I was under the impression that OJ does not have an alkalizing effect on the body, but I may be wrong.

Please see my below message for more information on OJ vs. Maple Syrup.

In response to your question regarding Sugar content:

1 glass of orange juice usually has around 24 grams of sugar. If you do the lemonade by the book and use 2 tablespoons you have about 26 grams of sugar. So it is very similar.

I just checked regarding fructose in fruit juice and what type of Sugar is in Maple Syrup. It is 90 - 96% sucrose and up to 4% glucose. So it is a different type of Sugar and is most likely digested differently.

I hope this helps a little bit.