Maple Water: 11 Things You Need To Know About This Maple Sap Drink | HuffPost

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Is Maple Water The New Coconut Water?

Terri Coles — The Huffington Post Canada

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Maple water is being called the new coconut water, but is it really this year's trendy new health drink?

With spring already here, farmers’ markets will open across the country and for the most part, maple sap will start flowing. In fact, Canada is one of the world's largest producers of maple syrup (Quebec produces the most).

But as awesome as maple syrup is, there’s a new reason to be excited about spring sap. Turns out you can drink maple sap (or maple water) itself, and a few companies like SEVA,OVIVA, and MAPLE3 are now selling it as a lower-calorie and better-tasting alternatives to coconut water.

Here are 11 things you need to know about maple water:

11 Facts About Maple Water

What Is It?(01 of11)

Maple water is otherwise known as maple sap. This sap flows upwards from soil through roots and the trunk of sugar maple trees, getting filtered along the way. The sap is boiled down to make maple syrup, but it can also be consumed fresh. (credit:Shutterstock)

When Can I Get It?(02 of11)

Maple sap flows when the weather warms up, but it’s particular: it can only be harvested when evening temperatures don’t go below -4C and in the daytime when temperatures don’t go above 7C. That means it’s only available for about 10 to 15 days each spring, usually in March or April. (credit:Shutterstock)

It's Canadian(03 of11)

Sugar maple trees grow in eastern Canada (mostly in Quebec) and the northeastern United States, meaning that maple water is more locavore-friendly than competing beverage coconut water. (credit:Shutterstock)

It's Eco-Friendly(04 of11)

Maple water can be harvested without destroying trees. Trees only have to be tapped and not cut down, meaning farms or companies can profit from forests without destroying them. In fact, keeping the trees healthy is an incentive, in order to ensure they produce a good amount of sap. (credit:Shutterstock)

It Has A Lot Of Minerals(05 of11)

As the maple sap flows from the roots and through the tree, it picks up both sugar and trace amounts of minerals, including calcium, potassium, manganese, and magnesium. (credit:Shutterstock)

It Took Years Of R&D(06 of11)

Not only is maple sap available for a short period of time each year, but it also doesn't stay fresh very long. Several years of work were put into finding a way to sterilize and preserve maple water to have a shelf life of at least a year. (credit:Shutterstock)

It Has Polyphenols(07 of11)

Maple water manufacturers claim the product contains polyphenols, which are plant-based compounds that can have a variety of health-promoting effects in the body. (credit:Shutterstock)

Low In Calories(08 of11)

Maple water does contain naturally occurring sugar, but not very much. A 500 ml serving of the liquid has just 12 grams of carbs and 45 calories, less than in the equivalent amount of coconut water. (credit:Shutterstock)

It Contains Dozens Of Compounds(09 of11)

Research from the University of Rhode Island found maple water contained at least 34 compounds that could be beneficial to human health, including five not previously seen in nature. (credit:Shutterstock)

An Aboriginal Tradition?(10 of11)

Here’s the story according to ILoveMaple.ca: "Legend has it that, during a spring of famine, an Aboriginal was watching a squirrel bursting with energy. After noticing that the squirrel drank water from a maple tree, he realized that this was where the squirrel was getting its energy from. Maple water became a food prized by the people of the First Nations and later of New France.” (credit:Shutterstock)

It's Not Just For Drinking(11 of11)

Maple water producers recommend drinking it as-is as a post-sports beverage, but it has other uses. You can use it to make coffee, tea, or cocktails to add a hint of sweetness and maple flavour, or add it to cooking water to give your recipes a bit of depth. (credit:Shutterstock)

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