In an earlier post, I mentioned trying to cut down or eliminate white sugar from my diet to reduce inflammation. Learning that other types of sugar also can cause inflammation, I wanted to know whether blackstrap molasses is in that same category. 

Most of the articles I read stated that the minerals and other benefits of blackstrap molasses balance the sugar contained in it. Here's an article naming 15 health benefits of blackstrap molasses.  Still, it's best to limit the amount of blackstrap molasses in your diet, and given its strong taste and dark color, there aren't that many foods you'd want to sweeten with it.

Reading more about sugar, inflammation and osteoporosis, it seems that there is a connection.  In the article, The Relationship between Sugar and Inflammation, the author points out that eating too much sugar can interfere with the body's use of enzymes and minerals, which could affect bone formation/regeneration. Another article mentions sugar as one of the foods that are "bad for your bones."

I'm learning that blueberries with a little milk can be just as satisfying as a chocolate chip cookie.  Fruit has its own sugar, but combined with the fiber and nutrients of the fruit, in moderation, it won't fuel the fires of inflammation. Fruit juice is another story; it's best to eat the whole fruit instead. 

As I mentioned in the previous post, I visited a doctor who practices integrative medicine, including applied kinesiology/nutrition response testing. He  recommended that I eliminate white sugar from my diet.

 For the most part, I can live without sugary treats, but I definitely miss dark chocolate (which has white sugar in it).  Dark chocolate has some health benefits and is, of course, delicious.  

So I tried a new kind of hot chocolate that I  made with Hershey's cocoa powder (100% cocoa), milk, and blackstrap molasses (shown in photo).  I have to admit, the molasses is strong and kind of overwhelms the chocolate.  But I still liked it.  Blackstrap molasses has 115 mg. of calcium in one tablespoon! It also has magnesium and other nutrients.  So my 8 oz. of hot chocolate had about 200 calories,  415 mg of calcium, 3 g. of fat and 8 g. of protein.  Here's the recipe:  
Place 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder in a mug. Add a few tablespoons of hot water and stir to make a syrup. Add 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses. Then add 8 oz. of hot milk and stir.