Made by boiling down extracted maple sap, this sweetener is often found atop pancakes and waffles. It's slightly woody supersweet taste compares calorically to white sugar -- both have approximately 50 calories per tablespoon -- but maple sugar is unprocessed and contains trace minerals manganese and zinc (zinc is an antioxidant and thought to be immune-boosting; manganese aids the body with energy production). While the syrup comes in two grades and four colour classes, those refer to the colour and intensity of maple flavour. These days, syrups are sweetening everything from vegetable dishes to barbecue sauces.