You might have heard someone say something was as slow as molasses before, but you probably have never heard someone say something is as healthy as molasses. Now, not all molasses is healthy, but all molasses is healthier than granular sugar. Molasses comes in three forms, light molasses, dark molasses and blackstrap molasses. All of which are by-products of sugar manufacturing. Sugar production starts with boiling sugarcane juice to crystallize the sugar, which is then filtered to separate it from the juice. This leaves a thick, brown liquid called light molasses. Light molasses is the most used of the three forms. It is the lightest in color, sweetest, and mildest in flavor. Light molasses helps to make cookies softer and bread crustier, and it can also be used in marinades and sauces. Light molasses is boiled again to produce dark molasses. 

Dark molasses is thicker, less sweet, darker, and stronger in flavor than light molasses. It can generally be used in place of light molasses and is what gives gingerbread cookies their distinct color and flavor. Vicki uses dark molasses for her molasses cookies that she makes every year around Thanksgiving. Boiling a third time  creates blackstrap molasses, which is even thicker and darker and characterized by a bitter taste. Because it’s boiled three times, blackstrap molasses is more nutrient-dense than other types of molasses, which explains why it has recently gained popularity as a supplement. Blackstrap molasses is the nutritious by-product of sugarcane production. Unlike refined sugar, it’s naturally rich in antioxidants, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin B6. Blackstrap molasses is called blackstrap because the word “strap” comes from the Dutch word stroop, which means “syrup”, black syrup. 

It’s often used as a sweetener, spread, or topping, or in baked beans and barbecue sauce. Blackstrap molasses is a plant-based food that is rich in iron. As such, it’s often used as a supplement to treat iron deficiency anemia, a condition caused by the malabsorption or poor dietary intake of iron. Blackstrap molasses is a rich source of antioxidants, the compounds that protect the body from free radicals, which are molecules that may damage your cells when present in large amounts. Research shows that calcium supplements may reduce osteoporosis risk and because a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses provides ten percent of the daily allowance of calcium, taking it on a long term basis may promote stronger bone health. One last thing about molasses, you may notice labels that say sulfured of unsulfured. Sulfured is a way of adding sulfur dioxide to the molasses as a preservative. You get longer shelf life, but you can notice a difference in the taste. I prefer unsulfured.  

So now over the past few weeks, I have talked about Honey, Apple Cider Vinegar and now molasses, three ingredients to better health that most of us have hanging around the kitchen. None of these products are a quick fix for anything, but used over time, they can improve health.