Guide to Ohio Maple Syrup

Who doesn’t love the richness of pure golden maple syrup? Luckily for us, the Inn at Honey Run is situated near some of the finest Ohio maple syrup producers and spring is a great time to pop in for a visit. That’s when the sugar shacks are smokin’, so to speak: in Ohio, sap starts running in late February and early March, and syrup makers act fast to turn maple sap into maple syrup. After many hours of boiling, sap becomes thick, sugary syrup, ready to pour over your pancakes, into your coffee and even into your baked goods!

Believe it or not, Ohio is responsible for approximately 100,000 gallons of maple syrup year, produced by roughly 900 producers. Many of these welcome visitors in springtime, and the Ohio Maple Syrup Producers Association is your guide to them. Find Ohio maple syrup at the source using their interactive map of Ohio maple producers — look for the ones that are open to the public. March is a great time to tour Ohio maple syrup makers as many participate in Maple Madness.

If the taste and texture of the real deal don’t persuade you to give up on that Mrs. Butterworth’s (the far-reaching evil step-sister to real maple syrup), consider the following: real maple syrup is good for you too, in moderation, of course.

5 Health Benefits of Real Ohio Maple Syrup

1. Kick Cancer: According to a University of Rhode Island study, drizzling maple syrup on your breakfast may help prevent inflammatory diseases such as cancer, osteoporosis, and even Alzheimer’s.

2. Amen for Antioxidants: Real maple syrup is packed with polyphenols, which are plant-based compounds that work as antioxidants.

3. Take a Few Years off Your Face: These antioxidants are also natural anti-agers. Syrup works topically on the skin repairing environmental and free radical damage. It even makes a great ingredient for an at-home spa day, like with this maple-oatmeal facial mask.

4. Cancel Cake Regret: Next time you whip up your favorite cake recipe, think about replacing sugar with maple syrup. There’s proof it is less likely to cause indigestion and bloating. The earthy flavor notes pair perfectly with coffee cakes, gingerbread, and pound cakes. To try it out, replace refined sugar with an equal amount of maple syrup and then reduce the amount of liquid the recipe calls for by roughly ½ cup.

5. Cold Killer: Essential cold-killing nutrients like zinc and manganese are found in Ohio maple syrup, and in all real maple syrup. Zinc keeps your level of white blood cells up and manganese protects immune cells from inflammation and damage.

Whether you are coming to Amish Country for the lush maple syrup, well-crafted furniture, bird watching opportunities, fantastic food, or just a weekend away, The Inn at Honey Run is the perfect place to do it all. Reservations available by phone and online anytime.