Is Maple Syrup Healthier Than Honey?

Short answer: Maple syrup and honey are both free sugars. Maple syrup contains more water and fewer sugars per equal weight; neither is a nutrient supplement.

Selected foods: Maple syrup and Honey. These specific preparations are compared below.

Which to pick for your goal

If you want	Better pick	The numbers
Fewer calories	Maple Syrup	260 kcal vs 304 kcal per 100 g
Less sugar	Maple Syrup	61 g vs 82 g per 100 g
Overall (Nutri-Score)	About the same	both D

Small differences count as a tie: a few calories or a few tenths of a gram won't change your day.

Nutrition side by side, per 100 g

Per 100 g	Maple Syrup	Honey
Calories	260 kcal	304 kcal
Protein	0 g	0.3 g
Fat	0.1 g	0 g
incl. saturated	0 g	0 g
Total carbohydrates	67 g	82 g
incl. sugars	61 g	82 g
incl. fiber	0 g	0.2 g
Salt	0 g	0 g
Nutri-Score	D	D

Rounded values from exact USDA records (see * Data and sources below). Different brands, cuts and recipes can have different values. Diary food cards and the alternative versions below retain their own typical recipes.

For the same amount: 50 g

Equal amount	Maple Syrup	Honey
Calories	130 kcal	152 kcal
Protein	0 g	0.2 g
incl. saturated	0 g	0 g
incl. sugars	30 g	41 g
incl. fiber	0 g	0.1 g

In a typical serving

One serving	Maple Syrup	Honey
Serving	tablespoon, 20 g (0.7 oz)	tablespoon, 21 g (0.7 oz)
Calories	52 kcal	64 kcal
Protein	0 g	0.1 g
Sugars	12 g	17 g
Easy walking to burn it*	17 min	21 min

* For a 70 kg (154 lb) person; the app works it out for your weight and your activities.

Portion size usually moves the numbers more than the choice between two similar foods: a heaping serving of the “healthier” one can easily outweigh a modest serving of the other.

Blood sugar angle

Maple syrup has 67 g of carbohydrate per 100 g (61 g sugars, 0 g fiber); Honey has 82 g (82 g sugars, 0.2 g fiber). This table is not a measured glycemic-response comparison; the amount eaten and the rest of the meal matter. Glycemic index values vary by variety, ripeness and cooking, so treat any single number with caution — and eat either with vegetables and some protein.

Other versions: typical diary estimates

The first two rows repeat the selected USDA records; other rows are typical diary estimates, without an exact source-record match. The cut, fat level or recipe can change the result. Per 100 g:

Per 100 g	Calories	Protein	Sugars	Fiber	Nutri-Score
Maple Syrup	260	0 g	61 g	0 g	D
Honey	304	0.3 g	82 g	0.2 g	D
Sugar	399	0 g	100 g	0 g	E

*Data and sources

Syrups, maple — USDA FDC 169661 (SR Legacy; published 4/1/2019).
Honey — USDA FDC 169640 (SR Legacy; published 4/1/2019).

Retrieved 2 October 2026. USDA composition is per 100 g; drink values per 100 ml use the record’s measured household weight, with the USDA customary cup of 236.6 ml. Displayed cup servings remain 240 ml. Carbohydrate includes fiber on this US site; salt is sodium × 2.5. The food records are historical reference values, not current brand guarantees.

WHO guideline on free sugars: honey, syrups and fruit-juice sugars count as free sugars. WHO guideline on saturated and trans fats: consider replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat.

FAQ

Which has fewer calories, maple syrup or honey?

Maple syrup: 260 kcal vs 304 kcal per 100 g. In a typical serving that's 52 kcal for maple syrup (tablespoon, 20 g) and 64 kcal for honey (tablespoon, 21 g).

Is maple syrup or honey better for weight loss?

No single food makes you gain or lose weight — the day's total does. Gram for gram, maple syrup is the lighter pick (260 kcal vs 304 kcal per 100 g). The portion usually matters more: a typical serving of maple syrup (tablespoon, 20 g) is 52 kcal, of honey (tablespoon, 21 g) 64 kcal.

Which has less sugar, maple syrup or honey?

Maple syrup: 61 g vs 82 g per 100 g. A typical serving has 12 g of sugars for maple syrup and 17 g for honey.

Does this comparison apply to every brand or recipe?

No. The main table uses the two specific USDA foods named and linked on this page. Fat level, ingredients, trimming, cooking and water content can change the result. Use the same amount for a fair comparison and check the label for the product you actually eat.

Log it and see your day

In Calories Not Count every food gets a Nutri-Score grade, a sugar–salt–fat–fiber traffic light, fair same-calorie swaps and the minutes of movement it costs for your weight and your activities — no scale needed. Goals like lower sugar, more protein or more omega-3 can be set in the diary, and swaps there are ranked for that goal.