Molasses is a thick, brown, sweet, non-crystallizing juice made from sugar cane.
Unsulfured, sulfured, and blackstrap molasses are the three major types of molasses. Each varies in sweetness, color, and processing.
Imported from the West Indies, unsulfured molasses is the sweetest and is considered the finest type. It is the end product of pure cane juice that has been clarified, concentrated, and blended.
Unlike unsulfured molasses, sulfured molasses is a by-product of sugar making. It is made in areas outside of the West Indies, where the growing season for sugar cane is quite short. During processing, the green cane is treated with sulfur and then boiled from one to three times. With each successive boiling, more of the sugar is removed. The syrup from the first boiling is the highest grade sulfured molasses, while the second boiling produces a syrup darker in color and less sweet.
Blackstrap molasses comes from the third boiling and contains little sugar. Dark and bitter, it is used for making animal feed, yeast, and industrial alcohol. Although often used as a health food, blackstrap contains no nutrients other than those present in other types of molasses.
Molasses makes a nutritional contribution to the diet. Both light and dark syrups are inexpensive, rich sources of available iron. And they contain small amounts of the B vitamins thiamine and riboflavin. One tablespoon of light molasses yields 50 calories, and a tablespoon of dark syrup yields 46 calories.
Unsulfured molasses, as well as light and dark sulfured molasses, is sold in supermarkets, while blackstrap is found in health food shops. All types of molasses can be stored at room temperature in covered containers.
Molasses is used in baked foods or as a table syrup. Select light molasses when a mild flavor complements the food, or for serving over pancakes or waffles. Use dark molasses for spicy or rich flavored foods. Because molasses is mildly acidic, baking soda is used in baked foods with molasses to neutralize the acid and to produce leavening gas.
