Maple Syrup: An Alternative to Synthetic "Chocolate" Syrups

One of my favorite quick desserts is a glass of milk infused with a tablespoon of real maple syrup, a natural sweetener. After pouring in the syrup, I give a stir and have an impromptu maple syrup shake. I know it’s not really a shake, but it’s sweet and delicious.

For those with kids, using maple syrup in this manner is a great alternative to the chemical-laden commercial “chocolate” syrups that are so popular.

For example, the ingredients in Nesquik chocolate syrup include sugar, artificial flavor, xanthan gum, red 40, blue 1 and yellow 6. Hershey's chocolate syrup contains high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, sugar, polysorbate 80 and artificial flavor.

Should we really be facilitating our kids’ consumption of these synthetic additives and petroleum-based food colorings? The naturally sweet maple syrup is made from the maple tree’s sap (photo, left), which is boiled down to its more-concentrated syrup form.

And when I say maple syrup, I don’t mean Aunt Jemima Original Syrup, which is anything but food. Its ingredients? How about corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, water, cellulose gum, caramel color, salt, sodium benzoate, sorbic acid, artificial and natural flavors, and sodium hexametaphosphate?

Be aware that pure maple syrup is much more expensive than artificial chocolate syrups. However, the taste cannot be compared and your family will be healthier for it. I firmly believe this is one splurge worth making.

Try my maple syrup milkshake for yourself; I think you’ll be surprised at how much you enjoy it.