What is Black Honey

The Black Honey

Black honey or molasses is the by-product resulting from the sugar refining process, and most of the brown sugar in the market consists of refined white sugar with the addition of molasses to the mixture again, and the molasses was produced from the sorghum plant (in English: Sorghum), but at the present time it is produced from sugar cane, beet sugar, Molasses is a thick, viscous liquid with a dark color and is usually made by mixing bamboo cane with refined molasses and syrup to obtain the desired quality and consistent flavour.

Types of Black Honey

The types of black honey differ among themselves in terms of color, texture, flavor, and sugar content. Here is a mention of the types of black 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 and distinct color and flavor.
• Sulfured molasses: (in English: Sulfured molasses), which contains added sulfur dioxide that acts as a preservative that reduces the spoilage of spoilage molasses, and the sulfur-containing varieties tend to be less sweet than the non-sulfur-treated varieties.
• the black Honey: (in English: Blackstrap molasses), sugar cane is mashed to make sugarcane juice, then it is boiled once to make sugarcane syrup, and the second boiling results in dark molasses, and after boiling it for the third time a dark viscous liquid is formed known as blackstrap molasses, and it is distinguished by its density It has a bitter taste, and it contains the lowest sugar content compared to other 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 table shows the nutrients found in a tablespoon, or approximately 20 grams, of treacle:

food item	Nutritional value
water	4.37 milliliters
Calories	58 calories
Total fat	0.02 gr
carbohydrates	14.9 grams
phosphorous	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 µg
Vitamin B1	0.008 milligrams
Vitamin B3	0.186 milligrams
Vitamin B5	0.161 milligrams
Vitamin B6	0.134 milligrams
choline	2.66 milligrams

Nutritional components of black honey

Sugarcane and beetroot molasses contain a relatively high amount of potassium, sodium, magnesium, chlorine, and sulfur. Sugarcane molasses and citrus molasses contain a higher amount of iron, copper, and manganese compared to beetroot molasses. Sugarcane molasses also contains protein by 4%.

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 about the components of black honey, you can read the article Black Honey Ingredients.

Scientific studies on the benefits of black honey

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

• A laboratory study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2012 indicated that Molasses showed more effective and noticeable protection for cells compared to the effect of alpha-tocopherol in cells.; Where the results of the study 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, which makes it a suitable and useful food supplement. To improve the condition of iron deficiency anemia.
• A laboratory study published in the African Journal of Food Science in 2010 indicated that molasses stimulates the production of testosterone, which contributes to Enhancing fertility in men.
• The results of a laboratory study published in the LWT-Food Science and Technology Journal in 2017 indicated that beetroot molasses contains polyphenols that contribute to damage to the cytoplasmic membrane and bacterial proteins, which helps the Protecting the body from bacteria.
• A study published in the European Journal of Nutrition in 2016 indicated that concentrated sugar cane molasses showed promising results on the possibility of Decreased insulin responsesReducing the function of beta cells in the pancreas, 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 it should be used with caution for people with diabetes.

For more information about the benefits of black honey, you can read the article Benefits of black honey on an empty stomach.

Damage to black honey

The degree of safety of black honey

Blackstrap honey is one of the natural sweeteners that the Food and Drug Administration has shown to be generally safe.

Cautions for using black honey

Despite the many benefits offered by black honey, there are some caveats that should be taken into account when consuming it. Of which we mention the following:

• Digestive problems: Black honey can cause problems in the digestive system. Consuming it in large quantities can lead to softer stools or diarrhea, so people with irritable bowel syndrome or any form of digestive disorder are advised to avoid consuming it.
• Allergy to sulfites: (English: Sulfite allergy), black honey can contain a sulfite compound that is used to reduce the growth of bacteria, in which case it should be avoided for people who are sensitive to sulfites, and you should check the food label to determine whether the molasses has been sulfite-treated or not.

Black honey uses

Molasses has become one of the very common ingredients in the human diet, and the export of molasses is very expensive, and therefore it is often used in its production area; As it is used as animal feed, and as a raw material in fermentation industries to produce yeast, citric acid, vitamins, amino acids, and lactic acid, and it is also used to produce ethanol.