Is molasses healthy — the Crosby's answer

People often ask us whether molasses is healthy. We're a fifth-generation, family-owned Canadian company that has been importing molasses to the East Coast of Canada since 1879, and we want to answer that question the way we'd answer it across the kitchen table — honestly, and only with what we can stand behind.

Here is what we can tell you for certain about Crosby's molasses: it is a pure product with only one ingredient on the carton — molasses. It contains absolutely no additives or preservatives. And our Blackstrap Molasses is naturally rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. That's the part of the 'healthy' conversation we can speak to with confidence, because it comes from how our molasses is made, not from a marketing claim.

Part of our quality promise is delivering good food that our customers can feel good about. The rest of this page walks through exactly what's in our molasses, what minerals Blackstrap naturally contains, and the certifications behind it.

What's in Crosby's molasses

The shortest possible ingredient list: molasses. That's it. There is only one ingredient listed on the Crosby's Molasses carton, and absolutely no additives or preservatives.

Our Fancy Molasses is 100% natural, contains no additives or preservatives, and is non-GMO certified. It's also unsulphured. It's made by condensing, inverting, and purifying pure sugarcane juice — sugarcane that is single-origin, grown in the volcanic soils around the Madre Tierra sugar mill in Santa Lucia, Guatemala.

Our Blackstrap Molasses is, like our Fancy, a pure product with no added preservatives. And our Cooking Molasses is a blend of our Blackstrap and Fancy molasses products. Whichever grade you reach for, you're getting molasses and nothing else.

Blackstrap molasses minerals: iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium

If you've heard that blackstrap molasses is the 'nutrient-dense' one, that part is true. Crosby's Blackstrap Molasses is rich in nutrients, naturally packed with iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. We describe it on our industrial pages the same way — a nutrient-rich product with a darker colour.

Those minerals aren't added — they're naturally present in this highly-concentrated, very dark molasses with its robust, somewhat bitter flavour.

We don't make medical claims about what those minerals will do for your body — for that, talk to a registered dietitian or your doctor. What we can tell you is what's in the jar. For exact per-serving nutritional values, full nutritional information is available on our products page.

Certifications and quality

Beyond the ingredient list, here is what backs up the 'pure product' claim:

Our Fancy Molasses is pure, additive-free, gluten-free, certified Kosher, and non-GMO. Our Blackstrap Molasses is a pure product with no added sulfates or sulfites, gluten-free, and certified Kosher. In Canada, 'Fancy' is not a marketing word — it is a Standard of Identity designated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Only pure sugarcane juice inverted into syrup can be classified as Fancy Molasses in Canada.

Our facility is SQF certified, meeting globally recognized safety and quality assurance standards. Crosby Foods has been recognized as one of Canada's most trusted food companies, and Crosby's has been in Canadian kitchens for over 146 years.

Which Crosby's grade to choose

If mineral content is what you care about, Blackstrap is the grade naturally rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium — it's bold and somewhat bitter, and it shines in barbeque sauces, baked beans, stews, and marinades. Fancy is the smoothest and sweetest grade, ideal for cookies, cakes, breads, and gingerbread. Cooking Molasses is a blend of the two — darker and less sweet than Fancy, with a more full-flavoured taste — built for baking.

Frequently Asked Questions