Blackstrap molasses

Health benefits

Blackstrap molasses retains the minerals that refined white sugar and corn syrup discard during processing. Two teaspoons (13.7g) deliver measurable amounts of six minerals, making it one of the few sweeteners with genuine nutritional density.

Iron for energy

Two teaspoons of blackstrap molasses provide 2.39 mg of iron (13.3% DV). Iron is a structural component of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen from the lungs to every cell, and of cytochrome enzymes in the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Menstruating women, pregnant or lactating individuals, and growing adolescents all have elevated iron requirements. Compared to red meat, blackstrap molasses delivers more iron per calorie with zero fat.

Calcium

Two teaspoons supply 117.6 mg of calcium (11.8% DV). Calcium is required for muscle contraction, blood clotting, nerve impulse conduction, and enzyme regulation. It also provides structural integrity to bones and teeth. Calcium binds bile acids in the colon, which epidemiological studies have associated with reduced colon cancer risk.

Mineral density

Blackstrap molasses is an excellent source of copper (0.28 mg, 14% DV) and manganese (0.36 mg, 18% DV). Copper is a cofactor for superoxide dismutase (SOD), lysyl oxidase (needed for collagen and elastin cross-linking), and ceruloplasmin (required for iron transport). Manganese is the metal center of mitochondrial SOD (MnSOD), which neutralizes superoxide radicals generated during oxidative phosphorylation.

Two teaspoons also provide 340.7 mg of potassium (9.7% DV). Potassium is essential for maintaining membrane potential in muscle and nerve cells, glycogen storage, and acid-base balance. Low potassium impairs muscle contractility and accelerates fatigue during exercise.

The same serving delivers 29.4 mg of magnesium (7.3% DV). About two-thirds of the body’s magnesium resides in bone, both as structural mineral and as a surface reservoir. Magnesium functions as a physiological calcium channel antagonist in nerve cells; when magnesium is insufficient, calcium enters nerve cells more freely, leading to over-activation. Inadequate magnesium intake is associated with hypertension, muscle spasms, airway constriction, and migraine frequency.

Description

Blackstrap molasses is thick, viscous, and black-brown, with a bittersweet flavor that defines dishes like baked beans and gingerbread. It is the concentrated byproduct of the third boiling of sugar cane syrup, produced after most of the sucrose has been crystallized out. This repeated boiling concentrates the minerals that were present in the original cane juice.

History

Molasses has been imported into the United States from the Caribbean since the colonial era. Before refined sugar became affordable in the late 19th century, molasses was the most widely used sweetener in North America.

The Molasses Act of 1733, a British tariff designed to discourage colonial trade with non-British West Indies territories, is considered one of the catalysts of pre-revolutionary dissent.

In 1919, a storage tank holding over two million gallons of molasses ruptured in Boston, Massachusetts. The resulting flood traveled at up to 35 miles per hour in a thirty-foot wave, killing twenty-one people and causing extensive property damage.

Blackstrap molasses gained popularity in the mid-20th century alongside the health food movement. India, Brazil, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, and the United States are the largest producers today.

How to select and store

Choose unsulphured blackstrap molasses for a cleaner taste and to avoid a processing chemical that can cause sensitivity reactions. Organic sugar cane varieties are available in some markets.

Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator or a cool, dry place. Unopened containers keep for about one year; opened containers for about six months.

How to enjoy

Serving ideas

• Adding molasses to baked beans creates the traditional deep flavor.
• Molasses gives cookies and gingerbread cakes their distinctive character.
• Basting chicken or turkey with molasses produces a dark glaze and caramel-like taste.

For some of our favorite recipes, click Recipes.

Individual concerns

Blackstrap molasses is not a commonly allergenic food and is not known to contain measurable amounts of oxalates or purines.

Nutritional profile

Two teaspoons (13.7g, 32 calories) of blackstrap molasses provide 18% DV manganese, 14% DV copper, 13.3% DV iron, 11.8% DV calcium, 9.7% DV potassium, 7.3% DV magnesium, 5% DV vitamin B6, and 3.5% DV selenium.

For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Blackstrap molasses.