Symptoms
Weakness, a haggard look, fatigue, lack of energy, tired looking eyes, shortness of breath, dull and poor memory, headache, premature wrinkles and dizziness on exertion are some of the indications of anemia. There are many different types of anemia and treatment depends upon the cause and severity of anemia.
Iron and Down Syndrome (from Down Syndrome: What You CAN Do edited by K. & Q. Fish)Iron is a “double-edged” sword. It is very important for life and growth, but it can also cause serious problems in children with DS. Do not give your child additional iron unless s/he has proven iron deficiency anemia. Iron increases the Fenton reaction and thus lipid peroxidation. It also aids in oxidative stress and damage. Oxidative stress is already increased in DS. (More detailed explanation follows in the article below by Ginger Houston-Ludlam.) Additionally, excess iron is often stored in the brain and may contribute to long-term CNS dysfunction.
Normal Range
The normal range of ferritin in children increases as they age. In children between the ages of 1 and 5 years, the normal range is 6 to 24 ng/mL. In children between 5 and 9 years of age, the normal range increases to 10 to 55 ng/mL. These levels continue to increase into adulthood, at which point they can be up to 200 ng/mL.
Supplemental Sources of Iron
Important: Iron supplements should not be taken within four hours of thyroid medication or else the thyroid meds will not work properly.
Floradix
The absorption rate of Floradix (liquid iron gluconate) is twenty-five per cent compared to solid iron tablets that have an absorption rate of two to ten per cent. Floradix provides maximum absorption by using the most highly absorbable form of iron, iron gluconate. Floradix also contains B vitamins and vitamin C to enhance absorption, herbal extracts to increase digestion, and fruit juices to ensure proper stomach acidity. It is:
- A good source of Vitamin C
- Non-constipating
- Vegetarian liquid formula
- No preservatives
- Alcohol free
The official website for Spatone is http://www.
Unfortunately, iron supplements often cause constipation. To offset that side effect, make sure you eat sufficient fiber (11.5 grams per 1,000 calories consumed) and drink plenty of water.
Instead of iron supplements, you may want to try these first:
Organic Black Strap Molasses (see below for detailed info)
Organic/Grass Fed Beef Liver
How to increase Iron Absorption
(HealthCastle.com) Absorption of iron from food is influenced by multiple factors. One important factor being the form of the iron. Heme Iron, found in animal sources, is highly available for absorption. Non-heme iron on the other hand, found in vegetable sources, is less available. Iron rich foods of an iron rich diet are listed below:
Iron Rich Foods containing Heme Iron
Excellent Sources:
Good Sources:
Iron Rich Foods containing Non-Heme Iron
Excellent Sources:The absorption of Non-heme iron can be improved when a source of heme iron is consumed in the same meal. In addition, the iron absorption-enhancing foods can also increase the absorption of non-heme iron. While some food items can enhance iron absorption, some can inhibit or interfere iron absorption. Avoid pairing these iron-inhibiting foods when you're eating the iron-rich foods in the same meal.
Red blood cells and DS
from The Guide to Good Health for Teens and Adults with Down Syndrome by Brian Chicoine M.D. & Dennis McGuire Ph.D:
"Abnormal lab Results- MCV One lab test in which results are commonly elevated in people with DS is the MCV....if red blood cells are released from the bone marrow before they mature, the cells will be larger and the MCV will be elevated.
It is thought that red blood cells are often released early from the bone marrow of people with DS. One theory is that rbcs die more quickly in people with DS so less mature cells are released in order to replace them. Another theory is that there is an abnormality in folic acid metabolism in people with DS that may lead to larger rbcs.
An elevated MCV is generally not considered an abnormality that requires additional assessment in a person with DS so long as he has a normal blood count (hemoglobin and hematocrit) (that is, he is not anemic)......"
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Iron is very important because it is responsible for transporting oxygen to muscles and organs, including your brain. If the iron content of the blood falls, a person may feel tired or have little energy, but that may not happen until the hemoglobin falls below 10 gm / dl.
Ironically, the body recycles iron from red blood cells as cells age and rupture, but iron is not often lost in males unless there is an injury where blood is lost or donated. Red blood cells last 120 days, so your hemoglobin turns over every 4 months. Your need for iron will be continuous.
Vegetarians often have normal hemoglobin, but low iron stores (ferritin) in liver, muscles and bone marrow. Iron absorption is improved by including Vitamin C (75 mg per meal or about 6 oz orange juice) along with an iron supplement (as much as 50 mg per day) and high iron foods. The ferrous form of iron is more easily absorbed than ferric.
Phytates and oxalates can interfere with iron absorption from the gut, but the research is not conclusive on this subject. Phytates are found in bran and whole grains. Oxalates are high in nut and nut butters, beets and beet greens, tea, strawberries, gelatin, rhubarb, spinach, chocolate and wheat bran. Most of these foods are the very substance of a vegetarian diet. (When I added green tea extract to Jett's supplementation, his iron went from 24 to 11. -Andi)
Iron in non-meat foods is called non-heme iron. Vegetarians should eat dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, legumes, yeast leavened whole grain breads, iron-enriched pasta, rice and cereal and meat analogs which are high in iron. Unfortunately, the iron in these foods is not as absorbable as the iron in meat.
But foods rich in Vitamin C (papaya, orange, cantaloupe, broccoli, brussel sprouts, raw green peppers, grapefruit, strawberries, etc.) can be as effective as meat meals in improving iron absorption. Remember though sunlight and heat destroy that Vitamin C.
A diet high in milk or milk products can increase iron deficiency because these are high protein, low iron foods and filling. Soy beverages are high in iron (also iron fortified infant soy formulas) but soy should be avoided for our kids as well.
Cook in cast iron pans as that will increase the iron content of your diet. However, this form of iron is not absorbed very well.
Anemia Home Remedies: Best Natural Cures
If anemia is diagnosed and no other disease is associated with it, then the following home remedies for anemia may be useful:
Figs
Eat four dried figs daily for a month and continue thereafter for another month if results are to your satisfaction.
Citrus Fruit
Due to high Vitamin C content, eat one orange or tangerine daily.
Beets
Beets are very a potent treatment for anemia. Beet juice is full of natural minerals like potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulfur, iodine, iron and copper. It also contains vitamins B1, B2, B6, niacin, and vitamin P. Beets are very helpful in curing anemia. Beet juice contains potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur, iodine, iron, copper, carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins B1, B2, B6, niacin, and vitamin P. With their high iron content, beets help in the formation of red blood cells.
Cabbage
Drink 1/2 glass of white cabbage juice on an empty stomach twice daily.
Lettuce
Eat 100 gm lettuce twice daily, chew well.
Spinach
Eat various preparations made of spinach daily or extract 1/2 cup of spinach juice for daily consumption.
More Anemia/Iron & DS, notes from the book Down Syndrome, What You CAN Do:
Astro-esophageal reflux
This occurs when food that had already passed into the stomach and beyond comes back up into the Esophagus and may be vomited up. Most healthy people experience this from time to time. It is more common in babies because their food is liquid and therefore more easily brought back they spend less of their time upright the muscle at the top of the stomach that should prevent this is not yet well established. Some also have a hiatus hernia where the top part of the stomach is pushed just above the diaphragm into the chest. Babies with Down syndrome are more likely to have reflux, probably because the muscles of the stomach and esophagus that work to push food along seem to work less effectively. Symptoms may be very mild and merely a nuisance. Simple measures mentioned above may help. However, vomiting may be considerable and the child may not gain weight. In addition, the acid contents of the stomach irritate the lower esophagus causing discomfort, and sometimes bleeding from the esophageal wall. This can cause anemia. In these cases, medical treatment is necessary. Several different kinds of medicine are used, often in combination. They work in a number of ways - by preventing the stomach contents flowing back, by neutralizing the stomach acid and by improving the gastrointestinal motility. Very occasionally, these measures won't be sufficient and an operation to tighten up the junction between the esophagus and stomach will be necessary.
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Malabsorption
This is a condition in which the bowels are unable to absorb particular nutrients from food. This can cause the body to run short of some nutrients, and the stools to be abnormal. Possible malabsorption of a number of different vitamins and minerals has been described in Down syndrome from time to time. However, the evidence for this is inconsistent and whether the malabsorption leads to any health problems is uncertain.
There is, however, one important type of malabsorption that is more common in Down syndrome called Celiac Disease. In this, the body develops an allergy to part of a protein called gluten, which is found in wheat and some other cereal grains. Symptoms include poor growth, abnormal stools (diarrhea, frothy, foul smelling or bulky stools are typical), swollen stomach, tiredness and irritability. Anemia may also result. Special blood tests are available which may help with diagnosis, but a jejunal biopsy may be necessary. In this test a small tube is swallowed, and a sample of the wall of the jejunum is removed for examination under a microscope. Treatment is by special diet excluding gluten. This should he supervised by a dietitian. In this article I have considered some of the gastrointestinal problems that occur in Down's syndrome. Many children will, happily, have none of these problems. Some will have one and an unfortunate minority will have several at various times in their life. As stated early on in the article, children with Down's syndrome may also get any of the problems that occur in other children. As in all medical conditions, the symptoms should never he accepted as "just part of Down's syndrome," without first considering other, treatable, conditions.
Thyroid & Anemia
The adverse effects of abnormal thyroid function are well-known. An under active thyroid gland
leads to cognitive impairment, increased risk of coronary artery heart disease from hypercholesterolemia (14), dry skin, constipation, and anemia.
Folic Acid
Folic Acid is particularly important in the population of people with Down syndrome. It is needed for the synthesis of DNA and RNA, which are the building blocks of cells. Folic Acid also helps prevent changes to the DNA that could lead to cancer. It is also needed in both children and adults to be able to make normal red blood cells and prevent anemia
Piracetam and Hypoxia
Hypoxia is a condition of low oxygen levels in the tissues. Hypoxia can be caused by lack of oxygen in the air (hypobaric or high-altitude conditions), decreased oxygen carrying capacity of the blood (anemia or carbon monoxide toxicity), by impaired circulation (ischemia, heart attacks, blood clots, etc.), or other causes.
For decades piracetam has been studied as an anti-hypoxia agent. This may have special application to DS due to developmental delays in the closing of the heart muscle wall between the right and left sides of the heart. This results in the mixing of blood from the right side of the heart (which pumps oxygen-depleted blood to the lungs) with blood on the left (which pumps oxygenated blood to the rest of the body). This effectively diminishes oxygen delivery capacity and exposes affected individuals to some degree of chronic hypoxia.
Hypoxia has an adverse effect on cognitive functioning, which piracetam effectively prevents [see SDN v1n10].
Hypoxia is also associated with increased lipid peroxidation, which is inhibited by piracetam and antioxidants [Nagornev et al., 1996]. This effectively increases human resistance to high altitude. In aged patients with ischemic heart disease, the combination of piracetam and tocopherol acetate (vitamin E) provides better control of angina pain, increases exercise tolerance, and positively influences hemodynamic measurements [Pimenov et al., 1997]. These observations confirmed earlier work [Pimenov et al., 1992].
Hypobaric hypoxia of pregnant rats causes memory impairment and learning delays (in both passive and active tasks) in newborn pups. Postnatal piracetam (200mg/kg/day) in the second and third weeks of life partially corrected behavioral disturbances and physical development, but not adaptive behavior, caused by this prenatal hypoxia [Trufimov et al., 1993].
The adverse role that oxidative stress can play in cognitive functioning can also be blocked by piracetam. Craniocerebral trauma in rabbits causes 1) increased free radical activity, 2) decreased antioxidant function, and 3) increased lipid peroxidation throughout the brain. These effects are prevented by piracetam or amphetamine (which are stimulants), but not by phenobarbitol (a CNS depressant) [Promyslov and Demchuk, 1995]. The lack of any direct antioxidant effect of piracetam or amphetamine in an in vitro model suggests that the antioxidant effect is entirely mediated by secondary metabolic effects of these compounds.
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Here is a write up on the Einstein Syndrome Website on iron.
http://einstein-syndrome.com/biochemistry_101/concern_iron/
by Ginger Houston-Ludlam
Let me quote a little bit from my favorite iron article, and I think you’ll begin to understand why iron is so worrisome to me. Keep in mind as you read this that our kids with Down Syndrome are producing more Superoxide radical than the average child. It has been measured and found to be higher in kids with Down Syndrome. Reasons for this include:
mitochondria are leaking superoxide, purine synthesis path creates excess superoxide due to GART overexpression, and the Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) gene (that converts superoxide to hydrogen peroxide) is triplicated, and therefore there is more hydrogen peroxide for the iron to react with.
Here’s the article: McCord, JM, “Iron, Free Radicals, and Oxidative Injury,” Seminars in Hematology, 1998:35(1) pp. 5-12.
Abstract: “Iron metabolism and superoxide metabolism are clearly interactive, especially under pathological conditions. Each can exacerbate the toxicity of the other. Iron overload may amplify the damaging effects of superoxide overproduction in a very broad spectrum of inflammatory or ischemia-related conditions. Furthermore, chronic oxidative stress may modulate iron uptake and storage, leading to a self-sustained and ever-increasing spiral of cytotoxic and mutagenic events.”
From the introduction: “Iron is physiologically essential and biochemically dangerous. The most common cause of infant death by accidental poisoning is the ingestion of ferrous sulfate tablets. There has always been a natural tendency to associate iron with strength and well-being, even before biochemists realized that it is a necessary trace element, essential for life itself. The ancient Greeks dissolved iron filings in vinegar, hoping that if they drank this liquor, they would acquire the strength of iron. After its recognition as an essential nutrient, the common but faulty assumption followed that “more is better.” This assumption persists today, even among some physicians and nutritionists. Accordingly, for several decades we have produced “iron-fortified” foods in an attempt to eliminate iron-deficiency (which afflicts less than 10% of the US population) with little appreciation of what this supplementation might do to the remaining 90% of the populace who are in a state of iron excess. For the majority of persons, iron supplementation simply results in ever-increasing stores of excess iron in the body. Evolution has given us mechanisms for absorbing dietary iron with about a 10% efficiency, but, oddly, we have no mechanism for the elimination of excess iron. As a result, cells continuously store excess absorbed iron in a complex with the protein ferritin. This protein is found in all tissues, especially the liver. If the body experiences a sudden and significant loss of blood, these stores are drawn on for the synthesis of new hemoglobin to replace that which has been lost. In modern society, transfusion has supplanted even this need. Hence, excessive iron stores serve no known useful function to an otherwise healthy body.”
The author then goes on to give a chemical description and explanation for the action of superoxide, which is long and very involved. It talks about superoxide inactivating a variety of important enzymes in the body. Then, “Even so, many believe that the most generally destructive action of superoxide radical may be bringing about the reductive release of iron from ferritin.” The article then discusses the chemical mechanisms that the body uses to “tie up” iron so that it doesn’t cause trouble.
Here’s where the rubber hits the road biochemically. “Once iron has been liberated in the presence of superoxide and it dismutation product, hydrogen peroxide, the hydroxyl radical (HO-) may be formed by Haber-Weiss chemistry [Ginger's note: big hairy chemical equation!] Unlike superoxide radical, which is not highly reactive compared to most other free radicals, the hydroxyl radical is an extremely powerful oxidizing species. In oxidizing potential it is second only to atomic oxygen. It may be produced by the radiolysis of water, and is thus responsible for most of the damage resulting from exposure to ionizing radiation. It came as a surprise to many biochemists that hydroxyl radical could be produced by biological systems themselves, by the simple generation of superoxide in the presence of redox-active iron and hydrogen peroxide. This hydroxyl radical can attack all classes of biological macromolecules. It can depolymerize polysaccharides, cause DNA strand breaks [Ginger's note: this is the mutation and cancer link!!] inactivate enzymes and initiate lipid peroxidation. Because lipid peroxidation is a chain reaction that is geometrically amplified by redox-active iron, it is this action of the hydroxyl radical that may have the greatest pathophysiological consequences in diseases such as ischemic heart disease and stroke.”
Ouch. The article then goes on to describe the chemistry of how lipid peroxidation happens. Keep in mind that nerve cells are particularly vulnerable as they have the highest proportion of fatty acids in their cell membranes. It concludes the discussion of lipid peroxidation with: “Hence, the presence together of superoxide radical and redox-active iron can be devastating to the cell in terms of maintaining membrane structure and function, and, therefore, viability. Figure 1 also shows the cellular defense mechanisms that act to prevent this sequence of events. The antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase act as a first line of defense to intercept the active oxygen species directly. If these defenses are overwhelmed and events progress to lipid peroxidation, a second line of defense exists. The antioxidant enzyme phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase [say that 5 times fast!! J] acts to eliminate peroxidized membrane components by reducing peroxides to alcohols. This action prevents the initiation of new chain reactions by ferrous iron as described above. The antioxidant vitamins E and C also collaborate to terminate chain reactions, stopping further accumulation of peroxides. When all these defenses are either overwhelmed or consumed, cell membranes may be so damaged that the cell dies.”
He then goes on to say that iron becomes even more problematic in disease conditions. Hearts from animals who have been iron-loaded suffer more damage when heart attacks are induced. Also, he talks about the fact that increased production of superoxide, coupled with increased iron promotes carcinogenesis (that means “cancer forming”). He says that there is evidence that the monthly loss of blood over a large part of the lifetime of women accounts in part for their better survival of ischemic heart disease. High levels of stored iron have been implicated as a risk factor for heart disease. In patients with small cell lung carcinoma, those with the lowest serum ferritin (blood iron) levels had longer survival rates. He cites a number of articles that link increased levels of iron with Parkinson’s disease, which is why they think that Parkinson’s hits men more frequently than women. Each of these statements is referenced with at least one, and usually several supporting studies. Let me also add, that, while he did not mention it in this article, a number of metals, including iron and aluminum, are found in the brain deposits associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Down Syndrome is associated with these kinds of deposits much earlier in life and with much higher frequency than the general population.
Vitamin A can become toxic because the body does not have a good mechanism to flush excess out of the body. There are big-time (justified) warnings about toxicity of vitamin A. Iron can also become toxic for the same reason: the body does not have a good mechanism to flush excess out of the body. Yet iron supplementation is pushed for all children, without even doing a blood test to see if it is needed. This is what I mean by a knee-jerk reaction.
So, there is my data to support my contention that iron is not a good idea especially in Down Syndrome.
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Blackstrap molasses
The thick viscous syrup we call blackstrap molasses that provides the robust bittersweet flavor to baked beans and gingerbread is available throughout the year.
Blackstrap molasses is just one type of molasses, the dark liquid byproduct of the process of refining sugar cane into table sugar. It is made from the third boiling of the sugar syrup and is therefore the concentrated byproduct left over after the sugar's sucrose has been crystallized.
This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Blackstrap molasses provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Blackstrap molasses can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Blackstrap molasses, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.
- Health Benefits
- Description
- History
- How to Select and Store
- How to Enjoy
- Individual Concerns
- Nutritional Profile
- References
Blackstrap molasses is a sweetener that is actually good for you. Unlike refined white sugar and corn syrup, which are stripped of virtually all nutrients except simple carbohydrates, or artificial sweeteners like saccharine or aspartame, which not only provide no useful nutrients but have been shown to cause health problems in sensitive individuals, blackstrap molasses is a healthful sweetener that contains significant amounts of a variety of minerals that promote your health.
Iron for Energy
In addition to providing quickly assimilated carbohydrates, blackstrap molasses can increase your energy by helping to replenish your iron stores. Blackstrap molasses is a very good source of iron. Particularly for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency, boosting iron stores with blackstrap molasses is a good idea--especially because, in comparison to red meat, a well known source of iron, blackstrap molasses provides more iron for less calories and is totally fat-free. Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism. And, if you're pregnant or lactating, your needs for iron increase. Growing children and adolescents also have increased needs for iron. Just 2 teaspoons of blackstrap molasses will sweetly provide you with 13.3% of the daily recommended value for iron.
A Spoonful of Molasses Helps Your Calcium Needs Go Down
Blackstrap molasses is a very good source of calcium. Calcium, one of the most important minerals in the body, is involved in a variety of physiological activities essential to life, including the ability of the heart and other muscles to contract, blood clotting, the conduction of nerve impulses to and from the brain, regulation of enzyme activity, and cell membrane function. Calcium is needed to form and maintain strong bones and teeth during youth and adolescence, and to help prevent the loss of bone that can occur during menopause and as a result of rheumatoid arthritis. Calcium binds to and removes toxins from the colon, thus reducing the risk of colon cancer, and because it is involved in nerve conduction, may help prevent migraine attacks. Two teaspoons of blackstrap molasses will meet 11.8% of your daily needs for calcium.
An Energizing Mineral-Dense Sweetener
Molasses is also an excellent source of copper and manganese and a very good source of potassium, and magnesium.
Copper, an essential component of many enzymes, plays a role in a wide range of physiological processes including iron utilization, elimination of free radicals, development of bone and connective tissue, and the production of the skin and hair pigment called melanin. Numerous health problems can develop when copper intake is inadequate, including iron deficiency anemia, ruptured blood vessels, osteoporosis, joint problems such as rheumatoid arthritis, brain disturbances, elevated LDL (bad) cholesterol and reduced HDL (good) cholesterol levels, irregular heartbeat, and increased susceptibility to infections. Using two teaspoons of blackstrap molasses to sweeten your morning cereal and the coffee or tea you drink during the day will supply you with 14.0% of the daily recommended value for copper.
That same amount of blackstrap molasses will also provide you with 18.0% of the day's needs for manganese. This trace mineral helps produce energy from protein and carbohydrates, and is involved in the synthesis of fatty acids that are important for a healthy nervous system and in the production of cholesterol that is used by the body to produce sex hormones. Manganese is also a critical component of an important antioxidant enzyme called superoxide dismutase. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is found exclusively inside the body's mitochondria (the oxygen-based energy factories inside most of our cells) where it provides protection against damage from the free radicals produced during energy production.
Like calcium, potassium plays an important role in muscle contraction and nerve transmission. When potassium is deficient in the diet, activity of both muscles and nerves can become compromised. Potassium is an especially important mineral for athletes since it is involved in carbohydrate storage for use by muscles as fuel and is also important in maintaining the body's proper electrolyte and acid-base (pH) balance. When potassium levels drop too low, muscles get weak, and athletes tire more easily during exercise, as potassium deficiency causes a decrease in glycogen (the fuel used by exercising muscles) storage. Simply by adding two teaspoons of blackstrap molasses to your morning smoothie, you can supply 9.7% of your potassium needs for the day along with a healthy dose of carbohydrates to burn.
Calcium's balancing major mineral, magnesium is also necessary for healthy bones and energy production. About two-thirds of the magnesium in the human body is found in our bones. Some helps give bones their physical structure, while the rest is found on the surface of the bone where it is stored for the body to draw upon as needed. Magnesium, by balancing calcium, helps regulate nerve and muscle tone. In many nerve cells, magnesium serves as Nature's own calcium channel blocker, preventing calcium from rushing into the nerve cell and activating the nerve. By blocking calcium's entry, magnesium keeps our nerves (and the blood vessels and muscles they ennervate) relaxed. If our diet provides us with too little magnesium, however, calcium can gain free entry, and the nerve cell can become overactivated, sending too many messages and causing excessive contraction. Insufficient magnesium can thus contribute to high blood pressure, muscle spasms (including spasms of the heart muscle or the spasms of the airways symptomatic of asthma), and migraine headaches, as well as muscle cramps, tension, soreness and fatigue. In two teaspoons of blackstrap molasses, you will receive 7.3% of the daily value for magnesium.
Switching from nutrient-poor sweeteners like white sugar or corn syrup, or from potentially harmful fake sweeteners like aspartame or saccharin to nutrient-dense blackstrap molasses is one simple way that eating healthy can sweeten your life.
The truth behind the phrase "slow as molasses" becomes apparent when you reflect on molasses's thick, viscous, syrupy texture. Featuring a robust bittersweet flavor, blackstrap molasses helps create the distinctive taste of dishes such as baked beans and gingerbread. Blackstrap molasses is very dark in color, having a black-brown hue.
Blackstrap molasses is just one type of molasses, the dark liquid that is the byproduct of the process of refining sugar cane into table sugar. Blackstrap molasses is made from the third boiling of the sugar syrup and is therefore the concentrated byproduct left over after the sugar's sucrose has been crystallized.
Look for blackstrap molasses that is unsulphured since not only does it not contain this processing chemical to which some people are sensitive, but it has a cleaner and more clarified taste. Blackstrap molasses made from organic sugar cane is also available in some markets.
Molasses should be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator or a cool, dry place. Unopened containers should keep for about one year, while opened containers should keep for about six months.
For some of our favorite recipes, click Recipes.
A Few Quick Serving Ideas:
Adding molasses to baked beans will give them that traditionally robust flavor.
Molasses imparts a wonderfully distinctive flavor to cookies and gingerbread cakes.
Basting chicken or turkey with molasses will give it both a rich color and rich taste.
Blackstrap molasses is not a commonly allergenic food and is not known to contain measurable amounts of oxalates or purines.
Blackstrap molasses is an excellent source of manganese and copper. It is a very good source of iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium. In addition, blackstrap molasses is a good source of vitamin B6 and selenium.
For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Blackstrap molasses.
In-Depth Nutritional Profile
In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile for Blackstrap molasses is also available. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more.
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In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Blackstrap molasses
- Aslan Y, Erduran E, Mocan H, et al. Absorption of iron from grape-molasses and ferrous sulfate: a comparative study in normal subjects and subjects with iron deficiency anemia. Turk J Pediatr 1997 Oct-1997 Dec 31;39(4):465-71 1997. PMID:16410.
- Ensminger AH, Ensminger, ME, Kondale JE, Robson JRK. Foods & Nutriton Encyclopedia. Pegus Press, Clovis, California 1983.
- Ensminger AH, Esminger M. K. J. e. al. Food for Health: A Nutrition Encyclopedia. Clovis, California: Pegus Press; 1986 1986. PMID:15210.
- Fortin, Francois, Editorial Director. The Visual Foods Encyclopedia. Macmillan, New York 1996.
- Wood, Rebecca. The Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Prentice-Hall Press; 1988 1988. PMID:15220.
Longvida Curcumin can chelate iron.
Helpful Website
If your child has anemia this is a great web page: https://sites.google.com/site/superdownsyndrome/sleep/iron
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