Subject: What is blackstrap molasses?

From: [email-masked] (Vijay Sadananda Pai)
Date: Fri, 11 Mar 1994 14:55:17 GMT

I saw a product called "blackstrap molasses" in a
healthfood store today -- it was high in iron & calcium
(about 20% U.S. RDA of each in 1 tablespoon) and said
it tasted good in hot water ("Better than coffee or tea")

Can anyone tell me what this is? Is it just some
other type of molasses? And is it vegan?

-- Vijay

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From: [email-masked] (Kevin Osborn)
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 1994 22:06:23 GMT

molasses is the uncrystallized sugar and other impurities removed
during the processing of sugar. It comes in several grades from 
light to blackstrap. Blackstrap contains the most "impurities" and is
the least sweet. I think it is very yummy, and as you point out is
very high in calcium and iron (It is a frequently recommended
supplement for pregnant and nursing women!)

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From: [email-masked] (Allen Warren)
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 1994 22:06:22 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Vijay Sadananda Pai) writes:
|> I saw a product called "blackstrap molasses" in a
|> healthfood store today -- it was high in iron & calcium
|> (about 20% U.S. RDA of each in 1 tablespoon) and said
|> it tasted good in hot water ("Better than coffee or tea")
|> 
|> Can anyone tell me what this is? Is it just some
|> other type of molasses? And is it vegan?

Blackstrap molasses is derived from sugar cane.  It is definitely vegan and
definitely high in iron, being higher than regular molasses.  Whereas it
tastes good in hot water, I regularly add it to my coffee.  It is a
sweetener of sorts, but has a heavy, pungent, sweet taste, though it's not
as sugary sweet as regular sugar.

When my youngest son recently had a low iron level due to illness, we
added some blackstrap to his bottle of milk and besides loving the taste,
it caused his iron count to shoot back up into normal levels.

allen

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From: [email-masked] (Michael Gordon Weaver)
Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 02:21:46 GMT

>other type of molasses? And is it vegan?

Molasses is a byproduct of making white sugar from sugar cane.
Molasses contains basically all of the minerals that came from
the cane syrup, plus water, sugar and caramel (burnt sugar).

In the USA (may be different elsewhere): blackstrap molasses is
molasses pretty much as it comes out of the sugar making process.
Regular molasses is the same stuff, with additional water and 
either white sugar or corn syrup added. Brown sugar is white sugar
with molasses added in.

Molasses is made from vegetable matter only. Whether you consider it
vegan depends on your definition of vegan, and details of how the
molasses is processed, neither of which I can really comment on.

Michael.

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From: [email-masked] (Jeffrey Derrick Soo)
Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 02:21:55 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>,
>other type of molasses? And is it vegan?

This is a type of molasses made from sugar cane, as opposed to
molasses made from sorghum.  Blackstrap molasses is a by-product of sugar
refining.  It does indeed have a lot of iron, but I wouldn't call it 
"health food".  Certainly not better than coffee or tea, if by better they
mean better-tasting.  Since sugar refining is not (not always?) vegan,
then I wouldn't call blackstrap molasses vegan, either.

js
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From: [email-masked] (John Przyborowski 312 329-3422)
Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 22:15:40 GMT

The main reason behind molasses' high iron content is supposedly linked to the
traditional iron pans that are used to process the stuff.  This is alledgedly
true for raisins and other dried fruits.

JOhn
SPSS

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From: [email-masked] (Eric Barber)
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 1994 14:18:32 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Jeffrey Derrick Soo) writes:
>...  Since sugar refining is not (not always?) vegan,

how does one decide whether [sugar] refining is vegan or not?

thanks, Eric
--
   _    "just a Texan a long way from home"
 _| ~-. Eric Barber, BNR Europe Limited, London Road, Harlow, England CM17 9NA
 \, *_} AT&T/BT/etc. +44 279 403527/429531 x 3527, ESN (NT/BNR) 6 742 3527
   \(   DISCLAIMER:  Working at, not speaking for, BNR  | [email-masked]

I've posted this question in r.f.v.c. but questions of this nature are best 
addressed in r.f.v.  Ethical vegans avoid all animal products or foods that 
are believed to be obtained using animal products.  The processing of sugar 
comes up quite a bit in r.f.v. and that is best place to address these 
issues that revolve around the ethical side of the vegetarian diet.

The ethical issues are not supposed to be discussed in r.f.v.c., that 
discussion is supposed to occur in r.f.v.  For r.f.v.c. readers who are 
interested in the ethical side of the vegetarian diet, please read r.f.v.

I konw that it will take a while for readers of r.f.v.c. to become familiar 
with how r.f.v.c. is supposed to operate.  The ethical side is an important 
aspect of the vegetarian diet but it is a side that is best covered in 
r.f.v.

Marty B. Co-Mopderator for r.f.v.c.