Together with my @theexamination.org colleagues @anjalit.bsky.social & @mago.bsky.social and Ellen Gabler of the New York Times, we looked into this weird, sticky mix of science and salesmanship. Here's the story: www.theexamination.org/articles/a-s...

After, Seeram told me he was fulfilling a U.S. government grant to promote maple syrup -- and that he believed in the power of natural medicines.

We later found out he was also a longtime paid consultant of the Canadian maple syrup industry.

Biomedical researcher Navindra Seeram had done dozens of maple studies and had suggested that maple syrup may help stave off diseases. But I was still surprised by what he said:

“We have to convince the consumer that this sugar is good for you,” he told an audience of maple farmers.