Although it’s more popular across the pond, the maple syrup market in Britain is going strong.

Us Brits love the sweet taste and sticky consistency, as well as the fact that it’s supposedly a ‘healthy’ sweetener. Almost 80% of the world’s maple syrup comes from one country – Canada. However the quality over here is usually not as good as what’s on offer in the US and Canada, and prices have rocketed in recent years.

Popularly drizzled on pancakes, fruit, French toast, waffles, yoghurt and ice cream, maple syrup is commonly used as a natural way to sweeten food.

Good Old English Honey

Maple syrup is not always the best choice in the UK. This is due to the fact that it’s imported and often rather pricey. Many brands are of low quality, and labels can be misleading. Syrups labelled as ‘maple flavour’ may contain as little as 15% maple syrup, or none at all! Often they are largely made of sugar syrup, or bulked out with ingredients such as carob syrup.

A great alternative to maple syrup in terms of sweetness and consistency is good old English honey. It’s produced here in the UK, ensuring a lower environmental footprint. Make sure to buy from a quality source and you can expect an all-natural product, high quality and a great flavour.

Honey is even more versatile due to its milder taste. It works just as well in savoury dishes as sweet ones. Plus it offers a number of vitamins, protein and fibre. When looking to buy English honey, make sure to check the jar to ensure that it’s produced in the UK, is raw and unprocessed and 100% natural.