Top 7 Health Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses

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Last updated: February 27, 2023

The health benefits of Blackstrap molasses are so many that your whole body will benefit.

A spoonful of molasses will save you many trips to the beautician, giving you healthy skin, hair and nails.

Molasses is great for aging gracefully, and if you are sugar conscious this will give your cooking a kick without the consequences.



What is Blackstrap Molasses?

Molasses is an accidental food – it is a by-product created from extracting sugar from raw sugar cane.

And yet it has a much lower glycemic load, zero fat, and an interesting taste.

Molasses is generally quite cheap and comes as thick honey-like syrup you can eat straight away.

Blackstrap molasses or black treacle is a particular type of organic molasses that is created after the sugar syrup is boiled three times.

As the name suggests it is very dark in color, with a stronger taste and has much less sucrose compared to regular molasses.


What are the Health Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses?

  1. Beautiful Hair
  2. Healthy Skin
  3. Relief from PMS and Menopause
  4. Safer Sweetener for Diabetics
  5. A Healthier heart
  6. Reduces Stress and Improves Sleep
  7. Strong Healthy Bones

7 Health Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses

Blackstrap molasses or Black treacle is a natural supplement with plenty of health benefits. 

It may not taste the best, but a little spoonful on a regular basis can make a big difference to your health.

1. Beautiful Hair

Blackstrap Molasses benefits your hair in so many ways.

It can be hugely beneficial for maintaining beautiful healthy hair even as you age.

Molasses is high in copper, which is an important mineral for growing healthy hair and keeping your hair color.

woman holding her hair

The peptides in Copper help rebuild the skin structure which helps maintain healthy hair.

Consuming Blackstrap Molasses regularly over the long term has been connected to stronger hair, better re-growth of hair in men, and maintaining natural hair color.

2. Healthy Skin

Molasses contains the most antioxidants of all refined sugar alternatives.

woman touching her skin

Antioxidants are critical to protecting your skin from damage caused by free radicals, which cause oxidation in your skin.

They can also be beneficial in protecting your skin against sun damage by guarding your skin cells from the inside out.

Substituting your refined sugar intake with Molasses could potentially boost your diet with a similar amount of antioxidants in a serving of berries or nuts.

3. Relief from PMS and Menopause

Everyone knows that having enough Iron in your diet makes a big difference to your overall health.

Iron is especially important for transporting oxygen around your body via your bloodstream.

Two tablespoons of blackstrap molasses contain approximately 13.2 percent of your recommended daily intake of Iron.

This a simple and convenient way to get iron into your body, especially if you are anemic or don’t consume animal products.

When you have your period or go through menopause, your iron levels naturally drop.

This can contribute to mood swings and low energy levels.

As your body’s ability to process and control hormones is reduced, the oxygen circulating around your body is reduced too.

A spoonful of molasses will give you a little pick me up, but also help to boost your iron levels over the long term.

4. Safer Sweetener for Diabetics

Molasses is a natural by-product of processing cane sugar, so whilst it tastes sweet it has a much lower glycemic load than refined sugar at 55.

This makes it a much healthier alternative for cooking and making desserts. Blackstrap molasses has virtually no fat either.

5. A Healthier heart

Blackstrap molasses is found to have healthy amounts of Vitamin B6, which along with vitamins B9 and B12 help regulate Homocysteine, an amino acid linked to heart disease.

6. Reduces Stress and Improves Sleep

Vitamin B6 is also used to make the neurotransmitter chemicals in your brain, which help regulate your mood, stress levels and your body’s ability to maintain regular sleeping patterns.

Vitamin B6 helps to boost Serotonin in your brain, which is an important mood and stress-relieving chemical.

woman sleeping peacefully on pillow

7. Strong Healthy Bones

Blackstrap Molasses is a good source of Calcium, which we all know is a critical element to strong healthy bones.

Two tablespoons of Molasses can offer roughly 8% of your recommended daily intake of Calcium. Having Molasses daily is another simple way to consume more calcium if you have issues with milk products.


How to eat Blackstrap Molasses as a Health Supplement

Molasses is like honey – it is a sticky syrup with a strong taste that you can eat straight from the jar.

Does Blackstrap Molasses stain your teeth? the short answer is no, but because it is made from sugar it can damage your teeth over time.

blackstrap molasses in spoon

If you want to protect your teeth but still get the health benefits, you can dissolve 1 -2 spoonfuls of Molasses in a cup of boiling water. Once it is cool you can drink it through a straw.

You can find some of the better-known Blackstrap Molasses brands on Amazon.


How to cook with Molasses – Blackstrap Molasses Recipes

You can cook many tasty things with Molasses, it works as a treat as a sugar substitute.

Here are some delicious and healthy ideas for cooking with Molasses.

Blackstrap Molasses BBQ sauce

meat in molasses bbq sauce on plate
Try this amazing Blackstrap Molasses BBQ sauce recipe at Golden Barrel – Recipe and photo by Kat Hertzler

Regular BBQ sauce is very high in sugar, so why not use molasses instead to make your own healthy sauce?

You can use this tangy sauce anywhere, on some beautifully glazed pork ribs or crispy tender chicken wings.

You can find this amazing recipe here.

Did you know that brown sugar is just white sugar combined with Molasses? Now that you do, it opens up a whole world of baking goodness.

Slow-cooked Boston Baked Beans with Blackstrap Molasses

slow cooked boston beans closeup
This wholesome recipe is a great winter warmer – recipe and photo by Elise Bauer.

Looking for a hearty winter meal? Check out this gorgeous Boston baked beans recipe.

The molasses gives the dish its sweetness as well as keeping the beans nice and firm as they slowly cook (yum!).

Blackstrap Molasses Date Bars

molasses date bars closeup
These date bars are a tasty treat – photo by Grandmas recipes

If are looking for a sweet treat, this date bar recipe will hit the spot.

You can even leave out the sugar if you like, as the dates and the Molasses will bring plenty of sweetness.

You can also switch out the enriched flour for an organic white flour.

Quick Blackstrap Molasses Bread

Closeup of pieces of bread
Molasses bread is a great side for a meal – photo by Cookie + Kate

This fabulous and simple recipe from Cookie+Kate is a great example of how you can switch out sugar for molasses and still make tasty baked goods.

With this recipe you can make a beautiful dense bread, which is excellent comfort food during the winter months.

The molasses flavour gives it little sweetness but not too much, so you can eat this with sweet or savoury toppings.


Final Thoughts

The health benefits of Blackstrap Molasses will positively affect the health of your entire body.

A small spoonful on a regular basis has plenty of long-term effects and makes it easier for you to make the switch from refined sugar.

Want some more natural ideas for your health? Why not consider trying bitter melon or Karela?.


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Bel Herron

Ecostalk is your destination for finding and sharing great green ideas to help you live healthier, happier and in a more sustainable way.

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