How is molasses different from sugar? All about molasses: recipe, types, benefits of the product. Harm of starch and maltose syrup

Molasses is one of the by-products of sugar production. Molasses is also produced from starches of various crops: corn, potatoes, wheat, rye, barley, etc.

The production of molasses is a complex technological process. This product can also be made at home, but it is too troublesome and unprofitable.

Sugar is an artificial product that was invented in India during the Roman Empire. That is, we can say that both sugar and molasses are far from the natural honey that people have known and consumed since their appearance on Earth. It is logical that their nutritional value is very different. Probably, if natural honey were widely available, then there would be no need for sugar at all.
It must be said that the nutritional value of sugar and molasses is also different. To put it simply, sugar is considered to be of little use and even harmful to human health. But with molasses the situation is a little different. It is believed that it is even good for health, as it contains many minerals, trace elements and also B vitamins.

Where can you eat molasses?

It is used in the production of confectionery products. It is also added to dough for baking certain types of bread. Since molasses has the ability to retain moisture, baked goods do not go stale longer.

Another property of molasses is its low freezing point. Therefore, it is used in the production of ice cream. Otherwise, it would freeze so much that it would become just a sweet block of ice.

As a remedy, you can find information that black molasses (also called raw molasses) helps with hemorrhoids. This is explained by the fact that black molasses is rich in microelements. However, it must be taken internally. Moreover, it is claimed that for some people, consuming this raw molasses has helped solve the problem of varicose veins. However, hemorrhoids are one of the manifestations of this disease (varicose veins).

Since black molasses is rich in iron, it is recommended for those with low hemoglobin

Another pleasant bonus from using molasses is that it makes your hair grow better. Again, it’s all about the minerals and trace elements that this product is rich in. Some experts claim that hair becomes more voluminous, molasses prevents baldness, and also restores hair color.

It is also recommended to use molasses for people suffering from osteoporosis. This is due to the fact that this product contains the required amount of calcium as well as magnesium, which promotes bone growth. Thus, it is very useful for children to consume molasses.

Molasses is a semi-liquid mass similar in consistency to honey, but has a sweeter taste than sugar. Molasses is obtained from the production of starch and sugar. The process of producing molasses is called hydrolysis. Often, syrups containing a large amount of sugar are called molasses.

There are several types of molasses, the most common being white, dark and black molasses. White molasses is obtained from the sugaring of starch, dark molasses is obtained from brown sugar, and black molasses is a waste product from beet sugar production mixed with sucrose and some other impurities. Black molasses is often called beet molasses.

Properties of molasses

Molasses has a fairly diverse chemical composition, it contains: iron, calcium, manganese, magnesium, selenium, potassium, B vitamins, oligosaccharides, glucose, maltose, carbohydrates, phosphorus, sodium and a small amount of healthy fats. Molasses is sweeter than sugar and healthier because it contains a moderate glycemic index.

One hundred grams of food contains about three hundred and sixteen kilocalories, and two or three spoons contain only thirty-five kilocalories, which allows you to safely consume molasses in small quantities while following a diet. One glass of molasses contains three hundred and ten grams of product.

The benefits of molasses

Molasses has a beneficial effect on the body. First of all, it is recommended for anemia and for normal bone growth. Using this product you can prevent the occurrence of osteoporosis and other problems with bones and joints. To increase energy and improve immunity, it is recommended to dissolve molasses in boiling water and drink the resulting water when cooled. Moreover, the amount of molasses per glass is only two teaspoons. The resulting mixture must be drunk through a straw, otherwise it can harm tooth enamel.

It is recommended that pregnant women take molasses one spoon per day. This will allow expectant mothers to bear a healthy and properly developed baby. The effect of molasses on hair is good; if you regularly consume molasses, your hair will become strong, shiny and healthy. In addition, molasses can treat ulcers, develop mammary glands, normalize the entire nervous system and improve brain activity. In order for molasses to bring only benefits, when choosing it, you should exclude products containing sulfur.

Application of molasses

Molasses is added in the production of gingerbread and some types of bread. This product is also used during the production of ice cream. Molasses contains maltodextrin, which increases the hardness of the product by lowering the freezing point. Once in the product, molasses increases the viscosity of the mass, allowing the formation of a homogeneous structure. Molasses is added to baked goods as a leavening agent. Molasses is indispensable when making marmalade or jam.

Molasses is also added when preparing halva, many types of sweets and caramel. Molasses is also widely used in the production of soft drinks. In this case, it is used as a sugar substitute. Molasses is also added in the production of ketchups, some sauces and many canned fruits. Molasses is also used in dietetics. A small amount of this product can work wonders. Including molasses in your diet makes it enjoyable, healthy, and most importantly tasty. Molasses can be responsible for satiety, so the number of servings of main dishes eaten is sharply reduced, which is extremely important when fighting unnecessary weight.

Diabetics will also like molasses, because it can replace sugar and honey when there is a desire to eat something sweet. If molasses is very difficult to buy in the store, you can always make it at home. Beet molasses is not eaten, but special yeast is made from it, used in the preparation of alcoholic beverages and many types of beer.

The harm of molasses

This product is contraindicated if you have an individual intolerance to the components contained in molasses. A tendency to allergies is another sign that this product is prohibited for you. People with high blood sugar levels should be especially careful with molasses, because if you slightly exceed the prescribed norm, the sugar level will immediately increase, resulting in a deterioration in your overall health. Harm from molasses can occur when you overeat it and use it too often. You should not give molasses to small children, otherwise the child may experience irritation and allergic reactions.

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Today you can often find recipes that suggest making a dessert or cake with molasses. Everyone has heard this word, but few know what this product is and how it is used. Today we will try to find out what molasses is and in what cases it can be used.

The product is a semi-finished product that can be considered a by-product of the starch and sugar production process. It looks like a semi-liquid mass, the consistency is a little like fresh honey.

This syrup is widely used for preparing various products, since sweet molasses can easily replace sugar and honey. Mainly used on an industrial scale in the production of bread: rye, Karelian and some others, gingerbread, sauces, sweets, beer. When added, it imparts flavor and a characteristic brownish color to the finished product. In addition, sugar molasses increases viscosity, making the finished baked goods more dense and porous.

The composition of molasses is as follows - in fact, the product is a mixture of three components dissolved in water: glucose, dextrin, oligosaccharides. Only starch syrup is obtained as a by-product. The remaining types of this sweet transparent syrup are made specifically for further use in the food industry.

Kinds

There are several most common options used in cooking. The most common is starch, but it is also divided into several types:

Maltose molasses has a brown color and a sweet taste with malt notes (maltose is found in large quantities in sprouted grains of rye and barley). It is obtained through the process of saccharification of starch-containing raw materials, for example, corn, with special enzymes, after which the syrup is filtered and boiled to a viscosity. Today it is used not only in the confectionery industry, but also in brewing. Due to the fact that no chemical acids or catalysts are used in the production process, maltose syrup does not crystallize for a long time and remains liquid and viscous. Mainly used for marmalade, canning, baking, being a cheaper sugar substitute.

Caramel molasses is obtained by processing corn, sugar beets or cane. That is why it is divided into several types: beet molasses, cane molasses. It is this dark molasses that is most often used at home, as it is optimal for creating baked goods and desserts.

Black molasses is slightly different from other types of products, it has a darker color and a specific smell. The syrup is made from cane and sugar beets; molasses and molasses are rarely used in cooking in North America. The composition contains about half of sucrose and some impurities that make its use for food purposes impossible. The main place of use is the production of animal feed, brewing, and some industries.

Corn syrup is used in the food industry as a sweetener. It can be made in industrial conditions by softening an ear of corn in boiling water, after which a solution of sulfur oxide is added to the mass, which intensifies the process of formation of lactobacilli. After this, the solution is washed, dehydrated, diluted with acid, during which the starch turns into sugar. Corn syrup is several times sweeter than regular sugar and also has a viscous consistency, which is why it is used in confectionery and bakery production.
Watermelon molasses is also called nardek. This product is mainly sold in areas where melons are abundant. During the production process, the watermelon pulp is crushed, the juice is squeezed out, and it is boiled until thick for about a day. The resulting syrup has a very thick consistency, dark color, almost black, and a slight bitterness.

Today, preparation is put on industrial “rails,” but preparing molasses at home is also not difficult. As a substitute for molasses, you can use ordinary honey, sugar, thick sugar syrup, but it must be taken into account that only molasses product has the sweetest taste.

Is molasses good for you?

When using molasses, the benefits and harms of this product must be taken into account, since syrup cannot be used for certain diseases, including diabetes. Full list of contraindications:

obesity or excessive body weight;
diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2;
allergy to components of glucose syrup;
individual intolerance.

However, confectionery syrup also has beneficial properties. These include:

improvement of well-being during menopause in women;
complex therapy of ulcers and other gastrointestinal diseases;
to improve the functioning of the nervous system and brain;
to saturate the body with calcium and iron;
to stimulate the activity of the cardiovascular system thanks to potassium and magnesium.

In addition, regular or fruit is not in vain used in the production of confectionery and bread. Potato dough becomes more porous, elastic, and it gives gingerbread a characteristic shade and flavor. Without it, it is impossible to prepare some types of confectionery products, for example, marmalade, soft toffee, marshmallows, marshmallows, and some types of sweets. Starch, caramel and other molasses are widely used in the production of biscuits, where it acts as a leavening agent and gives the dough viscosity and juiciness. Any variety increases the moisture-holding characteristics of baked goods, slows down their hardening and allows the product to remain soft longer.

How to cook it yourself?

Despite the relative cheapness and prevalence of the product, it is very difficult to find it in stores. Therefore, housewives often face the question of how to prepare molasses themselves or what can replace molasses in baked goods or sweets.

There are no exotic ingredients in the recipe, so you can make your own baking syrup. The simplest option is sugar-based. For it you will need:

150 milliliters of water;
350 grams of regular sugar (you can use cane sugar, in which case the syrup will be darker and thicker);
2 grams of citric acid;
1.5 grams of soda.

Make your own beet syrup using this recipe as follows:

Pour water into a saucepan and boil, reduce heat.
Add sugar, stir until there are no crystals, bring to a boil again and reduce heat
Add citric acid and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the mixture from burning. The fire should be small.
Now the refined molasses should cool down a little, add a pinch of soda to it and stir. If foam appears on the surface, remove it periodically with a spoon.

Any molasses at home should be stored in a glass container, tightly sealed with a lid, in the refrigerator.

Storing molasses is not difficult; if prepared correctly, it can be stored for quite a long time without being candied in the cold. Fruit varieties of the product have a shorter shelf life, so it is better to prepare the syrup 1-2 times.

Syrup can be made from any product that contains a lot of glucose. This could be grapes, sweet varieties of apples, melons, watermelons, and so on. Fruit options can have different shades. For example, banana syrup has a milky white color, while maltose molasses is very transparent, like fresh honey.

If you don’t know how to replace the syrup found in a recipe for baked goods, sauce or other dish, prepare it yourself or use regular sugar syrup or honey. When cooking molasses, we offer a recipe for its preparation, you can use regular or brown sugar, honey, fruit juice and other sweet ingredients.

It is impossible to exactly repeat the process of industrial syrup production in your own kitchen, since toxic acids are used on an industrial scale. A full-fledged substitute can be considered, which is almost identical in characteristics and also has viscosity and thickness. It is widely used in baking homemade bread and biscuits, extends shelf life, gives a special structure to the dough, is stored in the refrigerator for a long time and can be used gradually.

Syrup is a product of fermented starch. Any type of starch, for example, potato or corn, can be used as the final raw material. Another name is also common among people, for example, artificial honey or syrup. Molasses can be considered a semi-finished product that is obtained in the production of sugar and starch. The result is a semi-liquid mass that has a consistency like young honey (see photo). The taste of the product is slightly sweeter compared to sugar.

Molasses is used in the confectionery industry to improve the taste and variety of color of the product. Molasses is also used in making ice cream, as it reduces the freezing limit. In addition to sweets, molasses is used in the production of beer, soft drinks, jam, etc.

According to GOST, certain types of molasses are distinguished, for example, caramel, maltose, malt, highly sugared, etc. It has achieved popularity due to the following properties:

retains moisture, which allows baked goods to not go stale for a long time;
acts as a preservative;
reduces the freezing limit of dairy drinks;
improves the taste and aroma of the product.

How to select and store?

When choosing molasses, if possible, be sure to try it; if the product has not been processed, its taste will be very sweet. If you just want to eat molasses like syrup, then choose the white version, but for baking, black molasses is better. It is necessary to store molasses in a tightly closed container, away from sunlight in a cool place. The shelf life is no more than 2 years.

Beneficial features

The benefits of molasses are due to the presence of vitamins and minerals. It is recommended to use it during pregnancy. The product helps improve well-being during menopause. Molasses is recommended to be consumed during the treatment of ulcers. With regular consumption, the product has a positive effect on brain activity and improves the functioning of the nervous system, which in turn helps to cope with headaches, fatigue, insomnia and stress. Molasses is an excellent source of iron and calcium, minerals that are important for normal growth and development. It contains magnesium and potassium, which are necessary for the cardiovascular system.

Use in cooking

Molasses is used in the manufacture of various sweets. It is included in some types of bread, as well as gingerbread and other baked goods. Molasses can act as a syrup for various desserts and can also be used to make sauces.

Secrets of making molasses at home

If you need to measure a certain amount of molasses when preparing a dish, spray the measuring cup with a special cooking spray or grease it with vegetable oil in advance. This way you can pour out every last drop of molasses. To get rid of the acidity of molasses, use baking soda.

Harm of molasses and contraindications

Molasses can be harmful if you have an individual intolerance to the product. If consumed in large quantities, diabetes and other serious diseases may occur. Given the high calorie content, the product can be harmful to the figure.

Molasses is a name known to any cook, because it is used in the preparation of many culinary dishes. This is the name of a sweet and thick syrup, which is obtained by saccharification of corn or potato starch or by boiling the juice of vegetables and berries. Molasses comes in different forms - starch, fruit, maltose, black, the latter is made from sugar beets. In the Caucasus, there is a separate type of molasses - musales.

The most common molasses is in the production of gingerbread and some types of bread, for example, Borodino, Minsk, Karelian. Because it increases the solubility of sucrose, it is often used to make jam, marmalade, and marmalade. Some types of this product are used to make ice cream and frozen desserts.

Molasses: composition

Molasses is a mixture of glucose, dextrins and oligosaccharides dissolved in water; its dry matter content reaches almost 80 percent. Pure molasses is almost colorless and transparent. It has the ability to increase the solubility of sucrose by delaying its crystallization, which is the main reason for its widespread use in cooking.

Beet molasses or molasses is a waste product from beet sugar production and contains sucrose - approximately 50 percent, as well as some impurities that make it unsuitable for use for food purposes. It is used as a raw material in yeast and alcohol factories to produce yeast and alcohol.

The sugars in molasses consist of equal parts fructose and glucose.

Molasses: benefits and harms

From a medical point of view, the benefit of molasses lies in the content of some important microelements, for example, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium and iron. All of them are necessary in order to replenish the body's energy reserves. Molasses also contains B vitamins.

Its main harm, proven by experts, is individual intolerance to the product and its components. It is not recommended to abuse it by people with high blood sugar levels. By the way, those who are allergic to natural honey can replace it with molasses, because their appearance and taste are almost identical.

Molasses at home: recipes

Molasses is a sweet liquid syrup that is often used in confectionery making. Its main difference from sugar is that it does not crystallize, so treats with it remain soft and fresh longer. In addition, baked goods containing molasses have a special taste.

You can’t buy the product everywhere, so it would be easier to prepare it at home.

Compound:

Syrup

Molasses is a fast carbohydrate, a product of enzymatic or incomplete acid hydrolysis of potato or corn starch.

Molasses or maltodextrin consists of maltose (2 glucose molecules), maltotriose (3 glucose molecules) and dextrin, which is several glucose molecules. The substance is made by breaking down plant starch with the help of enzymes that divide the long chain of glucose into fragments consisting of dextrins.

It is a cream or pure white powder, highly soluble in water, with a sweetish taste. Technically, molasses is not a sugar, which allows manufacturers to include the substance in their products and label them as “sugar-free.” However, the glycemic index of molasses is very high, reaching, depending on the method of its production, 136, which indicates the absence of advantages of this product over other carbohydrates. In fact, maltodextrin has similar properties - high calorie content, rapid absorption, increased insulin secretion - as confectionery products.

There are white (starch) and black (beet sugar) molasses.

Application of molasses

Molasses is approved for use in the food industry, being considered an absolutely safe component for human health. It is used in the production of a wide range of products: confectionery, canned fruit and berries, beer, soft drinks, sauces, ice cream, some types of bread (Tartu, Riga, Minsk, Oryol, Borodino), sports nutrition.

The ability of molasses to delay crystallization and increase the solubility of sucrose determines its widespread use in the canning industry.

In ice cream production, maltodextrin lowers the freezing point, increasing the hardness of the product.

The use of molasses in small quantities determines the color of the product, in large quantities - the viscosity and taste of dough products.

When adding molasses to the product:

Increases the degree of viscosity of the mass;
Suspends the processes of natural color change of the product;
Acts as a leavening agent or forming agent;
Increases the energy value of the product;

Molasses (dextrin maltose, maltodextrin) is a product of incomplete acid (dilute acids) or enzymatic hydrolysis of starch. Typically, potato and corn (maize) starch are used. It is used in the confectionery and canning industries, as well as for the production of dressings.

A semi-finished product in the production of sugar and starch at sugar and starch-molasses factories, a semi-liquid mass, similar in consistency to young liquid honey. It is much sweeter than regular sugar.

Chemical composition of molasses: dextrin - from 0% to 70%, glucose - from 0% to 50%, maltose - from 19% to 85%.

Molasses contains 78-82% dry matter. Molasses solids consist of products of varying degrees of starch hydrolysis: dextrins, maltose, glucose. Estimated dry matter content - 78%. Molasses contains some minerals. Ash content may vary depending on the variety. Molasses also contains some nitrogenous substances and substances including phosphorus, which come into the molasses from starch. Nitrogenous substances in molasses cause it to darken when heated.

There are white molasses (starch) and black molasses (beet sugar).

Molasses is used in the making of gingerbread and some types of bread. When added in small quantities, it determines the color, and in large quantities, the taste and viscosity of dough products. Certain types of molasses are used in the production of ice cream and frozen desserts to lower the freezing point of the product.

In the canning industry - for preparing preserves and jams in order to give the syrup greater viscosity, as well as to improve taste; in bakery - for the production of certain types of bread, including “Orlovsky”.

In everyday life, various sugar-containing syrups can be called molasses.

Medical reference / Food / P

Syrup

Properties of molasses

The benefits of molasses

Application of molasses

The harm of molasses

Syrup

From a scientific point of view, maltrodextrin, dextrin maltose or simply molasses is the result of incomplete acid or enzymatic saccharification, that is, the hydrolysis of starch (mainly corn and potato). In everyday life, everything is much simpler and almost any sugar-containing syrups are often called molasses. Molasses very much resembles liquid honey, practically without color, both in taste and consistency, for which it is popularly called artificial honey.

Many gingerbread recipes say that gingerbread cookies are baked with molasses - it gives them a unique, special taste and aroma.

So what is molasses, can you make it at home?..

Molasses is not made from sugar. This is a different product. Although sometimes various sugar-containing syrups are also called molasses.

Syrup (dextrine maltose, maltodextrin) is a product of incomplete acid (dilute acids) or enzymatic hydrolysis of starch. The most commonly used starches are potato and corn (maize) starch. It is used in the confectionery and canning industries, as well as for the production of dressings.

Chemical composition of molasses:

dextrin - from 0% to 70%
glucose - from 0% to 50%
maltose - from 19% to 85%

Molasses is used in the making of gingerbread and some types of bread. When added in small quantities it determines the color, in large quantities it determines the taste and viscosity of dough products. This is why molasses is so important in gingerbread. Certain types of molasses are used in the production of ice cream and frozen desserts to lower the freezing point of the product.

You can prepare molasses in different ways

1) You can use oil of vitriol and turn any of the starches into sugar, and not necessarily potato, you can use wheat or any other.
2) Molasses is also obtained by boiling the juice of berries, vegetables - any fruits that contain a lot of sugary substances. Suitable for this (in addition to apples and pears): currants, gooseberries, cloudberries and other berries.

In both cases, it initially turns out molasses, that is, thick juice-syrup, and only then some people extract sugar from molasses. You can use, for example, apples or pears, and pear molasses is valued higher than apple molasses.

According to the first method, molasses is most often obtained from potato starch, because it is cheaper than others and is pure, giving molasses without any aftertaste. But the same method is used to prepare molasses from other types of starch.

There is another type of molasses, which is made from grapes in the Caucasus - called musales.

Molasses is prepared from starch by saccharification (hydrolysis). It has a thick, viscous consistency and is colorless or pale yellow. Molasses is not widely used in cooking. She's being used mainly in the confectionery industry and added to syrups with a high sugar content to protect them from sugaring.

Molasses is added when making lipstick, jelly, etc.; it can be replaced with invert syrup or glucose; Instead of 1 kg of molasses, take 1.1 kg of invert syrup.

Fruit molasses

This is how fruit molasses is prepared.

Ripe fruits or berries are crushed in a large container as finely as possible. The resulting mass is placed in a bag and placed under a press or otherwise squeezed out all the juice. I don’t know if you can use a juicer here?..

It is necessary to add freshly slaked lime dissolved in water to the juice in such an amount that all the acid disappears from the juice. It is better to do this in the evening and leave the juice and lime until the morning. In the morning, carefully drain the clear juice from the sediment, which should not have any traces of acid. This stage, to be honest, is a little scary - how much and how to add lime is still unclear?

The juice is filtered through cheesecloth, poured into a boiling container and boiled for 3-6 hours over low heat, constantly skimming off the foam. During boiling, the juice is filtered another 2-3 times through bone char to clear it of turbidity. To do this, the boiling has to be interrupted for a short time.

If you boil the juice 2-3 times (so that out of 3 bottles of juice there are 1-1.5 bottles left), you will get a liquid syrup that can be used for making berry jams.

If you boil the juice 4-5 times, you get thick brown molasses, which can replace sugar and is well preserved in barrels.

Starch syrup

Making molasses without acid requires more attention. But you can do without acid and chalk, and get very good molasses, even if it is poorly purified. This molasses is prepared using barley malt. Best of all - in a Russian oven; Without an oven, it’s difficult to maintain the temperature.

Pour water into a large cauldron or pot, heated enough to handle by hand, and add crushed malt. After this, we place the pot on the edge of the stove or at the very mouth of the Russian stove, on a pole, so that the liquid heats up to 50-60 degrees. Pour in the starch mixed in warm water, stir well and leave the pot on the hot stove for 7-8 hours. You need to monitor with a thermometer lowered into the liquid so that it does not heat up above 60 degrees.

At first the mash will be cloudy and thick, but after half an hour it will become as clear as water. After 7-8 hours of quiet heating, taste the liquid. At first, the taste of the liquid will be slightly sweet and nauseating, then the sweetness will appear more and more. By the end, the taste of the liquid will become pleasantly sweet and only slightly reminiscent of the taste of malt.

After this, filter the liquid through a canvas, mix with bone charcoal (1 spool of coal per 1 pound of starch or 4 1/3 grams of coal per 410 grams of starch) to destroy the taste of malt, stir, pour into the kettle and boil over high heat until the liquid thickened a little.

Pour the thickened liquid into a bucket and let it settle from the coal. Then drain from the sediment, pour into the boiler and boil to the desired thickness.

To process 10 pounds of starch you need one and a half buckets of water and 1 pound of green or white malt (or one and a half pounds of spring malt). In this case, from 10 pounds of starch you will get 15 pounds of thick and sweet molasses.