Maple syrup can be substituted for white sugar in cooking. Use cup maple syrup for 1 cup white sugar. Reduce liquid in recipe by 3 Tablespoons for each cup syrup used. The shelf-life for maple syrup is about six months in the refrigerator. The sugar in maple syrup is sucrose and invert sugar.
White sugar is sucrose, whereas invert sugar is a breakdown product of sucrose.
There is no evidence that maple syrup is healthier than white sugar. The overwhelming majority of maple syrup is produced in forests where no herbicides or pesticides have been applied. Therefore, most maple syrup would be considered organic. The requirements are stated by the particular organic certification organization, but generally state no use of substances in the production process that would alter the pure nature of maple syrup. Native Americans produced maple syrup before Europeans arrived in North America.