Maybe you’ve wondered about recipes calling for molasses. Is it healthy? Could you add it to recipes or replace sugar with it? Here’s a quick Q&A about molasses, put together by my current dietetic intern, Alexis!
What is Molasses?
Molasses is a byproduct of the process of boiling down either the sugar cane plant or beet sugar plant. Molasses is syrup that has been “squeezed” from the plant and then centrifuged to release the sugar crystals. The molasses produced from cane sugar is used for human consumption while the molasses from beet sugar is more for animal feed.
Molasses vs. Black Strap Molasses
Blackstrap molasses is the name given to the byproduct from the third reduction of the crystallized sugar. Blackstrap is bitterer than molasses because more sugar has been taken from it.
Nutrition Benefits of Molasses:
According to the USDA, Both molasses and blackstrap molasses are healthy in that they offer a good amount of the following:
- iron,
- calcium,
- magnesium,
- potassium.
In fact, in just 1 tablespoon molasses has:
- 41mg of calcium,
- 48mg of magnesium,
- 293mg of potassium,
- 1mg iron.
Is Molasses Healthy?
Keep in mind that molasses is still sugar so consuming in moderation is the key. Let’s compare Sugar and Honey to Molasses. Sugar has no calcium, magnesium, potassium, or iron. Honey has: 1 mg of calcium, 11mg of potassium and no iron or magnesium
What can I use Molasses in?
Molasses can substitute sugar in most dishes. When substituting molasses for sugar use 11/3 cup for 1 cup of sugar, reduce liquid by 5 tbs, and add ½ tsp of baking soda.
Julie really likes to use molasses in her granola. You can substitute it for 1/2 of the honey in this quick and easy granola recipe. She also has a delicious recipe for molasses coconut cookies.
Some examples of things you can use molasses in are:
- Oatmeal
- Cookies
- Baked Beans
- Muffins
- Yogurt
- Gingersnap cookies
What’s your favorite recipe with molasses??
– Alexis
PS – Did you know there was a “Great Molasses Flood of 1919”?? According to the MadeHow website “the Great Boston Molasses Flood of
January 1919 when a molasses storage tank owned by the Purity Distilling
Company burst, sending a two-story-high wave of molasses through the
streets of the North End of Boston.” WOAH! Read more: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Molasses.html#ixzz3Jiv58f9S
References and additional reading:
what is acceptable amount for cancer patient?
moderation 🙂