10 Facts You Didn’t Know About Maple Syrup (National Maple Syrup Day)

10 Facts You Didn’t Know, About Maple Syrup.

In honor of National Maple Syrup Day on Dec.

17, here are ten facts you may not have known.

1.

, Canada produces 80 percent of the world’s maple syrup supply.

2.

, In Canada, syrup is broken down into four hue-related categories: extra light (AA), light (A), medium (B), #2 amber (C) and #3 dark (d).

3.

, The United States' system of syrup categories consists only of a lighter grade a syrup and a darker grade b syrup.

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4.

, There’s an organization dedicated to maple syrup called the International Maple Syrup Institute.

It was founded in 1975.

5.

, Commercial brand syrups are created with inexpensive ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, cellulose gum and caramel coloring.

6.

, Roughly 40 gallons of sap are required to make 1 gallon of real maple syrup.

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7.

, Most syrup-yielding trees only supply 5 to 15 gallons of sap per season.

8.

, In Hadong, Korea, locals have commonly been known to consume over five gallons of maple sap in one sitting.

9.

, Rather than use the traditional taps and buckets method, most North American operations use a system of tubing and vacuums. .

10.

, Alfred University, located in western New York, offers an official maple production course.