DRINKmaple Review

It’s May already! How has that even happened? So, as a nod to the month that gives us two Bank Holiday Mondays (hooray!), maypole dancing, National Walking Month and, our personal favourite, National Doughnut Week (yes, honestly!), we thought we’d treat you all to our very own tribute to May.

Drum roll if you please…

Welcome to The Art of Healthy Living‘s feature and review on the refreshingly different drink coming soon to a kitchen near you…’May’ple Water.

(Hehe can you see what we did there?! 🙂 )

Maple water has actually been around for hundreds of years and was first discovered by the Native Americans. However, it is only recently, with the increase in demand for tasty, healthy drinks, that maple water has begun to feature on our radars again.

Before going any further, I feel I should take it upon myself to stand up for the health and wellbeing of the humble maple tree and provide you all with the following information:

DISCLAIMER: No trees were harmed during this review!

That’s right, maple water does, as you would imagine, come from maple trees. BUT it does not involve cutting the trees down, nor damaging them in anyway. In fact, the process is entirely sustainable, as the water is simply collected by tapping the trees and allowing it to run down into buckets where it is then taken away and bottled.

Collecting maple waterIt reminds me of when I visited a rubber tree plantation on holiday in Thailand a few years ago and the process of collecting rubber was done in a very similar way. No machinery, no damage, no burning, just acres and acres of natural beauty being allowed to grow as nature intended, with man taking what he needs in a conscientious, respectful and sustainable way.

What’s so special about maple water then? What makes it so different from any other drink and what kind of health benefits can we get from drinking it?

Well…take a look at this lot!

Health Benefits of Maple Water

  • Contains a staggering 46 nutrients!
  • One of which is manganese (FACT – there is more manganese in maple water than there is in a cup of kale), an essential mineral that helps with the formation of bones and connective tissue and helps the absorption of calcium.
  • Which is great, because maple water is also a fantastic source of calcium and we all know that that is good for strong bones and teeth and helps prevent osteoporosis in later life.maplewater
  • Maple water is low in sugar; it actually contains roughly half the amount of sugar that coconut water does.
  • Organic.
  • Gluten free.
  • Dairy free.
  • Suitable for vegans.
  • Doesn’t contain GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms).
  • Contains Malic Acid, which is well known for its ability to help with pain relief and is also a great energy booster.
  • Fantastic source of polyphenols and other antioxidants; these help destroy free radicals in your body and assist with cell regeneration as well as being a great support for your immune system.
  • Provide prebiotics for your probiotics. We’ve all been told how good probiotics are for gut health, but did you know that they need feeding too? Prebiotics are basically food for probiotics and maple water is a fantastic source of these.
  • Contains electrolytes, which are essential for the normal function of our cells and organs. Many sports drinks contain electrolytes to help rehydrate the body after the loss of vital minerals through sweat, however these are often combined with sugar or caffeine, whereas maple water is 100% natural.

DRINKmaple is a UK based company, which has also recently expanded to Europe, and with the slogan ‘amazing water doesn’t grow on trees it grows in them’ is bringing maple water back to our shelves, into our kitchens and filling our glasses. They believe that maple water has a place in all of our lives; whether you’re a sportsperson looking for a refreshing, nutrient rich drink or a busy, office worker struggling to find a healthy and tasty drink for lunch, maple water is the perfect alternative for when a glass of water just isn’t enough.

What does Maple Water taste like?

I’m sure the question that’s on all of your lips is…

“Surely maple water is just another faddy, ‘health drink’ that’s trying to tap into the hype that coconut water has created?”

And I get that, I really do, but hear me out.

First and foremost, maple water does not taste anything remotely like coconut water. Yes, they are both natural ‘waters’ from plant sources, but that is where the similarity stops. If you’ve read any of my coconut water reviews you’ll remember I’ve had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the drink. Coconut water has a very distinct, almost sickly taste that takes a lot of getting used to. I think after having tried it a fair few times now, I’m finally coming round to it, but it’s taken a while. Maple water on the other hand is easier to like; a taste that although is still different to our taste buds, is at the same time strangely more similar to the sweetened drinks we have become accustomed to in the western world.

Maple water doesn’t contain anywhere near the amount of naturally occurring sugar that maple syrup does, it does however manage to retain a sweetness that gives the water its unique taste. Now, if I’m going to be completely honest with you all, when I had my first glug of DRINKmaple it was a bit of a shock to me. It wasn’t as though the taste was horrible, I just really wasn’t expecting it to be sweet! Having read the word ‘water’ and purely judging by the look of it as it was poured into the glass I naively presumed it would have very little flavour like, well…water. So, when the sweetness hit, it did take me a bit by surprise and I wasn’t entirely sure what to make of it.

Post-run 'thirst' aidAfter glug number 2, then 3 and 4 my taste buds had adapted and the pure, cleansing and, might I add, incredibly refreshing nature of the maple water began to emerge. It left no unpleasant aftertaste like some drinks can do, in fact once I’d swallowed it I was left feeling as though I’d just drunk a glass of really delicious ice cold water, such was the purity of it.

For me, DRINKmaple is the perfect drink for people that don’t like water, which I know seems crazy to say, but those people really do exist! It provides as many, if not more, nutritional benefits to water, but is just that little bit more interesting. Oh and as I discovered yesterday, it’s a fab post-run thirst quencher!

It’s not a gimmick, nor a faddy trend that the foodie hipsters have all latched onto, maple water has its very roots in clean, natural refreshment and I’m certain we will be seeing a LOT more from DRINKmaple.

Talking of which…


DRINKmaple Interview

Now that we’re all a bit more clued up about what maple water is as well as having discovered all the numerous health benefits to boot, we thought it would be great to dig right down into the roots of DRINKmaple and find out more about the team behind it.

What was the inspiration behind DRINKmaple?

“The brand was created by two American ironman triathletes, Kate Weiler and Jeff Rose, who discovered maple water whilst racing in Canada and realised that it offered the ultimate in healthy hydration – a natural product, that is low in sugar, high in nutrients, super refreshing and, perhaps most importantly, tastes great. It occurred to the two that the attributes of maple water would appeal to a lot of people and the company was set up in 2013. Whilst maple water is not a new phenomenon, it was drunk by Native Americas hundreds of years ago, it was relatively unheard of as a retail product and DRINKmaple was one of the first consumer brands in the US. Three years on and, following its success on ‘the other side of the pond’, DRINKmaple has recently launched in Europe.”

Tell us why DRINKmaple is so good – why should we drink it?

“To collect DRINKmaple you literally tap a maple tree, which doesn’t damage the plant in any way, and let the sap run into buckets. There’s nothing added and nothing taken away, which means the water retains all the nutrients, 46 in total, the tree has collected and a subtle maple taste. The result is a refreshing drink that offers a huge amount more than just water, but without the sugar or artificial ingredients of many commercial drinks.”

Isn’t maple water just the new coconut water?DRINKmaple

“We’re really keen for maple water not to be compared to coconut water. Whilst coconut water has seen a huge rise in popularity, a lot of its success has been based on big marketing budgets and celebrity endorsement. We want the success of DRINKmaple to be based on its taste and benefits and nothing else.”

Who is DRINKmaple aimed at?

“Everyone! Because of its roots in triathlon it’s bound to have a strong appeal to sports men and women, but ultimately it’s just a healthy and tasty way to rehydrate yourself as part of an everyday healthy lifestyle, which I think we’re all interested in.”

Can it be mixed with anything else?

“Absolutely. DRINKmaple makes a great base for cordials, mocktails, smoothies or fruit juices and we’ve even been known to create a cocktail or two with it. It also makes an interesting ingredient in certain types of baking.”

What next, where do you want to go from here?

“The immediate plans are to try and get as many people trying the drink as possible and discovering just how good a healthy drink can taste. We believe once people have tasted it DRINKmaple will sell itself. We’re also launching a large marketing campaign to educate people on the benefits of maple water and dispel any myths that it is connected with maple syrup.”

What is the big dream?

“We’d like to see DRINKmaple as a mainstream drink, as much a replacement for a glass of squash as a sports drink and believe it has the taste profile to achieve this.”

Describe DRINKmaple in just 3 words.

“Tasty, Healthy, Hydration”

And finally…tell us your best healthy habit.

“Having a good, hearty and healthy breakfast – normally involving a granola topped with fruit and yoghurt, washed down with a DRINKmaple. If you don’t set yourself up properly for the day not only do you not have the right fuels to keep you firing on all cylinders throughout the day, but you’re far more likely to reach for high sugar elevenses.”


DRINKmaple is available in three different formats: 250ml Tetra £1.99, 355ml BPA free bottle £2.59, 946ml Tetra 
£3.99

You can order it from www.drinkmaple.eu or Ocado, Wholefoods, Planet Organic, as well as over 200 other stores, including Selfridges, Revital and Harvey Nichols.

Remember to also connect with them on Twitter @DrinkMapleEU, via the DRINKmaple Europe Facebook page or why not tag them on Instagram @drinkmapleeu

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