Eat Blackstrap Molasses For Your Health

I was reading that National Molasses Bar Day was celebrated on February 8th and it brought to mind a memory I had of my grandmother talking about how we should eat Blackstrap molasses for our health. To this day I always keep a bottle of it in my pantry. As a child we were fed hot buttermilk biscuits with a little amount of Blackstrap molasses drizzled on top. 

Definition:
Blackstrap molasses, or simply blackstrap, is the dark, viscous molasses remaining after maximum extraction of sugar from raw sugar cane.

Benefits and uses of Blackstrap Molasses for your health:

Wikiwell: Processing the sugar out of sugar cane takes out the empty calories and leaves the nutrition behind. Molasses is still sweet, but it has acquired the distinct molasses flavor and natural nutrients. Molasses contains iron, magnesium phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, cooper, manganese, selenium, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and choline.

• A rich source of iron, blackstrap molasses is of great significance to menstruating women, who are at higher risks of iron deficiencies. Iron, being an integral component of hemoglobin, helps in transporting oxygen from lungs to all body cells. Additionally, iron is also significant for energy production and metabolism. It fulfills the daily requirement of iron in lactating mothers and growing children.
• Enriched with calcium, blackstrap molasses help in performing various physiological activities, including the ability of the heart and other muscles to contract, blood clotting, conducting nerve impulses to and from the brain, regulation of enzyme activity and cell membrane function.
• The calcium present in blackstrap molasses is also significant for the formation and maintenance of strong bones and teeth during youth and adolescence. It prevents the loss of bone during menopause and assists in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Its ability of binding and removing toxins from the colon reduces the risk of colon cancer and prevents migraine attacks.
• Blackstrap molasses contains copper which is an essential constituent of many enzymes, thereby playing a vital role in various physiological processes, including iron utilization, elimination of free radicals, development of bone and connective tissue and production of the skin and hair pigment called melanin. Regular consumption of blackstrap molasses helps in preventing problems caused due to deficiency of copper, such as ruptured blood vessels, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, brain disturbances, irregular heartbeat and increased susceptibility to infections.
• Essential trace elements like manganese are also found in blackstrap molasses which helps in producing energy from protein and carbohydrates, and is involved in the synthesis of fatty acids that are important for a healthy nervous system. Further, it is essential for the production of cholesterol that is used by the body to produce sex hormones.
• Manganese present in blackstrap molasses helps in regulating nerve and muscle tone, the lack of which can cause calcium to enter and force the nerve cells to become over-activated, thereby sending too many messages and causing excessive contraction. Deficiency of magnesium can also result in high blood pressure, muscle spasms, migraine headaches, muscle cramps, tension, soreness and fatigue.
• Utilization of iron, development of bones and connective tissues, production of melanin which produces skin and hair pigment, and elimination of free radicals from the body are effectively carried by the nutrient copper, found in blackstrap molasses. Apart from taking care of these processes, copper is also necessary for preventing anemia, elevating bad cholesterol, fluctuating heartbeats and increasing the risk of infections.
• Ulcers, psoriasis, varicose veins, dermatitis, rheumatism, benign tumors, anxiety, constipation and heart palpitations are some other ailments that are successfully treated with the consumption of blackstrap molasses.
• source of Fulvic Acid.
• Good for hair - One serving (two tablespoons) of blackstrap contains approximately 14 percent of our RDI of copper, an important trace mineral whose peptides help rebuild the skin structure that supports healthy hair. Consequently, long-term consumption of blackstrap has been linked to improved hair quality, hair regrowth in men and even a restoration of your hair's original color! Click here for more information about blackstrap's hair benefits.
• Safe sweetener for diabetics - Unlike refined sugar, blackstrap molasses has a moderate glycemic load of 55. This makes it a good sugar substitute for diabetics and individuals who are seeking to avoid blood sugar spikes. Moreover, one serving of blackstrap contains no fat and only 32 calories, making it suitable for a weight loss diet.
• Laxative qualities - Blackstrap is a natural stool softener that can improve the regularity and quality of your bowel movements.    Wikiwell

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Outside Link / Resource:

http://wikiwel.com/wikihealing/index.php?title=Blackstrap_Molasses

PhotoSource

Today's Featured Picture is an Odd-Eyed Cat /

I wanted to remind everybody that February is National Cat Health Month: Let this post be a reminder to make that vet appointment and have your pet checked out. Since February is also Pet Dental Health Month, have the vet check out your pets teeth too.

Photo: Keith Kissel

In honor of February being Cat Health Month I wanted to do a fun "Featured Picture" of a cat. On my search for the best one, I found this photo by Keith Kissel. His odd-eyed cat picture was picked to be a featured photo for wikipedia today and I knew immediately I found the one I was going to post in honor of National Cat Health Month. It's just Beautiful! Have fun reading a few fun facts about odd-eyed cats too.

What is an Odd-eyed cat?

An odd-eyed cat is a cat with one blue eye (the "odd" eye) and one green, yellow, or brown eye. This is a feline form of complete heterochromia, a condition also present in humans and some other animals (including horses and huskies). It can occur in a cat of any fur color, provided that it possesses the white spotting gene. Animals affected by the condition can have partial heterochromia, in which only part of the iris is a different color.

Cultural reactions and folklore

     Odd-eyed cats are popular within several breeds, including Turkish Van, Turkish Angora, Sphynx, Persian, Oriental Shorthair, and Japanese Bobtail.
     In 1817, the government of Turkey, in conjunction with the Ankara Zoo, began a meticulous breeding program to preserve and protect pure white Turkish Angora cats with blue and amber eyes, a program that continues today, as they are considered a national treasure. The zoo specifically prized the odd-eyed Angoras who had one blue eye and one amber eye, as the Turkish folklore suggests that "the eyes must be as green as the lake and as blue as the sky." The mascot of the 2010 FIBA World Championship, hosted by Turkey, was an anthropomorphized odd-eyed Van Cat named, "Bascat".
Muhammad's pet Angora, Muezza, was reputed to be an odd-eyed cat.
In the Japanese Bobtail, odd-eyed cats are most frequently found in calico individuals.
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Note: Today is also...

Earliest day on which Feast of Orthodoxy can fall, while March 14 is the latest; celebrated 42 days before Easter. (Orthodoxy)

Nirvana Day (Mahayana Buddhism) Parinirvana Day, or Nirvana Day is a Mahayana Buddhist holiday celebrated in East Asia. By some it is celebrated on the 8th February, but by most on the 15th February. Buddhists celebrate the death of the Buddha because they believe that since he was Enlightened, he was free from the pain of physical existence.

Prešeren Day (Slovenia) It is marking the anniversary of the death of the Slovene national poet France Prešeren on February 8, 1849. The holiday was established to honor achievements in the Slovenian culture.