Disclaimer: The findings discussed are lab based and further studies need to be done.

The health benefits of maple syrup have been well-explored. But what about the potential health benefits of other parts of the maple tree? Researchers at the University of Rhode Island asked this question, and have done targeted research to find the answer. One investigation has been into maple bark. By extraction and isolation of the molecules in the bark, they were able to find substances in the bark. The findings of this study showed 4 novel antioxidant compounds, along with 8 previously discovered antioxidants. This exciting research offers new insights into the many benefits of maple syrup, including ones that have yet to be discovered.

Reference: Yuan, T.; Wan, C.; González-Sarrías, A.; Kandhi, V.; Cech, N.B.; Seeram, N.P. Phenolic glycosides from sugar maple (Acer saccharum) bark. Journal of Natural Products, 2011, 74, 2472-2476.