New WHO sugar guidelines shouldn't stop Canadians from enjoying maple syrup

It’s finally warming up outside, which means the sap in maple trees across the Great White North is starting to flow. Soon all that sap will get tapped, boiled and bottled for sale. As you consider stocking up on this season’s maple syrup, the nutritional data on the side of the bottles might sour your take on the sweet stuff.

Every tablespoon of syrup has about four teaspoons of sugar in it. Just last week, the World Health Organization recommended people slash their sugar intake to just six to 12 teaspoons per day. The guidelines by the UN health agency focused on the added sugars in processed food, as well as sugars naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices. Which means if you slather syrup on your pancakes in the morning you’ll likely have already exceeded your sugar limit for the entire day. Yahoo Canada News tapped the expertise of a dietitian in Quebec ,the largest producer of maple syrup in Canada, for her take on this sticky situation.

Cutting out all sugar is not realistic, said Mélanie Olivier, a sports nutritionist and registered dietitian. When we indulge our sweet tooth she’d rather Canadians opt for something natural over highly processed foods like candy bars.

“For me, if you decide to have something sweet, then have it,” said Olivier. “Why not choose a natural sugar like syrup or honey?”

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There’s no question we need to lower our overall sugar intake. Last year the Canadian Medical Association Journal projected that about 21 per cent of Canadian adults will be obese by 2019.

But the nutrition expert says it’s not as simple as eliminating one thing to eliminate the problem. It used to be fat was the devil, then it was cholesterol, then gluten, she notes. Olivier advises ensuring you’re getting at least the minimum government recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity per week. Then work out how many calories you need to be taking in based on how much you work out, with no more than 10 per cent of your daily calorie intake coming from added sugars. Syrup is a fine option for active people, says the dietitian.

“Maple syrup can be good for a homemade energy drink,” points out Olivier who advises top-tier athletes, including members of the Montreal Canadiens. “It’s better to opt for that instead of Gatorade.”

Before you add syrup to your homemade concoction, read the nutrition information. A bottle of pure maple syrup is likely going to run you at least $15; if it’s $4.99 chances are it’s actually a maple-esque concoction containing things like high-fructose corn syrup. Same goes for most of the maple-like products, such as maple lattes, maple milk, maple bacon and maple beer that flow onto the market this time of year.

So, go ahead and pour some of the real stuff on your pancakes, then go out for a ski or a skate. A late Canadian winter/early spring with no maple syrup would just not be right, non?

Follow Melissa on Twitter: @Melissa_Dunne33