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When my son was younger, he had low iron levels. His pediatrician gave us a list of foods that were high in iron to help increase his levels naturally. One of the foods on the list was molasses. I started putting full flavor (because it had a higher iron content) molasses into his morning oatmeal. As he grew up his iron level started to level out but I still continued to put molasses in his (and his sister's) oatmeal. (I figured that a little extra iron would be good for them and molasses seems to be a better choice for sweetening oatmeal)
Molasses is made from sugar cane. The two main tasks required to make molasses from sugar cane are to separate out the sugar cane juice from the pulp, and then to extract the sugar (mostly sucrose) from the juice.
What's called molasses is the syrup that remains after the sugar has been extracted from the juice. The lighter the molasses, the sweeter it is. After a first round of processing, which involves spinning the juice in a centrifuge and heating (boiling), you can get a lot of the sucrose out, but not all of it. The syrup that remains after this first round of processing is the light molasses you see in the grocery store. It's also called "first" molasses and has the mildest taste of any molasses.
Another round of processing is needed to further extract more sucrose. (The removal of sucrose from the molasses syrup is not all that significant on the nutrition side of things, but it is important to the manufacturer on the economic side because the removed sucrose can be further processed and sold as table sugar). This second round of processing further concentrates the syrup and also darkens it, resulting in the dark molasses you find in most grocery stores. Dark molasses is also called second molasses. (This is they kind that I used to put in my son's oatmeal)
A third round of processing is possible, and this is the round that results in the product known as blackstrap molasses (This is the kind that I put into my kids oatmeal now).
Blackstrap molasses is the thickest form of molasses, the darkest, and the most dense in terms of minerals. Blackstrap refers to the color of the molasses, which is extremely dark. It has a very strong, somewhat bittersweet flavor with a heady aroma.
It contains many of the nutrients left behind by refined sugar crystals. By measure, it is 55% sucrose, the least sweet of the varieties. You'll find significant amounts of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium and selenium in blackstrap molasses.
A secondary issue is related to the use of sulfur during sugar cane processing; it can be used for a variety of reasons during the processing of sugar cane or the production of molasses. Most commonly, sulfur dioxide is used to lighten the color of the molasses or to help extend its shelf life.
It may also be used to help with the processing of sugar cane when the cane has been harvested at an early stage. In principle, it would seem that a sugar cane allowed to sun-ripen and develop would make for a more natural food product than a sugar cane that was harvested at an early stage.
On the environmental side, sulfur dioxide is a primary component in the production of acid rain, and is a pollutant of enormous concern to environmental scientists. The idea of a sugar cane processing facility releasing more sulfur dioxide into the air is not environmental friendly.
I will continue to add organic blackstrap molasses to my children's morning oatmeal as it seems like the healthiest molasses choice.
(photo credit: http://www.sxc.hu)
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My mom always kept some unsulphured blackstrap molasses around home when I was growing up, and we would relatively regularly have molasses tea. Just a teaspoon or tablespoon of the good stuff in a cup of hot water. Good way to get some vits and minerals. Now, as a wife and expectant mother, I occasionally have a cup of molasses tea to help with iron and potassium levels primarily.
I like the idea of adding it to oatmeal too! Thanks for this post.
Pomegranate molasses is available at any Middle Eastern food store. Mallory Organic
Thank you for your comment Sarah. I have never tried molasses in tea but it sounds like a yummy suggestion! Congrats on becoming a mommy
I have never heard of nor I have ever tried pomegranate molasses. They sound yummy though. Thanks for letting us know about them Mallory Organic.