Xarope de bordo x mel: qual adoçante é melhor para nutrição, cura e açúcar no sangue?

O xarope de bordo e o mel são dois adoçantes naturais com sabores e perfis nutricionais distintos. Embora ambos contenham nutrientes benéficos, o xarope de bordo contém mais minerais, enquanto o mel contém mais vitaminas.

Como o xarope de bordo e o mel se comparam nutricionalmente?

The primary macronutrient in both maple sugar and honey is carboidratos. Neither natural sweetener contains significant amounts of protein or fat. Nutritional components include:

• Honey is slightly higher in calories and carbohydrates than maple syrup.
• Maple syrup contains more sodium.
• Maple syrup is a better source of minerals, especially calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
• Honey contains more water-soluble vitamins, such as C, B6, and folate (vitamin B9).
• Both sweeteners contain other essential compounds, including amino acids, and antioxidants like flavonoids and phenolic acids.

Vegan Diet
For a vegan diet, honey is excluded because it is produced by animals, while maple syrup comes from a plant and is acceptable.

How Do Their Health Benefits Compare?

Maple syrup health benefitsincluem:

• Provides minerals: Maple syrup contains minerals necessary for bone, muscle, heart, and brain health.
• Provides antioxidants: Antioxidants found in maple syrup help reduce damage to cells and tissues by an overabundance of unstable molecules (free radicals) in the body.
• Maple syrup may aid digestion: Num estudo com ratos, o xarope de bordo melhorou o microbioma intestinal (a comunidade de microrganismos no trato digestivo) e age de forma semelhante aos prebióticos, que ajudam as bactérias boas no seu intestino a florescer. Replacing sucrose (table sugar) with maple syrup improved metabolic health in this study.
• Maple syrup has anti-inflammatory properties. It contains compounds, like phenolic compounds, that are known to be anti-inflammatory. Some research suggests that maple syrup may even help reduce inflammation in the brain, but more studies are needed.
• Maple syrup may help reduce blood sugar levels: Maple syrup doesn’t spike blood sugar as quickly and by as much as table sugar.A melhoria do açúcar no sangue pode ser devido ao impacto do xarope de bordo no microbioma intestinal.

Benefícios do mel para a saúdeincluem:

• O mel tem propriedades antimicrobianas: Honey kills certain strains of bacteria and other microorganisms, possibly due to its acidity, high sugar content, and antioxidants. Using honey topically may help keep wounds free from infection and aid healing. Honey may also help antibiotics work more efficiently, but more research is needed.
• May help with a cough: Honey is a natural remedy for coughs. A systematic review of studies showed it can improve cough frequency and severity. In children, honey was more effective than no treatment, a placebo, and cough medications.Porém, crianças menores de 1 ano não devem comer mel devido ao risco de botulismo infantil.
• O mel pode ajudar a controlar o diabetes: For people with diabetes, the fructose in honey may be better than the sucrose in table sugar. Honey raises blood sugar at a slower, steadier rate than table sugar in people with diabetes.

How Do They Impact Blood Sugar Levels?

The glycemic index is a measure of how great of an impact a food has on raising blood sugar levels. Both maple syrup and honey have a slightly lower glycemic index than refined table sugar:

• Refined white sugar:65
• Xarope de bordo:54
• Mel:58

Xarope de bordo research on blood sugar effects includes:

• In one study, adults who substituted sugar with maple syrup for eight weeks saw significant improvements in blood sugar levels.
• Additional research on this subject has been done in animals, with one study finding that maple syrup improved insulin resistance in obese mice.

Mel research on blood sugar effects includes:

• Studies have shown that honey reduced blood sugar levels in animals with and without diabetes. In small human trials, honey has had similar effects compared to refined sugar.
• There is some evidence that using honey instead of sugar may help improve other risk factors of diabetes, including the risk of heart disease.
• More research is needed in humans for researchers to better understand how maple syrup and honey impact blood sugar levels.

How to Use Them in Cooking and Baking

Maple syrup and honey have distinct flavors (caramel-like vs. floral) but may be used similarly in cooking and baking:

• Culinária: Maple syrup and honey can add unique flavors to savory recipes. You may consider using either to make glazes or rubs for meats or vegetables. Maple syrup and honey may also be used to make salad dressing, barbecue sauce, or other sauces.
• Cozimento: Using maple syrup or honey can add moisture and unique flavors to home-baked goods. Since maple syrup and honey are liquid instead of granulated, you need about 25% to 35% less when substituting them for sugar.
• In beverages: Another way to use these natural sweeteners is to add them to beverages like coffee, tea, or smoothies. They can also be topped with oatmeal, pancakes, yogurt, or other breakfast foods.
• Storage considerations:Embora o mel possa ser armazenado em local fresco e seco (como um armário ou despensa) após aberto, o xarope de bordo pode precisar de refrigeração. As instruções de armazenamento geralmente recomendam a refrigeração do xarope de bordo após a abertura para preservar sua qualidade.

What to Look for When Buying Honey and Maple Syrup

Xarope de bordo:

• Pure maple syrup is recommended because it contains no added ingredients, such as sugars or chemicals.
• Procure xarope de bordo com um selo designando-o como grau A do Departamento de Agricultura dos EUA (USDA), o que significa que é de boa qualidade e tem boa cor, sabor e odor.
• As variedades douradas, âmbar, escuras e muito escuras de açúcar de bordo diferem em cor e sabor.

Mel:

• O mel cru contém mais nutrientes, pois é minimamente processado. No entanto, o mel cru não é pasteurizado e pode ser perigoso para algumas pessoas.
• O mel processado é pasteurizado e geralmente tem uma vida útil mais longa do que o mel cru, mas os nutrientes podem ser perdidos durante o processamento.
• Os tipos de mel incluem mel de trevo, mel de flores silvestres e mel de Manuka.

E quanto a outros adoçantes naturais?

Os adoçantes naturais de plantas podem conter vitaminas e minerais que muitas vezes faltam no açúcar refinado. De acordo com uma revisão, açúcares naturais como tamareira, açúcar mascavo e beterraba sacarina ajudam a manter a saúde intestinal, o que é essencial para a saúde geral.

Alguns açúcares e adoçantes naturais incluem:

• Agave
• Açúcar de coco
• Açúcar de tâmara
• Melaço
• Fruta de monge
• Estévia
• Xilitol