Best Eats This Week: DRINKmaple

Gluten-free, dairy-free, nutrient-rich and environmentally-friendly -- it's so good it's making coconut water look bad.  Maple water and coconut water are similar with their electrolytes and vitamins but Maple water contains significantly less sugar and has proven to do better in taste test in labs.  It has a delicate maple sweetness -- imagine water mixed with a tiny bit of maple syrup.  It is the sap from maple trees, and DRINKmaple is just purely 100% that with no added nonsense.

DRINKmaple is the leading maple water in the UK, but Maple water is still quite young in the British market.  The claim is that as the water is stored in the trees, it infuses with all the minerals.  Farmers directly tap the trees to extract this water and DRINKmaple is hoping that its popularity would decrease deforestation as the value of this new drink rises over that of selling trees for lumber.  It is the drink for post-workouts and yoga-lovers.

 Great alternative to water and Gatorade, but I have also tried it in smoothies and oatmeal because of its lovely flavor.  For the summer, try adding a couple of citrus wedges and ice cubes for a refreshing drink or use it to make a fruity ice lolly.  It is also being used in cocktails in the US now -- I have seen recipes where you reduce it to intensify its flavor and then mixing it with something neutral like Vodka.  For desserts, why not poach fruits in DRINKmaple?  There's a whole culinary world out there for this drink if you want to get creative.

In London, you can now find DRINKmaple at Selfridges, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Whole Foods, Planet Organic and it is just launching at Ocado.