Maple syrup is without a doubt one of the best and most traditional sweeteners that is easily available today. Supermarkets, buying clubs and healthfood stores alike typically stock a wide variety of brands with consumers increasingly favoring its simple, whole sweetness over genetically modified (GMO) corn syrup or sugar derived synthetic syrups that can cause an acne breakout or a nasty canker sore nearly as fast as you can finish a stack of pancakes at the local diner.
Maple syrup has consistently played an integral part of the economies of North America. Native Americans originally taught the early European settlers how to tap maple trees and boil down the sap to make this sweetener which comes in a variety of hues, with the darker versions the richest tasting and most mineral loaded.
Since maple syrup is a completely natural product that is derived from trees that are decades old in most cases and rarely if ever sprayed, I’ve always assumed that conventional maple syrup is basically the same as organic. Why pay more for maple syrup that has the organic label which is an expensive certification for producers to procure?
I know many consumers who have made the same mistake.
This is far from the bitter truth.
Maple syrup whether grade A or grade B is a highly concentrated sweetener. It takes 10 gallons of maple tree sap water to make one small quart of maple syrup! As a result, any additives or contaminants used in the maple sap extraction process would end up being concentrated in the maple syrup as well.
As it turns out, conventional maple syrup production differs considerably from the practices of organic maple syrup producers. These differences can affect not only the health of the maple trees themselves, but the health of the end consumer as well.
Maple Tree and Sugarbush Impacts
The term “sugar bush” refers to a forest of sugar and/or black maples which is utilized for maple syrup production.
The equipment and processes used to extract the sap, similar to birch water in Slavic countries, has the potential to greatly affect the health not only of the tree but also the sugar bush as a whole. This is why organic producers are required to follow sustainable methods that won’t harm the overall environment in which the maple trees grow.
Specifically, the tubing used to carry sap to the sugarhouse, where the sap is boiled down, cannot damage the trees in any way. This means that nailing any sort of hardware into the tree trunk cannot be used. In addition, the typical conventional practice of using toxic paint to mark trees cannot be used.
The practice of tapping the maple trees to extract the sap can vary widely between conventional and organic producers too. Organic regulations protect tree health by forbidding the practice of overtapping which stresses the tree with too many taps or ones that are overly large in diameter.
Small taps that are .31 inches/.79 cm in diameter are required for organic maple syrup production. In contrast, state regulations may permit conventional producers to use taps with a diameter over 40% larger (.44 inches/1.11 cm). This allowance is likely to cause more damage to trees with the holes healing at a significantly slower rate.
Synthetic Pesticides and Chemicals Fertilizers
While the trees within a sugar bush are rarely sprayed, herbicides like Roundup which contain gut destroying glyphosate and synthetic pesticides may be used to control unwanted vegetation. Glyphosate has been identified by the World Health Organization as a likely human carcinogen (1). It is widely used in conventional agriculture and is linked to development of autoimmune disorders both mild and severe. It has been shown to negatively affect the health and functioning of beneficial bacterial colonies in the gut.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that if glyphosate containing herbicides are used in a conventional sugar bush, that residues will be found in the maple syrup produced from that forest. For me, that is reason enough to never use conventional maple syrup again if I can possibly help it. Unless of course, the only other option is fake syrups made with GMO corn syrup or GMO sugar which would be far worse!
In addition to pesticides and herbicides, chemical fertilizers may be used to hasten tree growth. Chemical fertilizers only replenish nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, which over time depletes other nutrients and minerals that are found in truly fertile, nutrient rich soils.
Cleanliness of the Sugarhouse
Organic maple syrup standards require sugarhouse cleanliness to be maintained in a nontoxic manner. All equipment must be thoroughly cleaned every day during maple syrup season using only certain cleaning chemicals that are deemed nontoxic with the required rinsing process extremely thorough. Machinery and equipment covered by these standards include the reverse osmosis unit, the filter press, sap and syrup holding tanks and evaporator pans.
Conventional sugarhouse cleaning would likely involve toxic cleaners and bleach that many of us would never consider using in our own homes.
Sap Boiling Process
Conventional maple syrup production allows synthetic defoaming agents and emulsifiers to be used during the boiling down of the sap. This includes dangerous food additives such as monoglycerides and diglycerides both of which are synthetically derived factory fats usually of genetically modified origin. They also are nearly guaranteed to contain transfats!
Another additive used is polyethylene glycol (PEG). It is made from ethylene glycol, the main ingredient in antifreeze. Depending on manufacturing process used, PEGs may be contaminated with measurable amounts of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies ethylene oxide as a known human carcinogen and 1,4-dioxane as a possible human carcinogen. Ethylene oxide can also harm the nervous system, and evidence has shown that it may interfere with human development.
Medicinally, PEG is a common ingredient in many laxatives including the chemicals used to clean out the bowel before a colonoscopy. Industrially, PEG is used to keep commercial ice cream from getting too hard and to increase the overall shelf life and stability of foodstuffs among many other uses. Some people who tend toward constipation may wonder why they seem to go to the bathroom so much more easily after eating a big bowl of commercial ice cream. Now you know why.
On the very positive flip side, organic maple syrup producers forgo PEGs completely and use only quality fats as the emulsifiers. This would include certified organic vegetable oils or better still – organic butter.
Lead in Maple Syrup a Cause for Concern
Believe it or not, lead is a big concern with conventional maple syrup production. The lead contamination comes from the old galvanized containers that are used to collect sap and/or the galvanized tanks used to store it. Galvanized pipes in residential homes have been identified as a source of lead in drinking water (2). The same concern extends to galvanized equipment sometimes used in conventional maple syrup production which would, according to the Cornucopia Institute, leach a “significant amount of lead into the sap” (3).
Organic maple syrup production requires the use of stainless steel or food grade plastic. If galvanized drums are used to pack the finished syrup, it must be coated with a resin that will prevent any leeching of lead. The coating is regularly inspected for flaking and if any is detected, the holding drum is discarded.
Which Maple Syrup Do You Choose to Buy?
In conclusion, unless you know a conventional maple syrup farmer personally and can be assured that the abusive agricultural practices described above are not being utilized, it is best to stick with organic maple syrup! This is the brand I typically buy at the healthfood store which frequently has $2 off coupons on the quart size bottles. If there isn’t a coupon available, I will buy this brand or a similar one because I prefer the glass bottle.
Any organic brand should do just fine though!
Note that you really don’t need to refrigerate good quality maple syrup after opening the container as long as you store it in a cool cellar. If you live in a humid, frequently hot environment like I do, however, it is best to keep it cold in the refrigerator. Mold can sometimes form inside the bottle under those conditions.
Source
The Sweet Truth about Maple Syrup
More Information
Yacon: Healthy Syrup or Healthfood Fad?
Beware of Grade B Trickery
My husband makes maple syrup in VT — and I entirely agree that if you can know your producer, you don’t have to buy organic; I also agree that shipping costs are prohibitive, although the jugs we ship do fit into “flat rate” boxes now. As a small producer (1000 trees), becoming certified is too expensive. You have to hire a forestry person to develop a forestry plan and have it reviewed regularly, along with all the other “normal” organic requirements.
Also, I think it’s a national law (Food Modernization Act?) that went into effect this year — all our equipment has to be stainless steel or foodgrade plastic, even though we’re not organic.
Everyone and their mother taps maples (and birches!) in VT. I’ve never seen anyone use an emulsifier of any kind, and I’ve been inside many a sugar shack. All of the commercial tappers near me use big plastic storage containers, you see them everywhere. You never see old metal drums. Home tappers use plastic milk jugs or metal buckets. And why would anyone over-tap their trees? That would be pretty silly, considering that you rely on the health of those trees to make sap every year. Clearing the brush with chemicals is also completely unnecessary, as tapping is done when there is still snow on the ground, and there are no weeds to get in the way.
Maybe this problem only exists for large scale national maple syrup brands? The idea of eating non-local, store bought, emulsified syrup is pretty unappealing, I must admit, but I just don’t trust “big organic” anymore. Maybe you could find a responsible, non-emulsified, traditionally made, small-scale maple syrup maker that will ship to Florida?
Yes, I know one. I’ve actually even done this in the past. But with the outrageous shipping, it’s actually about the same price to buy organic from the healthfood store. Also, I wasn’t able to actually verify the claims of the farm as it was too far for me to travel to check it out.
Another problem .. I got tired if getting shipped Grade A maple syrup mislabeled as Grade B by conventional farms. It happened several times and shipping the stuff back was cost prohibitive. Here’s an article I wrote on this misleading practice with pictures. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/beware-grade-b-maple-syrup-trickery/
Excellent response- this is exactly how we practice tapping and sugaring in VT 🙂
thanks articles of interest
I have a question, how long it can survive freshness maple syrup in the bottle packaging.
SO glad we have an amish source of syrup where we can watch them boil the sap in their home sugar shack. AND you can’t beat the price of $35 per gallon. They are not certified organic, but we know they use organic practices and grow Non GM grains on the farms we purchase from.
A quick look at Field Day Organics, I could not find a list of farms they source from, even country of origin. Do you know the farms that they source the syrup from? Or even just their location? Would they allow a visit to any of the producers of any of their hundreds of products under their label?
I don’t know the list of farms — only that they are all certified organic and do not follow any of the abusive practices listed in this article. I live in Florida which is not a maple syrup haven, so I don’t have the luxury of visiting maple syrup farms to examine closely to confirm practices, therefore I don’t ever buy conventional anymore after learning of this information.
Dear Sarah,
What gades of maple syrup are there? I see “A” and “B” grades offered on Amazon, but am wondering why the organic ones are “B” rather than “A”. Do you have an opinion about the “Grade A Dark Amber Maple Syrup” whose ingredients are listed as only “pure maple syrup” and is a product of Canada (at least in Japan where I live and shop)?
Thanks for all you do. I’m a big fan!
Hi Kevin, I buy Grade B because it is darker, richer tasting, and more mineral rich. I suspect that is why it is labeled organic as folks spending the extra money for organic want the best quality possible. The grading system is supposed to be changing. Here is an article I wrote about the changes. Hope that helps. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/bye-bye-grade-b-maple-syrup/
Wow, sometimes I think you’re a little bit of a freak, lol. I’m organic too, but sometimes there’s no end to the tales people pass around. It’s great to know where all the food you eat comes from, but sometimes it seems like you’re just out to sound the latest ‘bell’ and scare folks from eating anything! Well, all the folks I know making syrup here in Wisconsin are doing a great job, according to your standards… some have even looked into becoming organically certified, however there is a huge cost involved and very little return, incase you didn’t research that end of it, possibly you already know this. We buy wholesale every year from a ‘conventional’ family here, who knows a very large producer and does everything just like you described organic folks have to do it, so I’m guessing that the people who do things wrong are far and few between. Maybe you should come visit a maple syrup state and see for yourself 😉
I’m glad you know your conventional source well enough to trust buying from them. This is exactly what is suggested in the article to do, by the way 🙂 I seriously doubt you know that “all Wisconsin syrup makers” are doing exactly the same as organic standards though! A bit of a stretch and a dangerous assumption, wouldn’t you say?
Another question … if you buy your maple syrup from another family, why are you calling yourself “WisconsinSyrupMaker” as your name? Seems a bit dubious to me .. perhaps your comment is astroturfed?
Why is it a stretch and a dangerous assumption to say ‘All Wisconsin syrup makers are doing the exact same thing as organic certified makers’ but it is fine for you to state that all conventional makers are using abusive chemicals to produce their batches?
The article never said that all conventional producers use these abusive practices. The article even stresses that if you know a conventional producer well and can verify that these practices are not utilized, then by all means support them.
Maple syrup can also be put in the freezer. It continues to stay liquid and does not turn solid. I, too, live in a very humid climate and buy mine once a year in a glass gallon jar and then divy it up in smaller glass jars to be used throughout the year. I keep them in the freezer for freshness.
Wow, I did not know this! Great tip 🙂
Sarah, I still feel your article lacks the citations to be convincing. These “potential abuses” are exactly that – potential – until you can produce a smoking gun.
I too encourage anyone who can to get to know their local maple syrup producer, where they will no doubt find that the “abusive practices” you speak of would not be tolerated. Maple syrup operations are handed down through the generations; if the trees were mistreated and the families who depend on them victims of lead poisoning, this traditional practice would have died out long ago.
You are welcome to your opinion. Interesting that you find someone of Dr. Rigot’s credentials unconvincing. I’m sure there are plenty of smoking guns that Dr. Rigot has witnessed personally else he wouldn’t have put his professional reputation on the line by writing about this subject.
By the way, why don’t you just get an organic certification if your methods are so sustainable? Should be easy to do, yes, if what you claim is true? As for me, I will stick with organic maple syrup and I encourage others to do the same unless they know the conventional producer and can verify production methods used.
Sarah, I’m afraid you must be skimming my responses. I am not a producer.
Ok, thanks. You were certainly commenting as if you were one and were intimately familiar with conventional maple syrup practices.
Sorry, but I live in Quebec, in an area that has a long tradition of maple syrup production (and consumption of course!) and I believe that you are overstating the case against “conventional” maple syrup production and collection.
The people who own these sugar bushes know how to look after their trees. They know the life of the tree depends on using it wisely. As for allowable additives, would you please cite your sources for this claim, for the US as well as Canada?
I live surrounded by sugar bushes and I have never seen “unwanted vegetation” cleared or burned down with chemicals. I would love it if you would offer citation for that claim as well. If you cannot, Sarah, then I must suspect this article to be an advertorial for your preferred brand of maple syrup.
Please see the article for sources 🙂 They are all linked. The primary source is written by Dr. Jérôme Rigot, a Maine-based agricultural researcher and organic certification professional, with broad experience in organic farming, specialty crop production, composting and the culinary arts. Dr. Rigot holds a doctorate in Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry from the University of California at Davis. It would seem that Dr. Rigot would have a lot of knowledge about the maple syrup industry and potential abuses on the conventional side of things.
Also, please note that the potential for poor tree stewardship by conventional maple syrup producers is only one issue. There are many others as mentioned in the article … lead contamination being a big one. If you are a conventional producer and don’t use any of these abusive practices mentioned above, that is wonderful! Perhaps you can make note of this on your label so customers know that even though not organic, you are a quality producer they should support. I suggest this in the article … to get to know a conventional producer to ensure these practices are not used before buying. Otherwise, if this is not possible, organic is the way to go to be sure in order to protect the health of our family and to ensure good environmental stewardship with our food dollars.
Sarah,
I am shocked there are still people like Dr Jerome Rigot out there in this day and age that can produce such garbage and think they can get away with it.
Unfortunately you picked the wrong guy to quote from 1 article in the Cornucopia Institute blog that has no comments allowed. Funny that as they would have had ample complaints proving their claims to be false, one sided and extremely biased to an organisation that is trying to reach into a market it is not needed in.
Dr Rigot may be well versed in his other farming fields but apparently Maple Syrup is not one of them. He is using out dated and false information to promote his organisations attempts to gain a better market share in the Maple Syrup business.
‘May have’, ‘could contain’, ‘likely to use’. These statements are filled in the article with no evidence or substance to their reasons for conventional farmers to use.
As some of the replies stated, proof is needed but you will not find any.
Can you provide a simple picture of an Organic Sugar bush and a natural conventional sugar bush to show us the differences in clearing of the other species of trees and weeds and flowers and what have you?
Can you also provide a list of the conventional sugar bushes that are using the large tap holes or Lead buckets or chemical cleaners for the tubing and Lead holding tanks, etc?
Can you also provide a list of the conventional producers who are using Roundup or any other chemicals in their forest management?
Remember – If any of these truly bad practices were in play today then most of the trees would be dead or not producing Maple Syrup anymore right?
Maple Trees have been around longer than any of us and especially way before any Organic Certifier saw any monetary reason to tap into the market. Those trees have survived centuries. How are they now only producing better quality Maple Syrup since the OC arrived?
I put a challenge forth if you are truly concerned about your customers well being – Dr Jerome Rigot, his Certified Organic company and yourself to a debate on the matters. We can discuss all claims put forth by Dr Rigot and clear up any misguided information on either side.
We can list all requirements by any Certified Organic company and see how conventional producers compare.
Well, all I can tell you is that the conventional maple syrup producers I have worked with directly in the past tried to pull a fast one on me by sending Grade A labeled as Grade B. Given that track record, I was already incredibly suspicious and stopped buying from them long ago and switched to organic which is at least certified and inspected. Haven’t had a problem since. I don’t believe your comments are reflective of the true situation out there and you have rose colored glasses on about what is going on.