Your favorite finger-licking sweetener maple syrup sometimes may become unavailable in your kitchen. In this type of situation, you will need some useful substitutes.
Maple syrup is a concentrated sugary liquid extracted from various species of maple trees.
Since maple syrup is a trendy choice as a topical ingredient on breakfast, snacks, and other desserts, you should keep some alternatives in hand when it becomes rare.
This article is about finding some substitution value in other ingredients so you can work out your favorite dishes without hesitation.
Read on to know more.
Apply These 6 Ingredients as Maple Syrup Substitutes
These substitutes mentioned below may not taste as same as maple syrup, but in times of necessity, they will prove valuable:
1. Honey & Sugar
Honey may be expensive, but it is the closest substitute you can use for maple syrup. And fortunately, you have it as a useful food supplement most of the time in your kitchen.
Maple syrup and honey match in colors- bright golden, dark brown, light brown, etc.
Honey tastes excellent on toast, baked foods, ice-cream, desserts, etc.
Besides being expensive, honey is sometimes thinner and sometimes thicker than maple syrup, which is why you have to pour it in larger quantity on foods. The density of honey depends on commercial manufacturing.
Many find honey less sweet than maple syrup, which is why they add sugar to it.
If you prefer honey as a substitute for maple syrup, then use 1 cup to ¾ ratio of honey to maple syrup. For sweetening it more, add ½ cup of table sugar to honey before applying on dishes.
Honey is one of the most prized natural liquid for human health. While maple syrup has the risk of increased sugar level in your blood, honey’s antioxidants can fight many of your potential diseases, including cancer [1].
2. Corn Syrup
What could be the best replacement for maple syrup in terms of its sweet taste?
It is corn syrup. Yes, this caramel-taste like clear liquid has the same sweetness like maple syrup.
This is the reason why corn syrup is used as one of the main replicating ingredients in maple syrup duplicates in the market.
Though corn syrup lacks the necessary flavor which you could afford from maple syrup, it works out just fine in almost any suitable dishes. Corn syrup is best for making cookies.
And also, it is cheaper than other sweeteners in the market.
You may use the equal amount of corn syrup in substitution for 1 cup of maple syrup in your recipes.
You should follow moderation in using corn syrup as it contains High Fructose.
Overconsumption of high fructose can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, weight gain, high triglycerides, and heart disease [2].
3. Molasses
A natural sugar-based liquid, made from the sugar cane or sugar beet; molasses can replace maple syrup undoubtedly.
Molasses is produced in the warmer countries and regions where sugar cane grows in plenty.
This thick and dark syrup can add the same sweetened taste to your pancakes, dessert, ice-pops, homemade juices, and many other delightful dishes.
1 cup of molasses can easily replace 1 cup of maple syrup without any additives.
Molasses is a by-product of sugar-processing. It can vary in quality and forms during processing.
Molasses contains some nutrients such as vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, iron, and some others [3].
4. White or Brown Sugar
White or brown sugar can be a substitute for maple syrup.
You should keep in mind that sugar is not as sweet as maple syrup, which is why you need to use 25% more sugar than maple syrup in your recipe.
Do not forget to add 3 tablespoons of water for each cup of sugar to keep the recipe orderly.
Moderate intake of sugar can give your body some health benefits such as proper calorie content, controlled blood and insulin, healthy skin, and mineral content.
Excessive sugar intake has some health risks also; so you should be using additive sugars cautiously [4].
5. Marmalades, Jams or Jellies
This simple hack with the tasty jams or jellies can save you any day. Most of us keep jams or jellies in our kitchens.
Jams, jellies or marmalades are kept for eating with bread and toasts. But with a little effort, you can use these items for substituting maple syrup too.
All you have to do is heat the jam or jelly or marmalade, whichever is your favorite or available to you, with boiled water and make a liquid mixture. You can add some fruits for extra taste and flavor.
Thus, your maple syrup substitute is ready for topping over pancakes, French toasts, or waffle. You can freeze the liquid for decorating ice-cream or any frozen dessert.
Make sure to intake these jams or jellies carefully as these sweetened products contain high fructose which could be harmful to brain, kidney, or liver if taken abundantly [2].
6. Stevia Syrup
Stevia syrup is a non-toxic, calorie-free sweetener additive, and these features make it a healthy and safe substitute for maple syrup [5].
Stevia syrup is a rare product, and you have to manage it with a little difficulty. You may purchase it online from some well-known online shops if it is not available in your area.
Another way of availing stevia syrup is boiling the crushed stevia leaves in hot water.
Stevia syrup can be a safe sugar supplement for people with diabetes. It contributes zero calories to the food and thus is suitable for a healthy weight balance.
It may control cholesterol in blood [6].
You should be careful about choosing stevia products from the store as some of them may contain sugar alcohol. This may prove harmful to your health if you are sensitive to alcohol consumption.
Endnote
Maple syrup is the first choice of most of the people as additive sugar or food sweetener. But these substitutes can take its place on many occasions and save your dishes from going unflavored.
Practice caution while giving these substitutes to your children through different foods. Sugar syrups are thick and sticky, which may stay in their teeth for a long time and result in cavities.
Also, if you eat any sweetener additives in high quantity with your foods, they may affect your kidney, digestive system, and even brain functions.
See your doctors; both health specialist and dentist, for checking your health and teeth if you are a regular consumer of sugar syrups.
Remember, being a sweet-tooth person excessively could be adverse to your overall health.
