My diet:

Maple syrup

No E-numberSweetenersOrigin: Plant
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Every diet

VeganYes

Maple syrup is boiled tree sap.

Gluten-freeYes
HalalYes
KosherYes
KetoNo

Maple syrup is a sugar syrup.

Low-FODMAPDepends

A small pour is often tolerated. A large pour is a sugar load, and the fructose share depends on the batch.

The short answer
Maple syrup is boiled maple sap. It is vegan and gluten-free, it is still sugar, and a bottle of pancake syrup made from corn syrup is not this ingredient.
Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone
Comes fromPlant
What it doesSweeteners
Glycemic index54
Daily limitNot set
Also calledMaple syrup, Pure maple syrup

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive
🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive
🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Maple syrup is a food. The US, the EU and Canada do not evaluate it as a food additive, and Canada grades it as a syrup under its own food rules. Pancake syrup that lists corn syrup is a different product. Pure maple syrup lists maple syrup.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

Real maple syrup is amber and tastes of caramel and wood. The grade tells you the color and the strength of the flavor, not a safety difference.

Where it comes from: Maple syrup is sap from maple trees, boiled until most of the water is gone. The sugar in the sap was already there. Boiling concentrates it and builds the color and the toasted flavor.

Why it’s in food

  • Tops pancakes and oatmeal
  • Glazes vegetables and salmon
  • Sweetens a vinaigrette
  • Replaces part of the white sugar in a cake

Often found in

Pancakes and wafflesOatmealRoasted carrots and squashSalad dressingMaple cookiesGranola

Also listed as: Maple syrup, Pure maple syrup, Maple sugar

Health & gut impact

It is sugarConcern

Maple syrup is concentrated sucrose from tree sap. Minerals in the syrup do not cancel the sugar.

Food composition of maple syrup

Glycemic indexUnder study

Maple syrup usually lands just under table sugar on the glycemic index, around the mid-50s. A heavy pour still raises blood sugar.

Glycemic index tables for maple syrup

What can I use instead?

Honey

Ratio: Use the same spoon if a bee product is acceptable

Best for: A pourable sweetener

Table sugar

Ratio: Use less liquid elsewhere in the recipe

Best for: Baking

Related

More sweeteners:

Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) E950Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K, E950) is a zero-calorie sweetener approved in the US, EU and Canada. EFSA re-checked it in 2025 and raised its daily limit. It's usually paired with sucralose or aspartame to hide a slightly bitter aftertaste.Use in moderationAdvantame E969Advantame (E969) is an extremely intense sweetener related to aspartame. Regulators approve it, and the amount in a food is tiny next to the daily limit. It does not carry aspartame's phenylalanine warning at normal use.Generally safeAgave syrup (Agave nectar)Agave syrup is a plant sweetener that is mostly fructose. It barely moves blood sugar, and it is still sugar: skip it on keto and in a low-FODMAP elimination.Use in moderationAlluloseAllulose is a "rare sugar" that tastes like sugar but has almost no calories and doesn't raise blood sugar. It's keto-friendly and browns like real sugar in baking.Generally safe

Common questions

Is pancake syrup maple syrup?

Only if the ingredient list says maple syrup. Many pancake syrups are corn syrup with maple flavor.

Is maple syrup vegan?

Yes. It is tree sap, boiled down.

Is Maple syrup safe?

Use in moderation (66/100). Maple syrup is a food. The US, the EU and Canada do not evaluate it as a food additive, and Canada grades it as a syrup under its own food rules. Pancake syrup that lists corn syrup is a different product. Pure maple syrup lists maple syrup.

Is Maple syrup vegan?

Yes. Maple syrup is boiled tree sap.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • Food composition of maple syrup
  • Glycemic index tables for maple syrup