Honey vs. Maple Syrup

I read an interesting article on the benefits of these two natural sweeteners. First it may surprise people to know that there is not a huge caloric difference between these and granular sugar. But we all know that calories are NOT all equal. White refined sugar has been stripped of any vitamins and minerals and is nutritionally void, not to mention that it raises your blood sugar level much more sharply which besides being hard on your liver (as it tries to process all the insulin being made) leaves you wanting more...and more... and more.  Maple syrup, according to Healthy Eating, is primarily sucrose, a complex sugar that is broken down by your body into glucose and fructose, simpler sugars. Honey is mostly fructose. Maple syrup also is 10 calories less per teaspoon, a bigger deal in cooking when your using a lot.  Honey has vitamins (esp. B6) and Maple syrup has minerals. Both have antioxidants. So my conclusion... Use maple syrup in cooking and use honey to drizzle on breads or pancakes, that way you get the best of both worlds. But remember just because these are healthIER sugars doesn't make them healthy, enjoy in moderation;)

While I'm at it, just a reminder for how much is too much. There is a great article at Livestrong that states 25g for women, 37g for men, preschoolers 16g, but "Children ages 4 to 8 should consume less sugar—about 12.5 g per day, because they have greater nutritional needs and have fewer discretionary calories in their daily diets". Important to note this is about added sugars, NOT natural sugars in fruit.