Experts recommend maple syrup with breakfast

A successful lifestyle icon, Martha Stewart is also internationally respected for her culinary expertise. The celebrity’s official website recently consulted a range of dieticians regarding better breakfast choices for enhanced energy health and maple syrup was suggested as an alternative sweetener.

Experts ranged from sports nutritionists to dedicated dieticians and represented medical centres, universities and the Institute of Culinary Education, who mentioned maple syrup as an option for both food and drink choices.

Natural maple syrup brings many benefits to the breakfast table for those seeking a healthier start. With a lower glycaemic index than refined sugar, it has a high antioxidant content helping protect cells from chronic disease and oxidative stress. Rich in manganese, it supports metabolism and bone health and provides essential minerals including zinc, potassium and iron, sustaining cardiovascular and immune functions.

Breakfasters were advised by the experts to avoid flavoured oatmeal products and choose traditional rolled oats instead, sweetened with natural maple syrup and chopped fruit. Syrup was also recommended in lattes over standard sugar, a sweetener which now has associations with higher risks of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, poor bone health and causing unwanted weight gain.

Although all Grade A maple syrups are equal in quality and sugar content, they are sometimes better suited to different breakfast dishes and drinks. While amber rich and golden delicate maple syrup are ideal for pouring over healthy breakfast favourites like yoghurt with granola and porridge oats, darker more robust syrups are advised for hot drinks like coffee as they hold on to their nutritional value and delicious flavour when warmed.