What The Heck Is Maple Water And Should I Be Drinking It?

Isadora Baum

February 7, 2019 1:59 PM

I know it sounds crazy, but water is having a moment. There's coconut water, protein water, cactus water, and lemon water. And now, a KIND trend report predicts maple water will be the next big hit .

What Is Maple Water?

What is maple water?

Maple water is water that comes from a maple tree-duh. "To get maple syrup, farmers tap the tree and collect the sap, which is 98 percent water," says Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD, author of The No-Brainer Nutrition Guide For Runners.

People are into it because maple water has less than half the sugar found in most coconut waters, and brands like Drink Simple make maple water in fun flavors like Raspberry Lemon and Tart Cherry Watermelon.

\"A 12-ounce bottle has about 30 calories and 7 grams of sugar.\"

Are there benefits of maple water?

Well, for starters, it's lower in calories than you may think. "A 12-ounce bottle has about 30 calories and 7 grams of sugar," says Maggie Michalczyk, MS, RD . "Maple water also has manganese, which helps with calcium absorption and regulating blood sugar."

Maple water may be a good option for any soda or juice fanatics. "This is a less sweet alternative that can help you cut the sugar way back," says Rizzo. "But the best thing you can drink is plain old water."

Should you try maple water?

If you want to drink maple water, go ahead (again, it's better than soda). But don't add maple water to your diet in the name of improving your health: it's still sweet without much extra benefit.

"There's not enough manganese to make a difference," says Rizzo. "Youre better off eating leafy greens or vegetables that are high in manganese." (If you're craving the taste of maple, Rizzo says to just go for pure maple syrup, so you're not disappointed.)

Michalcyzk agrees. "I wouldn't replace plain old water with it," she says. But if you want to give maple water a try, drink it before or after a workout for some electrolytes, she says.

Isadora Baum