many people are using maple syrup as the substitute. In the US, organic grade b maple syrup are classified that way based on their color and flavor. No matter if you choose Canadian maple syrup or some other variety, you will be healthier for it. The health benefits of maple syrup supplies are numerous.
Manganese, a mineral that plays an important role in energy production and antioxidant defenses, is contained also in maple syrup. This is because mitochondria, the energy factories of our body, need manganese in its functioning. Moreover, superoxide dismutase, a body enzyme, needs manganese in order to properly perform its function as an antioxidant by neutralizing the body’s free radicals. The daily consumption requirement for manganese is 22% and this can be given already by just one ounce of maple syrup.
In addition to this, maple syrup contains zinc making it good for the heart. Besides functioning as an antioxidant, zinc also promotes the health of the hearth by decreasing substantially the development of atherosclerosis. Endothelial cells also need it in order to function properly. It has been proven that cells in the endothelium that are low in zinc are more prone to injury.
These two minerals, zinc and manganese, contained in maple syrup are also important factors in the functioning of our immune system. There are a number of cells in the immune system, particularly in children, that rely on zinc for optimal function. It has been shown in studies that a deficiency in zinc also causes a decrease in the number of white blood cells and the ability of the immune system to respond properly. Also, manganese helps in reducing inflammation of wounds and other sores, thereby promoting healing. Furthermore, it functions as a refreshment for the immune system.
Maple syrup is also very beneficial to reproductive health, especially that of men. This is due to the fact that zinc is more highly concentrated in the prostate area than in any other locations in the body. It was also discovered from studies that low levels of zinc in the prostate gland is associated with greater risks of developing prostatitis and prostate cancer. As a matter of fact, many health care professionals use zinc as a therapeutic remedy that helps reduce the size of the prostate. On the other hand, reproductive health also benefits from manganese because is participates in the production of hormones that stimulate sexual drive.