The Return of Blackstrap Molasses

When sugar cane is processed into table sugar, a thick byproduct remains after the third boiling as the sugar crystallizes.  The concentrated syrup containing the nutrient remnants of the sugar cane juice is blackstrap molasses.

While it is still a sweetener, blackstrap molasses contains slightly fewer carbohydrates than sugar, honey, or maple syrup and is touted for its higher vitamin and mineral.  The following table shows the nutrient content comparison of one teaspoon of each sweetener.

Nutrient Comparison of 1 Teaspoon of Various Sweeteners
	Blackstrap Molasses	Sugar	Honey	Maple Syrup
Energy (calories)	14	16	21.33	17.33
Carbohydrates (g)	3.7	4.2	5.77	4.47
Sugar (g)	3.7	4.19	5.75	4.03
Calcium (mg)	66.7	0	0.33	6.67
Iron (mg)	4.06	0	0.03	0.007
Potassium (mg)	200	0	3.67	14
Sodium (mg)	3.33	0	0.33	0.67
Other Nutrients	manganese, copper, vitamin B6, selenium		phosphorus, riboflavin, niacin	manganese, zinc, riboflavin, niacin
kcal = calorie, g = gram, mg = milligram

Added Sugar Fast Facts

·       Added sugar is any sugar added to a food or beverage.

·       Average Americans consume 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day.

·       One teaspoon is equal to four grams of sugar.

·       Amounts recommended by American Heart Association:

o   No more than 6 teaspoons per day for most women

o   No more than 9 teaspoons per day for most men

·       Common names of added sugars on food labels:

o   Agave nectar, brown sugar, cane crystals, cane sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, crystalline fructose, dextrose, evaporated cane juice, fructose, fruit juice concentrates, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, maltose, malt syrup, maple syrup, molasses, raw sugar, sucrose, syrup

Historical Facts

·       Blackstrap molasses was cheaper, and therefore more popular than sugar before the turn of the 19th Century. 

·       In 1919, a molasses tsunami coined the Great Molasses Flood tore through part of Boston, Massachusetts at 35 miles per hour causing devastation in the area.

·       Blackstrap molasses has been regaining popularity since the mid-1900s as people continue to make healthier food choices.

Tips for Use

·       Blackstrap molasses has a distinct flavor (think gingerbread cookies) due to the mineral content compared to other sweeteners.

·       Recipe substitutions:

o   1 cup of blackstrap molasses for every ¾ cup of brown sugar (i.e. in baked beans)

o   cup for cup in place of other liquid sweeteners (i.e. honey, maple syrup)

Information Collected from the following sources:

Johnson RK, Appel LJ, Brands M, et al. Dietary sugars intake and cardiovascular health: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2009;120:1011-20.

Can you tell me more about blackstrap molasses? The World’s Healthiest Foods. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=350. Accessed November 4, 2017.

USDA Food Composition Databases. United States Department of Agriculture. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list. Accessed November 4, 2017.