Maple Water: The new coconut water?

You’ve probably heard of coconut water and if you haven’t it’s time to crawl out from under your rock. Coconut water is not new but has recently taken off over the last few years. Sweet, refreshing, a little salty in my opinion, but packed full of electrolytes and incredibly hydrating, this drink has been the “it” drink. You can now even get flavored coconut water or coffee coconut water!

Naturally, it would make sense to introduce Maple water to the market. Maple water is an all natural, plant-based water, drawn from North American Maple trees and is being touted as the “new coconut water.” DrinkMaple was first conceived after Founder Jeff Rose and Co-Founder Kate Weiler tasted maple water for the first time and were hooked. They were introduced to maple-water during an Ironman triathlon and, intrigued by the subtle taste of maple, they worked hard to introduce this low-calorie beverage to the local New England market. 

maple. (as it is called), is obtained by tapping into maple trees, with no other added ingredients, just maple sap. I was a little hesitant to try this product as I have had pure maple sap in the past, and to be honest it is not the most pleasant of flavors. If you’ve ever had maple syrup or those maple candies, the water is removed from the maple sap and the sap is boiled, allowing the sugars to caramelize, and that’s why you get the sweet rich flavor of maple syrup. However, with the sap, it has only the slightest sweet taste.

Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised when I tried Drinkmaple for the first time. It tasted just like water with only a hint of sweet maple flavor. Others have compared it to watered down maple syrup or sugar cane flavor. But, I quite enjoyed it! It was hydrating, refreshing, and only 20 calories with 4 grams of sugar! Maple. is also naturally dairy-free, vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free of course. 

Health Benefits:

• Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and prebiotics. Antioxidants help your immune system and protects against oxidation, or the production of free radicals.
• Less than half the sugar of coconut water
• More manganese than one cup of Kale. Manganese plays many vital roles in the body such as ensuring healthy bone structure, blood sugar regulation, maintains thyroid health, and assists in the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. Because it is a naturally occurring mineral in our bodies but only in small amounts, it is necessary to obtain from our diet as well. Symptoms of manganese deficiency include high blood pressure, bone malformations, high cholesterol, poor eyesight, and trouble hearing to name a few. Though quite rare because manganese is can be obtained from a plethora of sources, maple. is a great way to ensure you obtain enough as it contains 40% of the recommended daily allowance. 

If you’re a Boston native then you’re in luck because maple. launched May 12 on local store shelves in the Greater Boston area and is also being sold online via drinkmaple.com. Maple water is already hugely popular in NYC, where another of my favorite brands, called Happy Tree is sold. Plus, given the recent buzz on maple water (was recently on the Today Show as well!) and the fact that DRINKmaple is the ONLY company based in the area and selling the product in the area, of course I wanted to share it with you! In my opinion, it’s the perfect morning refreshment (next to coffee of course!) or afternoon hydrating pick-me-up. 

If you haven’t yet gotten your hands on a bottle, you can purchase maple. at the following places:Cambridge Naturals- Cambridge
Pemberton Farms- Cambridge
Squeeze Juice Bar/Equinox- Chestnut Hill
Squeeze Juice Bar/Equinox- 2 Boston locations
Lexington Power Yoga- Lexington
Espresso Love- Boston
Debra’s Natural Gourmet- Concord
Concord Provisions- Concord
Haute Coffee- Concord
The Nantucket Club- Nantucket 
Grassy Roots- Wenham
Vidalias- Beverly
Willow Rest- Gloucester
The Club by George Forman III/Nourish Your Soul
Idylwilde Farms- Acton
Natural Food Exchange- Reading
Pure Cocobeet- Boston
Foodies Urban Market- South Boston
Snap Top Market- Boston

If you have tried maple water, what did you think? 

p.s.I wouldn’t recommend it post-workout but rather as a tasty beverage to keep you hydrated if you’re not a fan of regular water and need a little flavor.

Disclaimer: I received this product for free to sample and review for my blog. I was not paid for my review and all opinions are my own.

Hydration and Metabolism

According to an article published in “Health and Healing” in July 2003, staying well hydrated allows your metabolism to function optimally. You see, when you are well hydrated, water keeps contents moving properly throughout the body. When you are dehydrated, just the opposite occurs: cellular mechanisms slow down, thus decreasing the amount of calories you could be burning if you were in a properly hydrated state! Some studies suggest that even mild dehydration can slow down metabolism, and a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism suggests that drinking water (about 16-18oz) may increase metabolic rate by up to 30 percent in healthy men and women.

Not only does being properly hydrated boast these benefits but drinking water before a meal and after can help fill you up, further promoting any weight loss efforts.

Still not convinced to start sipping more water?

What if I told you that mild dehydration is the number one cause of daytime fatigue? So while you’re reaching for that candy bar to break the afternoon slump, maybe what you really need is a nice big cup of cold H2O.

Going to the gym after work? Start sipping water at least an hour before exercise and be sure to replace fluids during exercise. Dehydration of even 1-2% will negatively affect performance and body functioning.

Not a fan of plain water but want to looking to consume more fluids? Try these tips below:
1) Add cut up fruit and vegetable slices like orange, cucumber, and lemon to your water.
2) Mix 1/4 -1/2 cup juice in with 8oz water for a little flavoring
3) Mix fruit with water and freeze in cube trays and add the flavored ice cubes to your water! Or make “juice cubes” pouring the juice into the cube trays to freeze and then add to your water
4) Try flavored seltzer
5) Make iced tea or a hot herbal tea

*When flavoring your water be sure to watch for added sugar content

 

Health & Healing, July 2003, Vol. 13, No. 7.

APEC (2013). The importance of water and your health. Retrieved from http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water-education/water-health.htm

Casa, Douglas J., Armstrong, Lawrence E., Hillman, Susan K., Montain, Scott J. (2000). National Athletic Trainers’ Association Position Statement: Fluid replacement for athletes. Journal of Athletic Training, 35(2), 212-224.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2003) 57, Suppl 2, S19–S23. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.160189