What is Molasses | Health and environment

Ammon – molasses
Dark honey or molasses is the by-product resulting from the sugar refining process, and most brown sugar on the market consists of refined white sugar with again the addition of molasses to the mix, and molasses has been produced from the sorghum (English: Sorghum) plant, but at present it is produced from sugar cane and beetroot. Molasses is characterized by being a viscous and heavy liquid, dark in color, and it is usually made by mixing bamboo cane with refined molasses and syrup to achieve the desired quality and stable flavor.

Types of dark honey
Types of dark honey differ from each other in terms of color, texture, flavor and sugar content. Here is a mention of types of dark honey:

Light molasses: (in English: light molasses); It is a syrup produced by the first boiling of sugar, which has a lighter color and a sweeter taste, and people usually use it in baking.
Dark molasses: (in English: dark molasses), which is produced at the second boiling of sugar. It is denser, darker in color, and less sweet. It can be used in baking, but it gives foods a clear, distinct color and flavor.
Sulfured molasses: contains added sulfur dioxide which acts as a preservative that reduces spoilage of the molasses, and varieties containing sulfur tend to be less sweet than non-sulphur treated varieties .
Blackstrap honey: (English: Blackstrap molasses), sugarcane is crushed to make sugarcane juice, then it is boiled once to make sugarcane syrup, and the second boiling yields molasses black, and after boiling it for the third time a dark viscous A liquid is formed known as black molasses, characterized by its density and bitter taste, since it contains the lowest sugar content compared to the others sugarcane products, in addition to containing a group of vitamins and minerals. Such as: iron, calcium, magnesium, selenium and vitamin B6.
Other types of molasses: Molasses can be made from sorghum, pomegranate, carob, and dates.
The nutritional value of black honey
The following chart shows the nutrients in one tablespoon, or about 20 grams, of molasses:

Nutritional Value of Nutrients
4.37 milliliters of water
Calories 58 calories
Total fat 0.02 grams
Carbohydrates 14.9 grams
Phosphorus 6.2 milligrams
Potassium 293 milligrams
Magnesium 48.4 milligrams
Calcium 41 milligrams
Sodium 7.4 milligrams
Zinc 0.058 milligrams
Iron 0.944 milligrams
Copper 0.097 milligrams
Manganese 0.306 milligrams
Selenium 3.56 mcg
Vitamin B1 0.008 milligrams
Vitamin B3 0.186 milligrams
Vitamin B5 0.161 milligrams
Vitamin B6 0.134 milligrams
Choline 2.66mg
Nutritional components of black honey
Sugar cane and beet molasses contain a relatively high amount of potassium, sodium, magnesium, chlorine and sulfur. Sugar cane molasses and citrus molasses contain a higher amount of iron, copper and manganese than beet molasses. Sugar cane molasses also contains 4% protein. Molasses is the richest source of phenolic acids compared to pure juices and syrups, and it contains more antioxidants than other common sweeteners.

For more information on the components of dark honey, you can read the article Ingredients of dark honey.

Scientific studies on the benefits of black honey
Here is a mention of some studies on the benefits of dark honey:

A laboratory study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2012 indicated that molasses showed more effective and visible protection for cells compared to the effect of α-tocopherol on cells. Where the study results confirmed the potential health effects of molasses and the possibility of using its by-products to possess antioxidant activity.
A study published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements in 2017 indicated that molasses contains iron and other substances that enhance its absorption. such as: sulfur, copper and fructose, making it a suitable and useful nutritional supplement to improve anemia caused by iron deficiency.
A laboratory study published in the African Journal of Food Science in 2010 indicated that molasses stimulates the production of the hormone testosterone, which helps improve fertility in men.
The results of a laboratory study published in the LWT-Food Science and Technology Journal in 2017 indicated that beet molasses contains polyphenols that contribute to damage to the cytoplasmic membrane and bacterial proteins, which helps protect the body against bacteria.
A study published in the European Journal of Nutrition in 2016 reported that concentrated sugarcane molasses showed promise in possibly reducing insulin responses and reducing the function of pancreatic beta cells, which are responsible for insulin production. It should be noted that it is important to take into account that molasses is a form of sugar and therefore should be used with caution in people with diabetes.
For more information on the benefits of black honey, you can read the article Benefits of black honey on an empty stomach.

Black Honey Damage
The safety of dark honey
Blackstrap honey is one of the natural sweeteners that the Food and Drug Administration has shown to be generally safe.

Precautions for using black honey
Despite the many benefits offered by dark honey, there are some caveats to consider when consuming it. Of which we mention the following:

Digestive problems: Dark honey can cause problems with the digestive system. Consuming it in large amounts can lead to loose stools or diarrhea, so people with irritable bowel syndrome or any form of digestive disorder are advised to avoid consuming it.
Sulfite Sensitivity: (English: Sulfite allergy) dark honey may contain a sulfite compound used to reduce bacterial growth, in which case it should be avoided for those with a sulfite allergy, and you should check the label of the food to determine if the molasses is sulfite treated or not
Uses of dark honey
Molasses has become one of the most common ingredients in the human diet, and exporting molasses is very expensive, so it is often used in its production area; As it is used as animal feed and raw material in fermentation industries to produce yeast, citric acid, vitamins, amino acids and lactic acid, it is also used to produce ethanol.