Maple syrup vs. Corn syrup — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison
Summary
Maple syrup is naturally obtained from maple trees, while corn syrup is processed from corn starch.
Maple syrup is nutritionally more favorable, as it is higher in vitamins and minerals while being lower in net carbs and calories. Maple syrup also has a lower glycemic index.
It is recommended to reduce the intake of added sugars, including both maple and corn syrups. However, maple syrup is the less harmful alternative of the two.
Table of contents
Introduction
Corn syrup and maple syrup are two of the most popular sweeteners worldwide. Most people have preferences based on taste and availability, but what else sets these two sweeteners apart? In this article, we will delve into the nutritional differences between corn and maple syrups while also discussing their impact on health.
Taste and Use
Maple syrup is naturally acquired from tapping maple trees, while corn syrup is the processed end product made from corn starch.
In most recipes, corn syrup and maple syrup can be interchangeably used as sweeteners in equal portions; however, maple syrup has a distinctly different taste and smell.
The two syrups also have different physicochemical properties. For example, maple syrup might crystallize in hot temperatures, unlike corn syrup.
Nutrition
The nutritional information in this article is about dark corn syrup and plain maple syrup. Light corn syrup is very similar to dark corn syrup in nutrition, being only slightly lower in carbohydrates (1).
The infographics show the nutrition of these syrups based on a 100g serving size. However, on average, people use sweeteners in smaller amounts.
One tablespoon of corn or maple syrup weighs 20g, while one cup of these syrups is equal to approximately 320g.
Macronutrients and Calories
Corn syrup is considerably denser in nutrients, as in carbohydrates, compared to maple syrup. Corn syrup consists of 22% water and 78% carbohydrates. At the same time, maple syrup consists of 32% water and 68% carbohydrates.
Calories
Both maple and corn syrups are high-calorie foods. However, as corn syrup is higher in carbohydrates, it is naturally also higher in calories.
One tablespoon of corn syrup provides 57 calories, while the same serving size of maple syrup contains 52 calories.
Corn syrup contains 26 more calories per every 100g serving.
Carbohydrates
Corn syrup contains 15% more carbohydrates compared to maple syrup.
Corn syrup contains 15,5g of carbs per one tablespoon serving, while maple syrup has 13,4g.
Corn syrup is otherwise known as glucose syrup, as it is made by breaking down corn starch into glucose (2). Maple syrup, however, is naturally obtained from trees and consists predominantly of sucrose.
The carbohydrate content of both maple and corn syrup consists entirely of net carbs, as the two do not contain dietary fiber.
Protein and Fats
Corn syrup does not contain protein and fats as it is artificially produced. On the other hand, being a natural sweetener, maple syrup contains these nutrients but only in trace amounts.
Vitamins
Maple syrup is overall a better source of vitamins, including vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B5. Maple syrup falls in the top 10% of foods as a source of vitamin B2.
Corn syrup is richer only in vitamin B6. However, corn syrup does not cover the daily needed values of any vitamins.
Vitamin Comparison
Minerals
Maple syrup is also richer in minerals, such as manganese, zinc, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Maple syrup is lower in sodium.
On the other hand, corn syrup is higher in phosphorus, iron, and copper.
Mineral Comparison
Glycemic Index
Corn syrup has a considerably higher glycemic index compared to maple syrup. The glycemic index of maple syrup is 54, while dark corn syrup has a GI of 90 (3). This means maple syrup has a low glycemic index, while dark corn syrup has a high GI value.
Surprisingly, high fructose corn syrup has been calculated to have a medium GI value of 56 (3).
If interested, you can find a detailed article about the glycemic index of maple syrup.
Health Impact
Cardiovascular Health
The 2021 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health recommends minimizing foods and beverages with added sugars, such as maple and corn syrup (4).
Diabetes
As mentioned above, maple syrup has a lower glycemic index value and fewer carbohydrates compared to corn syrup.
Natural sweeteners, especially maple syrup, have been researched to reduce the development of insulin resistance and liver inflammation in diabetic rats compared to sucrose. In other words, maple syrup is a less harmful alternative to refined sugar (5).
Other lab research has found maple syrup to produce significantly lower glucose and insulin response compared to corn syrup (6).
References
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168837/nutrients
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780857096784000087
- https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/114/5/1625/6320814
- https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001031
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7469035/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1756464614003077
Infographic
Macronutrient Comparison
Comparison summary table
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| Lower in Sugar |
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| Lower in Sodium |
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| Lower in Glycemic Index |
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| Lower in Saturated Fat |
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| Lower in price |
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| Lower in Cholesterol | Equal | ||
| Rich in minerals | Equal | ||
| Rich in vitamins | Equal | ||
All nutrients comparison - raw data values
| Nutrient | |
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Opinion |
| Net carbs | 67.04g | 77.59g |
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| Protein | 0.04g | 0g |
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| Fats | 0.06g | 0g |
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| Carbs | 67.04g | 77.59g |
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| Calories | 260kcal | 286kcal |
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| Fructose | 0.52g |
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| Sugar | 60.46g | 77.59g |
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| Calcium | 102mg | 18mg |
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| Iron | 0.11mg | 0.37mg |
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| Magnesium | 21mg | 8mg |
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| Phosphorus | 2mg | 11mg |
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| Potassium | 212mg | 44mg |
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| Sodium | 12mg | 155mg |
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| Zinc | 1.47mg | 0.04mg |
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| Copper | 0.018mg | 0.053mg |
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| Manganese | 2.908mg | 0.1mg |
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| Selenium | 0.6µg | 2.9µg |
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| Vitamin B1 | 0.066mg | 0.011mg |
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| Vitamin B2 | 1.27mg | 0.009mg |
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| Vitamin B3 | 0.081mg | 0.02mg |
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| Vitamin B5 | 0.036mg | 0.023mg |
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| Vitamin B6 | 0.002mg | 0.009mg |
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| Saturated Fat | 0.007g | 0g |
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| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.011g | 0g |
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| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.017g | 0g |
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Which food is preferable for your diet?
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| Low Fats diet |
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| Low Carbs diet |
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| Low Calories diet |
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| Low Glycemic Index diet |
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People also compare
Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
Comparison summary
References
All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.
- Maple syrup - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169661/nutrients
- Corn syrup - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168836/nutrients
All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.