Dietitian, Nutritionist, Sports Dietitian
I haven't heard of Tapioca syrup before but after a quick search I found a couple of brands (John Mountain Organic and Barry Farm). Maple syrup was easier to find as it has been around longer. Here is the nutritional profile of maple syrup compared to John Mountains Organic tapioca syrup:
Maple Syrup (per tablespoon 20g)
Energy: 255 kJ (61 cal)
Protein: 0g
Total fat: 0.1g
Sat fat: 0g
Total carbohydrate: 15.8g
Sugars: 15.8g
Dietary fibre: 0g
Sodium: 2mg
Calcium: 18mg
Potassium: 54mg
Tapioca syrup (per tablespoon 16.2g)
Energy: 294 kJ (70cal)
Protein: 0g
Total fat: 0g
Sat fat: 0g
Total carbohydrate: 17g
Sugars: 10g
Sodium: 0mg
The reason why tapioca syrup has no calcium or potassium profile is that I could not find the nutritional information in any Australia food databases as it is probably a recently new food. Both syrups contain no fat, fibre, or protein and consist of mainly carbohydrate (sugars) which is not a surprise to me (most syrups are made up of predominantly carbohydrate/sugar). There is more energy (calories) in tapioca syrup compared to maple syrup, however, the tablespoon amount is less than that of maple syrup so this may increase slightly if both were 20g. My recommendation is to enjoy both these syrups in moderation as part of a varied healthy diet.
If you would like to know more about these kinds of foods, I would suggest a consultation with an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD). APDs can convert the science into practical advice and simple language that people can understand around all things food and nutrition. You can find an APD by logging onto the Dietitians Association of Australia's website (www.daa.asn.au) and clicking on the “Find an Accredited Practising Dietitian” tab.
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