Was Elf onto something? Maple syrup ‘could reduce risk of diabetes, heart disease and improve gut health’

ONE of the most famous scenes from the Christmas film Elf is when Buddy (played by Will Ferrell) pours maple syrup over spaghetti explaining it’s one of his four main food groups, along with candy, candy canes and candy corn.

But Buddy might actually be on to something – a new study has found maple syrup could actually be good for your health.

For decades, research has suggested maple syrup is more than just sugar and could actually benefit health in a number of ways.

This is because maple syrup contains over 100 natural compounds, including polyphenols, that are known to prevent disease in part through their anti-inflammatory effects, said Dr Andre Marette, lead scientist on the study.

Because the fundamental chemistry of maple syrup is unique, Dr Marette decided to investigate if ingesting maple syrup instead of an equivalent amount of refined sugar could impact cardiometabolic health and gut health in humans in a different way.

Cardiometabolic health is a measure of an individual’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes, determined by blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood lipids.

Dr Marette said: “The results were extremely encouraging. I did not expect to see so many improvements of risk factors within a relatively short treatment period.”

How the study was carried out

The study included 42 volunteers from the greater Québec city area, between the ages of 18-75 in good health, and with a BMI of 23-40.

They substituted five per cent of their daily caloric intake (the same as two tablespoons) from refined sugars with either Canadian maple syrup or an artificially flavoured sucrose syrup.

Participants switched between maple syrup and sucrose syrup in eight week phases, with a four-week break in between.

The cross-over design ensured the same test subject was his or her own control, consuming both the placebo and maple syrup. 

Participants then took an oral glucose tolerance test, the OGTT.

Researchers also looked at changes in blood lipid profile, blood pressure, body fat composition (measured by DEXA scan) and changes in gut microbiota composition.  

Maple syrup was shown to improve multiple cardiometabolic risk factors, including lower blood sugar, lower blood pressure, reduced abdominal fat and a healthier gut.

Lower blood sugar levels and blood pressure

Study participants who consumed pure maple syrup showed an improved response to the OGTT than those who received a flavoured syrup of refined sugar. 

Their bodies managed blood sugar levels better after eating.

Lower blood pressure was also observed in the subjects who consumed maple syrup during the trial.

Dr Marette said: “Lowering blood pressure continues to be an important factor in lessening the risk of cardiovascular disease.

“Natural sweeteners, such as pure maple syrup, when substituted for refined sugars, can be part of an overall solution in helping to prevent metabolic diseases.”

Reduced visceral fat

Visceral fat is belly fat found deep within your abdominal cavity, surrounding important organs.

High levels of visceral fat can increase your risk of developing serious health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.

But the maple syrup trial showed that android fat mass, the fat in the abdominal region, significantly decreased in those who consumed maple syrup compared to an increase in those that consumed the sucrose solution.

Better gut health

Unexpectedly, it was discovered participants who consumed maple syrup had improved levels of potentially beneficial gut bacteria and a decrease in levels of potentially harmful gut bacteria.

There was a reduction in Klebsiella species and Bacteroides pectinophilus, which are linked to inflammation and metabolic disorders.

Dr Marette noted: “Both individually and collectively, the study findings are quite significant.

“The combined decrease of such key risk factors may help to reduce the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Making a commitment to lifestyle changes and small adjustments to our everyday diets is important and can be a powerful tool in preventing future diseases.”

Dr Marette’s next goal is to conduct larger studies with other populations to explore how replacing refined sugars with maple syrup might impact their unique health conditions.

One of the study participants said in a statement: “Before the study, I would consume pure maple products regularly, but not consistently. I have always enjoyed it. Today my routine is to replace refined sugars with two tablespoons of pure Canadian maple syrup daily.”

The study, published in The Journal of Nutrition, was conducted by a team of scientists at Laval University, Quebec, led by Dr Marette at the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute and Dr Marie-Claude Vohl at the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods.

It was partly funded by Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, which represents 13,500 maple syrup producers and 8,400 maple enterprises.