Peppermint caps tend to be one of those prevention things rather than an immediate remedy like tea. As Linz said, the heat of the tea is very soothing to the digestive system, which has an immediate effect. The peppermint caps work slowly through your stomach and intestines to soothe it over time, so you take them a few times a day and generally notice that you're getting less spasms after a few days. You'll still want to keep the tea around though to help you out when your feeling bad.
The heat seems to help you - have you tried a hot pack??? I find this works wonders to soothe a bloated tummy within a few mins.
I don't know much about the fructose content of maple syrup but I think those things are best in small amounts (honey, maple syrup), as in around a tbsp at a time tops. If you're looking for something to put on pancakes, I like applesauce and cinnamon even better than maple syrup