Health Claims For Molasses

4. Health Claims For Molasses

4.1 Minerals in Molasses

Dr. Rudolph Ballentine says that, “Since it is a concentrated residue, molasses contains significant quantities of minerals such as iron, a fair amount of calcium and generous quantities of trace elements such as zinc, copper, and chromium.”

Just because these minerals can be detected in molasses does not mean that they are in a form that can utilized by the body. In fact, these minerals are mostly resulting from the residues from the lime, cattle bones, soil, and other residues left after being boiled for many hours at high temperatures. Most are inorganic and totally unusable to the human body, Even if there were any organic minerals left, they would be rendered useless after the boiling and chemical treatment.

4.2 A Rich Source of Vitamins

It is claimed that the chief value of molasses lies in the fact that it is rich in vitamins of the B family. Considering the process which the molasses has gone through, this is quite impossible. First of all, the B vitamins are water soluble. Large quantities of water are added to the molasses during its manufacture. So the B vitamins would be dissolved. Second, B vitamins are destroyed by heat at even a moderate temperature. They are certainly destroyed by the high heat and long boiling time required in the process of rendering molasses.

4.3 Molasses – A Good Laxative

The fact that the consumption of molasses results in diarrhea or seems to have a laxative effect is proof that the body is attempting to dispose of this unwholesome food as quickly and as best it can. It is completely incompatible with bodily needs or functions.

P.E. Noris writes, “At night take a teaspoonful of molasses in warm water or milk.” He cautions that one should not take more than this as it may nauseate you. His body is trying to tell him something but he is not listening. The body knows what is a poison and what is not. Take a tablespoon of any wholesome food such as sunflower seeds. You will feel fine and most likely will want more. Take a tablespoon of molasses and you will be immediately sick. There will be no craving for more.

Do yourself a favor and do not poison yourself.

You should also be aware of the fact that this poison is not only added to molasses but is often seen in most dried fruits. As you know, dried fruits are valuable additions to our diet when they are of good quality. However, when treated with sulphur dioxide, these fruits become deadly as the poisons with which they are treated and should never be consumed.

How can you recognize sulphur treated fruits? Mostly by the color. If the fruit’s color is bright and unusually clear, it has been treated. If the fruit’s color is dull and a little brownish, then most likely it has not. Also, read the labels when buying these packaged dried fruits. Another excellent idea would be to dry your own. Home food dehydrators are readily available and do an excellent job of drying and preserving fruits. This way you know for sure that the fruit was of excellent quality and no poisons were added to them during the drying process.

4.4 Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide gas is generally produced in the combustion, decomposition, or fermentation of carbon or its compounds, is found in the air and is exhaled by all animals. It is the final product of combustion of carbon in food, which the body exhales through the lungs or eliminates through the kidneys in urine, or in perspiration through the skin. Although carbon dioxide is present in the air we breathe (up to about 5%), if it is in a greater quantity than this, it produces an uncomfortable degree of hyperpnea with mental confusion and will cause death by suffocation.

Carbon dioxide gas is used in the manufacture of molasses, carbonated drinks and commercially used in dry ice.

So we know that carbon dioxide is a waste product given off by the body. We also know that if inhaled in large amounts it can result in death. We do not as yet know what effects it will have when added to our food in small quantities. Should we take the chance? As Hygienists we cannot condone the use of proven or unproven poisons. We may assume, however, that if it is poisonous in one form (air), it will also be poisonous in another (food).

4.5 Phosphoric Acid

Phosphoric acid is not only used in the manufacture of molasses but is also added to carbonated soft drinks. It is a solvent which is used to keep all the constituents in a compound in a liquid form. This acid, according to the Merck manual results in corrosive burns from inhalation, skin contact, eye contact, and ingestion. It will also cause local pain. This is another deadly poison.

4.6 Bone Char

In order to understand why this substance, which is added to certain foods including molasses, is dangerous, we must understand what it is that we are dealing with. Bone char is the charcoal remains of animal bones. Charcoal is actually the carbon remains after burning or heating these bones. Carbon is a chemical element which is present in all organic substances. These include proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

When a compound containing carbon combines with oxygen in the body, energy is liberated and carbon dioxide is formed. Carbon has several chemical features that make it unique as a foundation for life. However, if these features are altered drastically as they are upon the addition of heat, disastrous results may occur. It is a known fact that the charcoal formed on charcoal broiled steaks which are so commonly eaten today are carcinogens. It is also possible that the alteration of the carbon element in a cooked foods could have adverse consequences on our health. The addition of bone char to molasses just taking this product one step further down the ladder of the junk food dungeon.

4.7 Chlorine

Chlorine is commonly used as a water purifier an bleach. Added to flour at 400 parts per million, it instantly ages the flour and bleaches it white. For many years a flour bleach called Agene was used, until England’s Dr. Mellanby discovered that Agene caused running fits and mental deterioration in dogs. The Food and Drug Administration, under public pressure, finally outlawed the bleach. But the chlorine bleaches used today, although regarded as safe by the FDA, are highly toxic poisons. Nitrosylchloride, for example, is a very corrosive reddish yellow gas which is intensely irritating to eyes, skin and mucosa. Inhalation may cause pulmonary edema and hemorrhage. Yet this is added to foods.