VERTMONT maple syrup, a real institution in Canada (it's used a lot as a side dish in pancakes and crepes, while the tree's leaf adorns the country's flag) and has healing properties, similar to those of blueberries, green tea and other "superfoods" of the species, as a scientific study presented recently reveals...

"We discovered that various components of it have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which we have already seen to act against cancer, various types of diabetes and bacterial infections," notes Navidra Shiram, a professor at the University of Rhode Island in the US, who is in charge of the research.

He adds, in fact, that the polyphenols of this golden-colored extract may also contribute to the stabilization of sugar levels in the blood of diabetics, by inhibiting the activation of the enzymes considered responsible for the disease.

The scientists, who thoroughly studied the Quebec maple extract, identified a total of 54 beneficial components, of which five were completely unknown.

One of these five ingredients was named Quebecol, in honor of the French-speaking province of Quebec, which is the world's largest producer of the extract.

The new molecules discovered may help chemists to make new drugs for various diseases.

The results of the research were presented at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, in California, and are expected to be published in the next issue of the journal "Journal of Functional Foods". The research was funded by the Federation of Maple Growers of Quebec and by the Ministry of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.