Sugar has always remained a topic of debate in the diet and fitness world. While the popular opinion still remains that sugar must be avoided for long-term health and fitness, the big question is are there any suitable replacements for sugar that are truly healthy?
A recent study on maple syrup could change your mind. Know more about why maple syrup could replace white refined sugar in your diet.
Maple syrup vs white sugar: Findings of the study
The study led by Dr. André Marette, Laval University explored how replacing refined sugarswith pure maple syrup can help prevent metabolic disease.
Dr. Marette said, “We know from decades of research that maple syrup is more than just sugar. It contains over 100 natural compounds, including polyphenols, that are known to prevent disease in part through their anti-inflammatory effects.”
He added, “Because the fundamental chemistry of maple syrup is unique, I wondered if ingesting maple syrup instead of an equivalent amount of refined sugarwould differently impact the cardiometabolic healthand the intestinal microbiotain humans. The results were extremely encouraging. I did not expect to see so many improvements of risk factors within a relatively short treatment period.”
Protocol of the study
The study was conducted with 42 volunteers from the greater Québec city area. They were between the ages of 18-75 in good health, and with a BMI of 23-40. Participants substituted 5% of their daily caloric intake (two tablespoons) from refined sugarswith either Canadian maple syrup or an artificially flavored sucrose syrup.
Each phase lasted eight weeks with participants alternating between maple syrup and sucrose syrup groups after a four-week washout period.
The primary results focused on the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT.) The secondary outcomes were based on the changes in blood lipid profile, blood pressure, body fatcomposition and changes in gut microbiota.
4 Reasons to replace sugar with maple syrup
1. Blood sugar
Blood pressurewas also reduced in the participants who consumed maple syrup. The systolic blood pressuredecreased significantly in the maple syrup group while it increased slightly in the sucrose group.
3. Abdominal fat
Abdominal fat or visceral fatis the fat that forms around the internal organs in the belly. The study proved that those who consumed maple syrup displayed a reduced fat mass in their abdominal regioncompared to the group that consumed the sucrose syrup.
4. Gut health
Those who consumed maple syrup also showed better gut healthduring the trial. This discovery was unexpected as the study showed improved levels of potentially beneficial gut bacteriaand a decrease in levels of potentially harmful gut bacteriain the maple syrup group.
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Read More: Ditch White Sugar! 4 Study-Backed Reasons Why Maple Syrup Is A Healthier Choice
