1 year, 8 months ago
What exactly is "black strap molasses" and how is it made?
It's supposed to be healthy, why? I've also read that it is a first class supplement for pregnant women. Is it really a safe and health food product? Are there any sources where one can buy it labeled "organic"? And, what is the difference to sugar beet molasses?
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M$1 Answer
Blackstrap molasses is one of the healthiest sweeteners that there is. It can be made from either sugar beets or sugar cane. Is is produced by boiling the sugar repeatedly. Although blackstrap molasses contains about the same amount of calories as real sugar, it is highly concentrated in vitamins and minerals. As little as two teaspoons of blackstrap molasses contains over 10 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowances of copper, manganese, iron, calcium, and potassium. Additionally, blackstrap molasses contains higher concentrations of vitamin B6, magnesium, and selenium.
There are about 16 calories in each teaspoon of blackstrap molasses, and it has been sold as a sweetener in health food stores since the 1960s. Referred to as treacle in the UK and other parts of Europe, it was commonly prescribed as a natural, over-the-counter remedy for gastrointestinal irritations such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. It was also thought that the higher concentrations of minerals in blackstrap molasses may have helped to restore balance in the body.
In some cases, the health benefits of blackstrap molasses may also be inflated. While it certainly isn't necessarily a cure for anything, it works well as an alternative to refined sugar and as a supplement to an already healthy diet. Some people have reported that blackstrap molasses may help with hair loss. This may in fact be true, since copper deficiency can sometimes lead to premature hair loss in both men and women, and this kind of molasses contains more copper than just about any other type of food.
Other people have also reported that blackstrap molasses has helped with acne and Rheumatoid arthritis, but again, this may actually be attributed to the higher concentrations of vitamins and minerals working to restore nutritional balance.
I have tried blackstrap molasses, and I personally cannot get used to the awkward taste. However, I raise Boer goats, and it is one thing in my animal medicine cabinet that I cannot live without. For goats with any kind of illness, blackstrap molasses is one of the most helpful things to have on hand to help restore health. It has worked for me numerous times, and it is always recommended by veterinarians. It makes since to me that if it works that well for animals that it must also be really beneficial to humans as well.
There are about 16 calories in each teaspoon of blackstrap molasses, and it has been sold as a sweetener in health food stores since the 1960s. Referred to as treacle in the UK and other parts of Europe, it was commonly prescribed as a natural, over-the-counter remedy for gastrointestinal irritations such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. It was also thought that the higher concentrations of minerals in blackstrap molasses may have helped to restore balance in the body.
In some cases, the health benefits of blackstrap molasses may also be inflated. While it certainly isn't necessarily a cure for anything, it works well as an alternative to refined sugar and as a supplement to an already healthy diet. Some people have reported that blackstrap molasses may help with hair loss. This may in fact be true, since copper deficiency can sometimes lead to premature hair loss in both men and women, and this kind of molasses contains more copper than just about any other type of food.
Other people have also reported that blackstrap molasses has helped with acne and Rheumatoid arthritis, but again, this may actually be attributed to the higher concentrations of vitamins and minerals working to restore nutritional balance.
I have tried blackstrap molasses, and I personally cannot get used to the awkward taste. However, I raise Boer goats, and it is one thing in my animal medicine cabinet that I cannot live without. For goats with any kind of illness, blackstrap molasses is one of the most helpful things to have on hand to help restore health. It has worked for me numerous times, and it is always recommended by veterinarians. It makes since to me that if it works that well for animals that it must also be really beneficial to humans as well.
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M$
The term "blackstrap" refers specifically to the process that is used to create this form of molasses. All blackstrap molasses goes through a third boiling, but there is no differentiation between molasses that is created with sugar cane (even green sugar cane) and sugar beets. Technically, all beet molasses would constitute blackstrap molasses, since it is always boiled three times. However, blackstrap molasses that is made from sugar cane and beet molasses, which goes through the same process, do have slightly different flavors. It is only molasses that is derived from sugar cane that is used in cooking, except for the instance of animal feed and the production of alcoholic beverages.
When it comes to sugar cane molasses, there are three different types: light molasses is a product of the first boiling of sugar cane syrup, dark molasses is a product of the second boiling, and blackstrap molasses is a product of the third boiling. Beet molasses is always boiled three times, but sucrose can also be extracted from this kind of molasses and the end result has slightly different properties than sugar cane molasses that is boiled three times. Dark molasses is the most commonly used form of molasses for cooking.
A large percentage of generic sugar that can be purchased from your local grocery store is in fact beet sugar, unless the packaging specifically says "pure cane sugar."
When it comes to molasses, there are also several other types as well. Molasses can be made from grains such as corn, and also sorghum. This type of molasses is referred to as starch molasses. Citrus molasses can also be made from dried citrus pulp. These types of molasses are typically used in distillery processes and the making of rum. However, molasses has many other industrial implications and uses as well.
http://running_on_alcohol.tripod.com/id21.html
It just doesn't sound right that blackstrap molasses could be made from sugar beets. Beets and cane are different plants and while both have extractable sugar, the remaining stuff after boiling has got to be very different in nutrition and differently flavored.
There are a mess of "health food" sites which confuse the issue, but some sites do specify that Blackstrap molasses comes from sugar cane. It doesn't seem to be an official term so it may be being used for different things.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/205509-black-strap-molasses-diabetes/
That photo of a bottle of "blackstrap molasses" - look at the ingredients! That's curious.
Treacle in the UK means any molasses, the popular kind is light colored.
"Blackstrap" molasses comes from the 3rd boiling of sugar cane syrup. It can't be made from sugar beets. This is because the process gives the "blackstrap" molasses it's smoky taste. Beet molasses doesn't go through the same processes and are named quite differently. You wouldn't use beet molasses in barbecue for instance because the purpose of blackstrap molasses is to add the smoky caramelly taste.
@albanian, see my comments above. ^^ I think any time that molasses is derived from sugar beets, it will be labeled as "beet molasses," instead of "blackstrap molasses." The majority of all types of molasses that are used in the home or for cooking/dietary consumption (with the exception of those used in liquor/distilling) are those made from sugar cane. However, since the basic definition of blackstrap molasses is a molasses that is derived from sugar syrup that is boiled three times, this would also apply to molasses that is made from sugar beets.
Yes, each type of molasses contains a different amount of sugar, even different types of sugar (fructose/sucrose/dextrose), and also different nutritional content. In the UK, treacle is also commonly combined with beet juice for medicinal use. This makes me wonder if molasses that is derived from sugar beets would in fact offer better health benefits than that derived from sugar cane. I do not know the answer to that question.
"Molasses" can be made from different things. Basically, it is made from anything that a type of sugar can be extracted from. The term does not refer to the ingredients as much as it refers to the actual end-product, which is a result of the process that the sugars undergo. Beet molasses is always boiled three times. There is no light beet molasses, and you will seldom see beet molasses labeled as "dark." All beet molasses is "blackstrap molasses," meaning that it has been boiled three times, but you won't see it labeled as "blackstrap" either. I agree that it is the labeling of such that is sometimes confusing, but if you were to look at the ingredients of each different type of molasses, you would find very different ingredients for each.