Blackstrap Molasses Nutrition

As per studies conducted on blackstrap molasses nutrition, it contains vitamins and lots of minerals without the dangers of saturated fats, cholesterol and sodium.

Blackstrap molasses is a byproduct of sugar refining process, and is produced during the third time boiling of sugarcane syrup. Unlike table sugar, it retains some of the essential nutrients even after purification. It is commonly used in preparing baked beans, cookies, gingerbread, roasted meat and other baked recipes.

This highly viscous liquid imparts a characteristic bittersweet taste to food dishes. You will be glad to know that blackstrap molasses is beneficial for health in many ways. And to know how it benefits us, let's look into some blackstrap molasses nutrition facts.

A lot has been discussed regarding consumption of white, refined sugar and its health effects. It is not the actual glucose content in sugar that poses health risks. After all, we all know about the role of glucose in providing energy to the body cells.

So, what is worrisome about table sugar is the processing steps that deplete most of the beneficial nutrients from cane sugar, leaving behind simple carbohydrates only. Hence, any natural sweetening agent that can serve as an alternative of table sugar is always welcome in healthy eating. A good choice is blackstrap molasses.

A sweetening agent by nature, presence of high calories in blackstrap molasses is quite obvious. Serving one tablespoon of this sweetener yields approximately 47 calories, which comes from carbohydrates (12.2 g) alone.

In case the serving size of blackstrap molasses is reduced to two teaspoons, it is sufficient to provide 4 g carbohydrates, which accounts for 32 calories. But the best part with this high calorie sweetener is that all the calories are contributed by carbohydrates and not fats.

Also, having a low glycemic index, this sweetening agent doesn't cause drastic increase in blood sugar level.

According to data on blackstrap molasses nutritional facts, it is loaded with minerals and some vitamins. It provides an impressive amount of vitamin B6 (or pyridoxine). The good point with this sweetening agent is, presence of relatively low amounts of sodium.

In one tablespoon serving of blackstrap molasses, the sodium amount yielded accounts for 11 mg. Also, this bittersweet liquid contains no cholesterol and saturated fats, which are prime triggers for cardiovascular diseases. Thus, the unsulfured blackstrap molasses is used for preventing various health problems.

Molasses contains a high percentage of essential minerals, making it an excellent alternative to white sugar. It serves as a good source of iron in the diet plan, especially for vegetarians and those who are at a high risk of becoming anemic. In fact, the amount of iron provided is more than red meat, and that too by ingesting lower calories.

Including 2 teaspoons of this sweetener is enough to give 13.3 percent of the daily iron requirement. List of minerals isolated from blackstrap molasses along with the amounts yielded after serving 2 teaspoons is given below.

• Iron (2.39 mg)
• Calcium (117.53 mg)
• Potassium (340.57 mg)
• Copper (0.28 mg)
• Magnesium (29.38 mg)
• Manganese (0.36 mg)
• Selenium (2.43 mcg)

The health benefits of blackstrap molasses are really impressive. It is effective in combating fatigue, iron deficiency, arthritis, pancreatitis and improves bone health as well. Growing children, adolescents and women who experience heavy bleeding during menstruation should consider adding this dark syrup liquid in the regular diet.

For a healthy eating blackstrap molasses can effectively replace table sugar. With this nutrient-dense sweetener, you can ensure that sweet foods can be good for health.