Blackstrap molasses is really a powerhouse of nutrition. It tastes delicious in your hot cereal. I also like it as a hot drink on cold winter days. It is a great addition, along with honey, to add to your granola mix before your bake it. Yes, I really enjoy blackstrap.
“Molasses is the by-product of sugar refining that contains all the nutrients from the raw sugar-cane plant. Since the roots of sugarcane grow very deep, they are able to receive a pretty broad range of minerals and trace elements usually lacking in the topsoil. During the refining of sugarcane, the plants are boiled to a syrup from which the crystals are extracted. Then they are boiled two more times, both of which produce molasses. Blackstrap molasses, however, comes from the third and final boiling and is essentially the ‘dregs’ of the barrel.
“Blackstrap molasses is very dark and has a robust, somewhat bitter-tart flavor. It’s used in a variety of baked goods, particularly meat and vegetable dishes, as a sweetener and coloring agent. It is also widely accepted as a ‘health food.’ It can be used in any number of recipes and is particularly suitable to gingersnaps, soy-based sauces, licorice, canned baked beans, and fermentation systems.
“One of the reasons I like it so much is precisely because it has a low amount of sugar and a high amount of nutrients. As the only product from the third and final boil, blackstrap molasses contains the lowest sugar content of the molasses, but many more of the vitamins, minerals, and trace elements found naturally in the sugarcane plant, making it more nutritious than most other sweeteners.
“Blackstrap molasses is a very good source of iron, potassium, calcium, and magnesium and an excellent source of manganese and copper. It also contains a small amount of the cancer-fighting mineral selenium. Look for unsulfured blackstrap molasses from organic sugar. Of the varieties of molasses, blackstrap molasses is richest in nutrients, such as iron, B vitamins, calcium, and potassium.” Excerpts from The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, p. 314, 315, by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
Blackstrap Raisin Almond Balls
Ingredients
1 ¼ cups raw almonds
2/3 cup raisins
1 tsp. cardamom and coriander, optional
pinch of salt
4 Tbsp. blackstrap molasses
Process
Grind almonds and salt in food processor until finely ground. Add raisins, molasses and spices. Process until mixture is sticking together and uniform. Form into little snack sized balls and store in refrigerator or freezer. These little balls taste good with or without the extra seasonings—your choice. Enjoy!