It also helps strengthen the immune system, maintain healthy levels of hemoglobin, and improve the formation of new cells in the body.

What is Molasses?
Molasses is a by-product obtained from the processing of sugar cane and sugar beet into table sugar. It derives its name from the Latin word for honey, mel. Its viscosity and thick texture gave rise to the famous designation of something or someone being “slow as molasses” for any slow-moving thing. Along with its usage as a sweetener in food products, it also offers health benefits and is used for treating a wide range of disorders.

It is typically a thick syrup or treacle and comes in a variety of forms, depending on what substance is used to extract the sugar from. Sugarcane and sugar beets tend to produce thicker molasses, although sugar beet molasses has a strong, foul taste, and is usually not considered palatable for human consumption. You can also make it at home.

Historically, molasses was produced in the Caribbean, where the cultivation of sugarcane and sugar beet was the highest. From there, it was imported to the United States during the early 20th century. Today, it is produced on a large scale in Thailand, India, Taiwan, Brazil, the Philippines, and the United States.

Types of Molasses
Molasses comes in three varieties – light, dark, and blackstrap – all of which come from different foods processed into sugar. The nutritional content and quality of molasses depend on the method involved in its refining process, the ripeness of the plant from which it is extracted, and the quantity of sugar that is extracted.

Blackstrap Molasses: This is the type of organic molasses that we produce. It is obtained from raw cane sugar and canned sugar refining. It is also known as final molasses in cane mills and refinery molasses in a refinery setting.

Cane Molasses: This is a by-product of the refining of sugar from sugar cane juice and beet molasses is a by-product of the extraction of sucrose from sugar beets.

Sulfured Molasses: Molasses is also referred to as sulfured molasses if it has been extracted from young sugarcane and treated with sulfur dioxide for preservation.
Unsulfured molasses: Molasses extracted from ripe sugarcane does not need sulfur and retains its rich and light flavor. This variety is referred to as unsulfured molasses.

Hydrol: Molasses obtained from starch hydrolysis is called a hydrol.
Other: Other types of molasses include pomegranate molasses that are nutritious and made from pomegranate fruit.

What does Molasses taste like?

Light molasses has a sweet or mild taste, while dark molasses is richer and full-bodied, almost like saccharine at times, which is why it’s used to flavor sweet desserts and dishes. Blackstrap molasses tends to be bitter and unpleasant to eat alone by itself.

Nutritional Value of Molasses
Molasses contains a number of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, copper, iron, phosphorus, chromium, cobalt, and sodium. It is a good source of energy and carbohydrates and it contains sugars as well. In addition to this, it offers various vitamins such as niacin (vitamin B-3), vitamin B-6, thiamine, and riboflavin. It is very low in both fat and fiber.

Health Benefits of Molasses
Molasses is very healthy for you, primarily because of its dense nutritional content. It can do everything from reducing stress and easing indigestion to increasing blood circulation and building stronger bones. A single tablespoon is also high in protein and provides a burst of sugar and carbohydrates.

Antioxidant Properties
Research conducted by Katherine M. Phillips, Biochemistry Department, Virginia Tech, USA, on the antioxidant content of sugar alternatives shows that blackstrap molasses contains the highest amount of antioxidants as compared to refined sugar, corn syrup, raw cane sugar, and other sweeteners. These antioxidants protect the body against the oxidative damage associated with cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and degenerative diseases. This makes it a much better alternative to refined sugar.

Prevents Menstrual Cramps
Molasses is a good source of iron and is very effective for menstruating women who are at major risk of iron deficiency due to blood loss. With no fat and very few calories, it is a better alternative for contributing iron to the body as compared to other fatty sources like red meat.

A study published in the Journal of Canadian Chiropractic Association states that iron helps to prevent disorders like menorrhagia, which causes excessive blood flow for a longer duration during menstruation. The minerals such as magnesium and calcium present in it help prevent the clotting of blood, relieve menstrual cramps, and maintain the health of uterine muscles. It is a healthy alternative, as compared to other medications for menstrual discomfort which might have certain side effects.

Manages Weight
An article in the Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science suggests that the polyphenols present in molasses have antioxidant effects which may prove effective in reducing obesity and managing weight. In the research conducted to assess the impact of molasses on a high-fat diet, it was evident that its extract helps in lowering body weight and fat content by reducing the absorption of calories in the body.

Treats Constipation
Molasses has been proven to be valuable in treating constipation. Dr. Hansen from the Children’s Medical Center, Dallas, in a research on the effect of molasses for treating constipation, has shown that milk and molasses enemas are as effective as sodium phosphate enemas given in the pediatric emergency department to cure constipation. It is also noteworthy that curing constipation with sodium phosphate requires an additional rectal treatment. However, it is not required after a treatment done with milk and molasses enemas, when consumed orally.

Keeps Bones Healthy
According to a study led by Dr. Julienna Hever, blackstrap molasses is a good source of calcium. The presence of calcium plays an important role in maintaining bone health, the functioning of the enzyme system, removal of toxins from the colon, and cell membrane function. It is also required to maintain healthy teeth and protects the body against bone diseases common during menopause. In addition to healthier bones, the ability of muscular contraction is also attributed to the presence of calcium in the body.

Treats Rheumatism
Molasses has been effectively utilized in the preparation of a medication for treating rheumatism and neuralgia. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of molasses make it a reliable ingredient for curing such disorders.

Manages Diabetes
Studies have revealed that blackstrap molasses helps in stabilizing blood sugar levels. It has a moderate glycemic index and aids in slowing the metabolism of glucose and carbohydrates, which subsequently means less insulin production. This helps in preventing the accumulation of excess fats or lipids in the bloodstream. It possesses a substantial amount of the essential trace element of chromium, which is valuable in relation to insulin action and maintenance of glucose tolerance in the body as well.

Molasses contains the highest amount of chromium (0.266 mg/kg) as compared to refined white sugar and brown sugar. A deficiency of chromium can result in weak glucose tolerance which can lead to diabetes. This can represent a serious risk for chronic diseases like atherosclerosis, blood cholesterol, and other cardiac disorders.

Prevents Hypokalemia
Molasses contains the essential mineral potassium, which is required for the proper functioning of cells. It helps in maintaining the acid-base balance of the body and prevents heat exhaustion. Potassium also plays an important role in nerve and muscle contraction and helps to maintain cardiac health. Adequate intake of potassium-rich foods like molasses helps prevent disorders like hypokalemia and reduces blood pressure as well.

Relieves Acne
A book titled ‘Encyclopedia of Folk Medicine: Old World and New World Traditions‘ by Gabrielle Hatfield mentions the use of molasses for acne treatment. It contains lactic acid, which helps in relieving the symptoms of acne. Lactic acid is produced by lactic acid bacteria and plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism. It is effectively used in natural, non-toxic, and non-allergenic treatments of a physiological nature for curing acne, and other skin disorders. Apart from molasses, lactic acid is also present in sour milk, apples, and tomato juice.

Speeds up Healing
Molasses has been used for its effects in the treatment of wounds and skin burns. It also promotes the healthy growth of tissues. Due to the wide range of essential minerals, it serves very well as a potent healer.

Increases Red Blood Cell Formation
According to a recent research, molasses is incredibly useful in treating anemia. It helps in the absorption of iron, the formation of red blood cells and

The post Impressive Benefits Of Molasses appeared first on Fairly Traded Organics.

This is a non-GMO alcohol extractor, which means that it doesn’t contain genetically modified organisms. So what does this mean?

It can be argued that by definition, GMOs are unnatural. They’re genetically modified. Its proponents argue that the modifications are beneficial. They can make agriculture much more efficient, and the resulting crops can be tougher and more resistant to frost and to diseases. They can even be made to be tastier.

On the other hand, they’re clearly unnatural. This means that they’re not the food that humans have evolved to consume. So the fear is clear—there’s simply no way to find out what the long term effects of genetically modified foods are for the human race. People have developed though thousands of years to subsist on certain plants and animals. These new genetically modified food items aren’t exactly what people have learned to feed on.

Our Organic Alcohol is not modified. It’s complete natural. In fact, it’s not just non-GMO. It’s a certified natural organic alcohol. This improves the benefits to the health and to the environment considerably.

Because it is certified organic, it means that the alcohol was produced without the use of any products that contain pesticides or fertilizers. The problem with these chemicals is well-known. They may help the plants thrive and resist parasites and diseases. But the chemicals may end up in the food, and the chemicals an also pose a risk to your health.

Also, some types of alcohol production may be accelerated for greater profits. But these methods result in heavy metals and salts that can remain in the final result. Certified organic alcohol doesn’t use these methods, so these contaminants don’t remain in the finished alcohol.

Finally, organic alcohol means that it doesn’t use any production methods that can result in pollutants. Some types of production methods result in residues that cause harm to the environment. They pollute the soil, the water, or the air. Our organic alcohol avoids such methods so that the impact on the environment is minimized.

If you’re thinking about commercializing your product, then the use of the certified organic alcohol certainly brings a lot of benefits. You can tout your use of it to demonstrate your concern for the environment, which is a concern among a growing number of consumers. You can call yourself a green brand.

You can also emphasize that the alcohol you used in your preparation is safer for human consumption. It doesn’t have any pesticide or fertilizer remnants that can pose a risk to your health and to the health of your consumers.

The post Why Organic Alcohol is Best for Extracts appeared first on Fairly Traded Organics.

Processing

Contrary to popular belief, the label organic does not mean unprocessed when it comes to sugar. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration labels pure raw sugar as unfit for direct consumption because of the impurities it often contains. All sugar, therefore, must undergo some form of processing before it’s sold. The term organic is actually used to indicate the farming methods used to grow the sugarcane or sugar beets from which the sugar is obtained. White sugar, in addition to being processed in a way that removes all traces of its natural molasses content, is usually obtained from sugarcane or sugar beets grown in fields utilizing commercial chemical pesticides and herbicides. If you are concerned about potential pesticide contamination and want sugar that has undergone the least amount of processing, you should look for sugar labeled “organic” and “raw” or “natural.”

Nutritional Value

Some organic, raw sugar advocates claim that organic raw sugar has more nutritional value than regular white sugar because the natural molasses has not been processed out of it. According to Monica Reinagel, chef and board-certified nutritionist, there is no meaningful difference between the nutritional value of white sugar versus organic raw or natural sugar. In fact, both types of sugar are chemically recognized as sucrose, contain the same caloric count, and are processed by the body in the same way.

Flavor of Sugars

White sugar is refined through a multi-step process using several different chemicals, including sulfur dioxide, phosphoric acid, and calcium hydroxide. This refining process removes any impurities from the sugar, as well as the natural molasses that gives natural organic sugar its varying shades of brown color. At the end of the refining process, white sugar is 100 percent sucrose, according to a report from Elmhurst College. To sugar connoisseurs, this exacting process of purification also removes the elements that provide flavor to sugar, leaving only sweetness. Refined organic sugar may undergo a similar process — organic sugar that has been purified this way will be extremely white and have a slightly finer texture than standard white table sugar. Refined organic sugar will share the same basic flavor as refined white sugar. Organic raw or natural sugar, however, does have a distinctive flavor difference, caused by the natural molasses content in each sugar crystal. Organic sugar labeled “turbinado” has the highest natural molasses content and may sometimes even have a slight aroma.

The post Differences Between Organic Sugar & White Sugar appeared first on Fairly Traded Organics.

Many farms are located in isolated rural areas where health care, education, transportation, and clean water are often lacking. In traditional farming situations, a sugar cane farmer typically earns US$1 to US$5 a day. To survive, they often need to subsidize their income by raising livestock, growing cash crops such as maize, or working off the farm.

Unfair competition
World sugar markets operate in ways that can impede farmers from making a decent living. Farmers are at the end of a global supply chain that produces 160 million tonnes of sugar a year. The industry employs millions of people in 123 countries involved in refining, packaging, and shipping sugar.

Sugar cane grown in tropical countries produces 80 percent of the world’s sugar, with the remaining 20 percent produced from sugar beets, many of which are grown in Europe. To protect its own industries, and to the disadvantage of producers in developing countries, the European Union subsidizes its beet farmers, sets production quotas and high prices, imposes import tariffs, and dumps its surplus sugar on world markets. These practices have driven sugar prices down, making it even tougher for farmers in poor countries to make a living.

Sugar prices are highly volatile, affected significantly by supply and demand. For instance, in 1984, Coca-Cola and Pepsi began using high-fructose corn syrup instead of sugar in their soft drinks, causing sugar prices to plummet. Sugar prices reached a 30-year high in 2011, but in 2012, they dropped 45 percent. A 2013 report by Rabobank predicts further sugar surpluses through 2014. It states that, based on current supply and demand, these surpluses will be the largest experienced by the industry in the past 15 years. This is not good news for the world’s small-scale farmers.

Other obstacles
But there are many more challenges to growing sugar cane than volatile world markets. Farmers also face harsh working conditions and serious health hazards.

Poor working conditions
A sugar cane cutter works long hours under the hot tropical sun. Cutters, when severely overworked, risk death from heatstroke and exhaustion. They use sharp machetes to harvest the sugar cane, and tired workers risk serious cuts and injuries.

In countries such as El Salvador, children may work in the fields for up to nine hours a day. Like adults, they use machetes and are susceptible to the same workplace hazards.

Health risks and environmental threats
Pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers, and especially herbicides are commonly used in growing sugar cane. The toxic chemicals they contain are a health threat to workers and to the environment. Before the sugar cane is harvested, fields are often burned to destroy leaves, so only the stalks remain, making the cane easier to cut. The fires create pollution that can lead to respiratory problems for workers and release acidic fine particles into the atmosphere, which contribute to climate change.

Fair trade brings new markets, new hope
More than 37,000 farmers in countries around the globe have overcome the difficulties of traditional sugar cane farming by adopting Fairtrade certification. Fair trade principles promote self-sufficiency, better working conditions, sound agricultural practices, and a healthier environment.

Today, Fairtrade certified sugar is grown by 69 organizations in: Belize, Brazil, Costa, Rica, Cuba. Ecuador, Fiji, Ghana, Guyana, India, Malawi, Mauritius, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines & Zambia

Homegrown success story
One of the most successful organizations is the Manduvirá co operative in Paraguay’s isolated Arroyos y Esteros district. In 1999, this group of sugar cane farmers obtained Fairtrade certification for their crop, and were encouraged by their Fairtrade contacts to rent a factory and become financially independent. Using money earned from Fairtrade Premiums, they also underwent the long process of obtaining their own organic certificate, which they achieved in 2004. They hired a local sugar mill to process their crop, and became the first Paraguayan co-op to export their own sugar directly to clients overseas.

In 2011, they began building their own sugar mill, the first producer-owned mill of its kind. The farmers no longer have to pay to transport their sugar cane to a mill 100 kilometres away, nor do they have to pay refining costs.

The Manduvirá co-operative now has more than 1,500 members. They export their own fair trade sugar to more than 30 clients in Europe, Asia, Latin America, New Zealand, and Canada. And along with growing sugar cane, they also produce cotton, sesame, molasses, and stevia.

“Thanks to Fairtrade, we have grown from small sugar cane farmers to sugar producers,” stated Andrés Gonzáles Aguilera, the manager of the co-operative.

Social benefits of Fairtrade certification
The volatility of the international sugar market keeps many farmers in poverty, but when co-operatives such as Manduvirá adopt Fairtrade certification, farmers are paid a fair and stable price for their product. As well, payment of a Fairtrade Premium allows co-operatives to provide members and their families with social and economic benefits that can transform—and save—lives.

In 2004, Manduvirá used Fairtrade Premiums to undertake their first major project: building a community hall and an office with a medical clinic to house a doctor, two dentists, two medics, and laboratory services. Up to that time, there was only one doctor who looked after patients in the entire region.

The Fairtrade Premiums also made possible other benefits, including many everyday amenities that we take for granted: running water, bathrooms with toilets, improved housing, and computers.

Environmental benefits
The benefits extend to the environment as well. Sugar cane is often grown in wetlands and other vulnerable ecosystems where it contributes to a major loss of biodiversity. Its production also requires a lot of water—from 7,000 to 45,000 litres per hectare.

With the help of the Fairtrade Premiums, farmers are able to grow sugar cane using sustainable methods that protect the environment. Organic fertilizers and biological disease-control methods are used, with organic practices encouraged whenever possible.

Why should I buy fair trade sugar?
According to a survey conducted by Fairtrade International in 2011, Canadians “have high expectations for companies to act responsibly when working in poor countries, particularly for paying workers and farmers fairly. Most Canadians believe in the power of ethical consumerism to address global challenges.”

One such challenge is child labour, which is common in the sugar industry. Buying Fairtrade certified sugar ensures no child under the age of 15 was forced to endure long hours of back-breaking work to produce the sweetener you stir into your morning coffee.

Fair trade connects consumers directly to producers by allowing products, such as sugar, to be traced back to their source, such as the Manduvirá co-operative in Paraguay. The decision to buy fair trade sugar is an ethical choice that allows us to impact the lives of farmers and their families in a positive way. When we purchase fair trade sugar, we help provide education, health care, environmental protection, sustainability, and fair labour practices—and that’s a sweet deal for us all.

The post How Sweet It Is: Buying fair trade sugar empowers farmers and protects the environment appeared first on Fairly Traded Organics.