Molasses: Nutritional Facts and Health Benefits

Molasses is a thick syrup used as a natural sweetener and an alternative to refined white sugar. It is a by-product of the sugar-making process.

Sugarcane or sugar beets are crushed to extract their juice, which is then boiled down to form sugar crystals. The thick brown syrup left over after the crystals are extracted from the juices is called molasses.

There are many different types of molasses that vary in color, consistency, flavor, and sugar content.

Molasses is the thick, sweet residue left over after boiling sugarcane juice to obtain sugar crystals (Image via Pexels @Frank Merino)

Light, dark, and blackstrap molasses are the most common types available in the market. The light variety is produced after the first boil. It has the lightest color and the sweetest taste.

Dark molasses is obtained after the second boil. It is thicker, darker, less sweet, and has a distinct flavor.

Blackstrap molasses is produced after the third boil and tends to be somewhat bitter. It is the thickest and darkest of all types of molasses. It also contains the most nutrients, i.e., vitamins and minerals.

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Molasses: Nutritional Facts

Molasses contains vitamins and minerals, unlike refined white sugar, making it a suitable replacement for the former.

The nutritional profile of one tablespoon—20 grams (g)—of molasses is given below:

Calories: 58

Manganese: 13%

Magnesium: 12%

Copper: 11%

Vitamin B-6: 8%

Potassium: 6%

Selenium: 6%

Iron: 5%

Calcium: 3%

Molasses is very high in sugar content. Sugar can be extremely harmful to your health in high quantities, so it is advisable not to keep molasses as your primary source of vitamins and minerals. Whole foods and green vegetables are the best ways to include these in your diet.

However, sugar consumption cannot be eliminated from the diet and is also not a healthy option, for which you may replace sugar with molasses, which is a more healthy alternative.

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Molasses: Health Benefits

There is limited research available on the effects of this sweetener on health. Whatever little research is done, however, suggests that this syrup is rich in nutrients that offer certain health benefits.

Let us look at these:

1) Bone Health

Molasses is rich in iron, selenium, and copper, which are essential in maintaining healthy bones. It is also a good source of calcium, which plays an important role in bone health and preventing osteoporosis.

The sweetener, however, cannot be consumed in the required quantities to make up the RDI of these nutrients.

2) Heart health

Molasses is a decent source of potassium, which promotes healthy blood pressure and helps maintain good heart health.

Although little research on the effects of the syrup in humans is available, animal studies indicate that supplementing the diet with molasses can help increase levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol, which is extremely healthy for the heart. Healthy levels of HDL help protect against heart disease and strokes. However, research studies involving humans are required to ensure this fact.

3) Blood sugar

People with diabetes or poor blood sugar control must limit their intake of all forms of sugar, including molasses. However, there is some evidence that molasses may help stabilize blood sugar levels in healthy adults on a high-carb diet.

Research has suggested that consuming the syrup alongside foods that contain carbs has resulted in lower blood sugar and insulin levels than simply eating the foods on their own.

Although the sweetener has a glycemic index similar to white sugar, consuming molasses may be better because it also has some nutrients, while refined white sugar has none. However, it would be equivalent to white sugar in the case of diabetes patients.

4) Antioxidants

Blackstrap molasses is a rich source of antioxidants and has more antioxidants than honey, maple syrup, and agave nectar.

Antioxidants help protect cells from the oxidative stress associated with cancer and other chronic diseases.

5) Aids Immunity

Molasses contains some zinc, which is known to be good for immunity and supports the activity of natural killer cells and T-lymphocytes.

While most people can't, won't (and shouldn't) eat enough molasses to cover their RDI of zinc, the fact that molasses is free of fiber allows zinc and other minerals it contains to be more easily absorbed.

A tablespoon of the sweetener has 0.058 mg of zinc, while the RDI for men is 11mg and for women is 8mg. Hence, it is not a reliable way to get more zinc from your diet.

6) Supports Red Blood Cells

Molasses contains iron, an essential mineral required to form red blood cells to prevent iron-deficiency anemia. It provides almost 1 milligram of iron per tablespoon, which is 5% of the required daily intake.

The sweetener can be an enhanced replacement of table sugar that helps ensure higher iron intake, especially for vegans and vegetarians.

Molasses has a distinct flavor used in recipes such as cookies, cakes, and drinks. It makes for a healthy addition to all such recipes.