Molasses - A Super Food That is Also a Great Hair Product!

Molasses is often thought of as little more than a necessary ingredient and flavoring for baked beans. My memories of molasses are from visiting my grandmother's NC farm back in the 50's: Biscuits were always on the stove top and then you'd happily go and get the molasses and dip the perfect fluffy biscuit in it. Delightful!

Recently, I decided to relive the 50's by buying biscuits and organic unsulphured blackstrap molasses. But what to do when the two biscuits were quickly gone and almost a full bottle of molasses was left over? Time to get on the internet and research what our elders already knew back then; molasses is chock full of nutritional benefits and is also excellent for hair care.

What are the Nutritional Benefits of Molasses?

Choose an organic unsulphured blackstrap molasses for the healthiest benefits. This product is less processed and retains more of the natural minerals and nutrients. Recently, I had to increase iron in my diet and by purchasing the organic unsulphured blackstrap molasses I found it had far more iron than plain molasses.

Iron - Including just 2 teaspoons of molasses in the daily diet will provide a little over 13 percent of the daily recommended value. Molasses provides more iron for less calories than red meat - with the added bonus of being fat-free. Iron is an important part of hemoglobin, which in turn, delivers oxygen from the lungs to all our body cells.

Calcium - Two teaspoons added daily to the diet will deliver almost 12 percent of our daily needs. Calcium helps remove toxins from the colon, thereby reducing our risk of colon cancer. Calcium is also important to prevent bone loss.

Note: Molasses can be added to the diet not just in baked beans or having fun with biscuits but also as a sweetener. Sweeten oatmeal by drizzling it with a teaspoon of molasses or add it to a smoothie. A little goes a long way.

Additional Health Benefits - Molasses is rich in magnesium, copper, manganese and potassium. It is also rich in selenium and vitamin B6.

How is it Made?

Blackstrap molasses is the residual liquid formed during the process of refining sugar cane into table sugar. Because it is made from the third boiling of the sugar syrup there is a more concentrated by-product remaining once the sugar's sucrose has been crystallized. Blackstrap molasses is denser and sweeter than what is known as plain molasses - also known as second molasses.

While the second boiling has the same minerals and vitamins as molasses made during the third boiling - molasses made during the third boiling has all the vitamins and minerals in a more concentrated form.

What are the Different Types of Molasses?

Sulphured molasses is made from the young sugar cane. Because sulphur dioxide is added it helps keep the raw sugar cane fresh until processing and helps to preserve the byproducts produced.

Unsulphured molasses is produced by using mature sugar cane plants that naturally ripen.

Blackstrap molasses can be sulphured or unsulphured but unsulphured is more beneficial.

Benefits of Unsulphured Molasses

By processing sugar out of the cane the empty calories are removed leaving behind the most nutritional benefits. This also leaves it with that distinctive rich, robust flavor.

For Hair Care There are Several Beneficial Uses -

Now that manufacturers are finding out the many amazing benefits of molasses for hair care, you will find many commercial products on the market. I've never tried these but I have used molasses on my hair and got amazing hydrating results. My hair was luxuriously soft, shiny - and in other words, I didn't know it could look and feel this great.

How I used molasses to condition and hydrate

1 - Wash with a gentle shampoo and towel dry hair

2 - Generously apply molasses and massage into damp hair

3 - Cover with a shower cap. (I used a leftover plastic supermarket bag) Leave on for about 20

to 30 minutes

4 - Rinse well with warm water

5 - Shampoo again to remove all molasses

An alternative way a friend does it is:

1 - Warm molasses in microwave

2 - Dampen hair with warm water

3 - Apply molasses and leave on for 20 minutes

4 - Shampoo as usual

What are the Other Hair Care Benefits?

Many have claimed that using molasses also has other hair care benefits. This includes darkening the hair and defining its natural color. It is also said to be beneficial in strengthening weak and thin hair.

Note: For hair care benefits, molasses works whether applied topically or included in the diet.

For a few more healthy living ideas see the links below: