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

Did you know that maple syrup comes in many different shades? You might be surprised to learn that not all maple syrup is the common brown color that it is usually associated with. The colors of maple syrup range from bright yellows, to deep reds, and dark browns.

A recent study looked at what these different shades of maple syrup mean and what it might say about their mineral and phenolic content. By analyzing maple syrup samples that were harvested at different times in the season, researchers found that there were some interesting differences.

The findings showed that maple syrup that was harvested late in the maple season was found to have darker colors, higher mineral, and phenolic contents, including a very high amount of the phenolic compound, protocatechuic acid. These contents have been known to be great for your health, by having many antioxidant, antiviral, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Meanwhile, maple syrup harvested early in the maple season was lighter in color and had higher quantities of the specific phenolics vanillin and syringic acid. These compounds also have many great health properties as stated above, as both are in the phenolic family.

More research into this field is needed to discover which phenolics are better than others, regarding color. Yet, this exciting research suggests that there are different molecules depending on the time of the season. This is the first step in finding an answer to what color really means about the content and health benefits of maple syrup.