Quebec is king when it comes to production.
North America’s top maple syrup-producing region is Quebec, a Canadian province directly north of Vermont. Quebec produces an astounding amount of syrup each year: 7,989,000 gallons. The runner-up is Vermont with 890,000 gallons, followed by Ontario, Canada; New York and Maine.
It’s the secret ingredient in a master cleanse.
Celebrities including Beyoncé attribute maple syrup to their weight loss and detox regime, which consist of consuming only maple syrup, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and water for 10 days straight. Hard not to think it would all taste better with waffles, no?
You’ll never believe how much sap is in a bottle!
Forty gallons of maple sap translates to a gallon of maple syrup—what you’re likely to buy from a local producer at a farmers market or regional grocer. In order to make the dense, sweet syrup you’d find at the store, the sap needs to be boiled down in a sugar shack. Most of the liquid is evaporated in this process.
Many people prefer pure maple sap.
People in some communities in southern Korea drink maple sap-unprocessed, straight from the tree. A rite of spring, it’s a centuries-old tradition to drink gallons of the stuff in a single sitting. Many believe the sap, tapped from the gorosoe maple, helps prevent diseases like diabetes and osteoporosis—as well as the occasional hangover.