Is Maple Syrup Vegan?

Maple syrup

Maple syrup comes, perhaps unsurprisingly, from maple trees, usually sugar, red and black maple trees. The syrup starts life as starch in the trees’ trunks and roots over winter, and when it comes to spring the starch rises and turns into sap which means the trees are ready to be tapped for harvest. A hole is drilled into the trunk for the sap to be collected and this sticky fluid is then heated to leave a concentration of the good stuff – pure maple syrup.

Is maple syrup vegan?

Yes, in theory, maple syrup is 100% plant-based and suitable for vegans. This ancient tradition, which was first practised by indigenous people native to North America, is now a multi-million dollar industry. And as a result, what was a purist ingredient now has other things to contend with.

Is all maple syrup vegan? 

In practice, many large-scale maple syrups industries use animal fats as a stabiliser during the reduction process to limit the amount of foam made and get a larger yield of syrup. Occasionally honey and dairy-based butter flavourings are used too. So, when buying maple syrup, we recommend checking the label to see whether it is vegan-friendly.

Hungry for maple syrup now? Make Val’s delicious maple and ginger roasted carrots for the ultimate satisfaction.

Be sure to send more plant-based questions our way in the comments and we’ll answer them for you.