Molasses is a thick, dark syrup that is a by-product of sugar refining. Unlike refined sugar, it retains significant minerals including iron (~5mg/100g), calcium (~200mg/100g), magnesium, potassium, and some B vitamins. Blackstrap molasses in particular is one of the richest plant sources of iron and calcium. It provides around 290 kcal/100g from sugars but is nutritionally far superior to refined sugar.
Use a tablespoon of molasses to sweeten baked goods, marinades, or porridge — it adds a deep, slightly bitter caramel flavour. Blackstrap molasses dissolved in hot water with a squeeze of lemon is a traditional iron-rich tonic.
Where Molasses Stands Out
Macronutrients per 100g
Vitamins & Minerals
| Nutrient | Per 100g | % Daily Value* | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potassium | 1,460 mg | 73% | |
| Magnesium | 240 mg | 64% | |
| Calcium | 210 mg | 26% | |
| Phosphorus | 31.0 mg | 4% | |
| Iron | 4.70 mg | 34% | |
| Manganese | 1.53 mg | 77% | |
| Niacin equivalents (NE) | 0.900 mg | 6% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.900 mg | 6% | |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 0.800 mg | 13% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.670 mg | 48% | |
| Copper | 0.490 mg | 49% | |
| Vitamin E (alpha-TE) | 0.410 mg | 3% | |
| Zinc | 0.300 mg | 3% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.040 mg | 4% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.000 mg | 0% | |
| Vitamin C | 0.000 mg | 0% | |
| Selenium | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin A (RE) | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Folate | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Iodine | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Sucrose | 35.1 g | — | |
| Fructose | 12.9 g | — | |
| Glucose (dextrose) | 11.5 g | — | |
| Maltose | 0.000 g | — | |
| Cholesterol | 0.000 mg | — | |
| Beta-carotene | 0.000 µg | — | |
| Biotin (Vitamin B7) | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Retinol (vitamin A) | 0.000 µg | 0% |
* % Daily Value is the proportion of an adult
EU Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) supplied by 100g of this food.
NRVs are the labelling standard — the same basis as the “%RI” figures printed on
food packaging — so these percentages are directly comparable with a shop label.
They are a single adult figure and do not vary by age or sex, which is why they
sometimes differ from UK dietary reference values: the NRV for vitamin C is 80mg
where the UK RNI is 40mg. When Nutriofia assesses your own intake in the
reports and trackers, it uses the age- and sex-specific UK values instead.
Fibre is shown without a percentage. Our fibre values use the UK
Englyst NSP method, while the published 30g daily goal is an AOAC figure — the two
are measured differently and a single percentage would mislead.
How we source and normalise our data →