Maple syrup is a traditional and whole sweetener that has consistently played an integral part of the economies of North America ever since Native Americans first taught the early European settlers how to tap maple trees and boil down the sap to make this homely sweetener. Maple syrup derived early in the season at the time of the spring thaw runs sweet and clear. It is tapped from maple trees in a process similar to the making of birch water in Slavic countries.
It takes about 20-30 gallons of boiled down maple tree water to make one gallon of light amber colored syrup, labeled as Grade A.
Late in the season, maple sap thins out even more. Much more than 20-30 gallons of sap must be boiled down to yield syrup of equal sweetness. Boiling down more sap to concentrate the sweetness also concentrates the flavor and nutrients.
This late season syrup is darker, more maple flavored, and higher in minerals than the Grade A syrup and is currently labeled as Grade B.
The blander, lighter syrup typically commands the highest price as consumers tend to prefer sweetness without too much flavor.
Consumers in the know, however, choose the Grade B syrup for the higher mineral and nutritional content. These savvy consumers have long enjoyed lower prices for the Grade B product, but this may be at an end.
New international standards for labeling maple syrup have come into effect such that Grade B is no longer used. The new system for categorizing maple syrup is designed with the express purpose of eliminating discrimination against the darker syrup.
As a result, all maple syrup is now Grade A with four identifying colors: Golden, Amber, Dark, and Very Dark.
With all syrups labeled the same, equality in pricing is the anticipated result.
So, stock up on cheaper, darker Grade B if you still can. Once the inferior Grade B is removed from the label, this most flavorful and nutritious of syrups will be commanding a higher price much the same as the lighter colored, blander, and more plentiful syrup.
An important thing to also know is the very different production practices between conventional and organic maple syrup. The linked article details these differences that will likely have educated consumers switching brands in a hurry!
For more on whole, nutritious sweeteners, check out my video and article on which sweeteners are best and be sure to check out vetted producers on my shopping recommendations guide.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Source: Making the Grade: Why the Cheapest Maple Syrup Tastes Best
This really stinks, and it sounds like it’s a great argument for sourcing your maple syrup from a small, family-run operation. Know your maple farmer.
I think I’ll be making the switch to coconut nectar; Coconut Secret Raw Nectar is really good.
My husband loves that stuff.
Never even liked grade A — this is very, very sad. I foresee this causing us to buy even less than the small amount we buy now.
“@HealthyHomeEcon: Bye Bye Grade B Maple Syrup – The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/4F2erb28”
I never knew!! Thx!!
i know this is a silly question, but could I boil grade A, to get grade b??
Thank you and great post!
Jennifer
No, that won’t really work as the Grade A has already been boiled. It’s the amount of sap used to make Grade B that is the difference. Making Grade B requires much more sap than Grade A which is why it is more concentrated in nutrients and flavor.
What a load all the way around. Point to one credible scientific study that shows Grade B has higher concentrations of nutrients. All maple syrup is 66 degrees Brix. Grade A Fancy takes less sap to get there, and thus far less cooking time than Grade A medium, and so on, down to Grade B. That’s because there is more sugar in the sap that is used for Grade A. Or, in other words, there is more water in the sap that is used for Grade B. Do you seriously believe that the water that dilutes the sugars in the saps that are used for Grade B doesn’t also dilute the nutrients? And, that when you boil the sap down to Grade B and reach the same sugar concentration (66 Brix) that you don’t end up with the same nutrient concentration as well. If anything, since Grade B is more processed (longer boiling times) it probably has fewer of the volatile nutrients. Which is exactly what the science says in testing the various grades. Grade B has a darker color, and sometimes stronger flavor (which means that the boiling did result in heavier ends), but it does not have a significantly greater nutritional profile.
Very interesting. Just bought some “Grade B” maple syrup yesterday and was wondering why the price was considerably cheaper than the “Grade A” bottles. A farmer at the farmers’ market had told me that Grade B is more nutritious a couple of years ago, and I stuck with buying that from then on. It sucks that they’re changing the system to make it more costly for the good stuff :-/
Very interesting. Just bought some “Grade B” maple syrup yesterday and was wondering why the price was considerably cheaper than the “Grade A” bottles. A farmer at the farmers’ market had told me that Grade B is more nutritious a couple of years ago, and I stuck with buying that from then on. It sucks that they’re changing the system to make it more costly for the good stuff :-/
Thank you! You always keep me on the up and up! We have been buying Grade B forever. This is so sad to see. I am also worried that the syrups labelled “dark” will be manipulated somehow, making it hard to discern if you are buying a true grade B or a grade A with dyes or something. How would we know? ;(
Nickole
I’m really hoping that we can still get Grade B by buying bottles labeled “very dark”. Only time will tell. Best to buy direct from a maple farmer.
I didn’t know there was a difference in price in the US due to “no” current law. In northern Ontario (Canada), it’s all the same price (ie. expensive!). We live in the US but always buy our syrup when we go back to Canada. Honestly, I would see cheaper syrup prices here (MI and WI) from time to time but have always questioned the quality to see the price less than the “going rate” in Canada. We always buy dark … will have to look to buy some here before the rate hike — now that I know it is lack of a law and not quality (hopefully) allowing for a lower price.
funny, we just noticed that our local health food store charges about 50cents more for grade B than for grade A. Maybe they got the memo a little early