Recently, my dad (a huge foodie) introduced me to a fun new drink that has gained some recognition in Canada: maple water (not surprising when you look at the Canadian flag). Despite my initial skepticism, I was surprised to find out that I actually really enjoy the taste. Inspired by this new discovery, I decided to do some research on how it's made, the potential health benefits and how we all might incorporate this drink into our daily lives.

The Basics

coffee, milk
Caitlin Shoemaker

Maple water is just the sap from maple trees, the kind typically boiled down to make maple syrup. It is a low-calorie, gluten-free, dairy-free and non-GMO drink (read: food hipsters, rejoice).

The company that produces maple water in the States, DRINKmaple, collects the water from Vermont maple trees in the early spring and bottles it straight from the source. If the idea of plain maple water doesn't entice you, there's another company called Sap! that makes maple seltzer and soda, also from the Vermont trees.

The Benefits

A photo posted by DRINKmaple (@drinkmaple) on

According to DRINKmaple's website, maple water boasts 46 naturally occurring nutrients. These include polyphenols, antioxidants, prebiotics, minerals and electrolytes.

Maple water also contains half the sugar as coconut water, making it an easy choice for the health-aware conscience. For the food-trend followers out there, maple water also contains MORE manganese (an antioxidant regulating thyroid health and blood sugar) than a cup of kale.

If you're still not convinced, maple water is also a reliable and easy way to enhance your daily intake of calcium and iron.

The Taste

coffee, milk, tea, beer
Gabrielle Altman

This part is personal preference, I suppose, but take my word for it: maple water tastes pretty damn good. I was a person who really wanted to like coconut water, but couldn't get past the taste (because it reminds me of how I imagine the taste of tropical-scented sunscreen to be).

Maple water doesn't have much of a strong flavor—it's just maple syrup before being boiled down, without any additives. A sweet hint of maple flavor is definitely present, but it's not at all overwhelming.

#SpoonTip: Maple water can be used in coffee, tea or any other drinkable treat that generally uses water but could benefit from a touch of sweetness.

The Verdict

A photo posted by DRINKmaple (@drinkmaple) on

Maple water seems like a great thing at the moment, despite the fact that there hasn't been a ton of research to test the extent of the benefits that many maple-water-producing companies claim it has. 

So without jumping to conclusions on its heath effects, maple water is a fun drink to try that's definitely making waves in the foodie world as a tasty, lower-calorie alternative to coconut water (and a much better tasting one at that).