The Bottom Line
I'm afraid I am not going to tell you that I've found a great replacement for maple syrup from actual maple trees. I'm not even going to tell you I've found something close. But after sampling many attempts at sugar-free syrup, I am going to tell you that these two are the only ones I will actually eat and enjoy. They are both made, interestingly, by a company in Vermont that also makes real maple syrup, so I assume it helps that they actually know what maple syrup tastes like.
Pros
- Better than the competition (at least the competition I've tried).
- I think it’s fairly widely available (near me in CA, several markets carry them)
- Sweetened with Splenda and sorbitol, one of the sugar alcohols with a lower glycemic effect
Cons
- Does have some sugar alcohol, Maple Grove more than Vermont Sugar-Free
- In no way will be mistaken for actual maple syrup
- May have to order it if a store near you doesn't carry it.
Description
- Ingredients and Nutritional Information
- Sweetened with sucralose (Splenda) and sorbitol
- Comes in 12 oz and 24 oz bottles
- When ordering from the manufacturer, must order a minimum of three 12-oz bottles
- Vermont Sugar Free syrup also available from Netrition
Guide Review - Product Review: Maple Grove Sugar-Free Syrup; Vermont Sugar-Free Syrup
I grew up in northern Vermont. The woods in back of our house was a maple grove, and I could see the sugar shack, where maple sap was boiled down to syrup, from my bedroom window. As kids, every spring we would head into the woods to help the neighbors with the "sugaring off". Needless to say, I'm what you might call a little picky about what I put on my pancakes. So, one of the biggest bummers about finding out that sugar is so bad for me was in the realm of maple sugar. I think these come closest to helping me out.
These two syrups are more similar than they are different. They both taste as though they had some acquaintance, however distant, with a maple tree. They are both sweetened with sucralose (Splenda)and sorbitol, though in different proportions. Cozy Cottage has 6 grams of sorbitol per quarter cup, while Vermont Sugar Free has half of that amount. Vermont Sugar-Free has B vitamins added (don't know why).
Viscosity: The bottle of Maple Grove Sugar-Free I tried was thicker, almost (but not quite) to the point of being slightly gloppy. The Vermont Sugar-Free was closer to the thickness of light maple syrup, which is perhaps thinner than artificial syrups which have thickeners added.
Flavor: The flavor differences are present, but fairly subtle. After going back and forth quite a few times, I decided that I have a slight preference for the Vermont Sugar-Free; I think the Cozy Cottage has more "off-notes" to my taste buds.
These two syrups are more similar than they are different. They both taste as though they had some acquaintance, however distant, with a maple tree. They are both sweetened with sucralose (Splenda)and sorbitol, though in different proportions. Cozy Cottage has 6 grams of sorbitol per quarter cup, while Vermont Sugar Free has half of that amount. Vermont Sugar-Free has B vitamins added (don't know why).
Viscosity: The bottle of Maple Grove Sugar-Free I tried was thicker, almost (but not quite) to the point of being slightly gloppy. The Vermont Sugar-Free was closer to the thickness of light maple syrup, which is perhaps thinner than artificial syrups which have thickeners added.
Flavor: The flavor differences are present, but fairly subtle. After going back and forth quite a few times, I decided that I have a slight preference for the Vermont Sugar-Free; I think the Cozy Cottage has more "off-notes" to my taste buds.
