Ok, that name is just the sort of thing I think of while drinking this iron-packed beverage. Aloud, I usually just call it my Molasses drink. I may or may not have mentioned this before, but I am anemic (yes, I am getting the cause of that looked into in case there is some other issue causing it). As such, getting enough iron to not feel like I am so exhausted I’ll fall flat on my face is essential.
I did a ton of research and one thing that kept popping up was Blackstrap Molasses. It was like, the wonder drug or something. People all over were raving about it.
So I tried it.
OOOOOOoooooh man, I had no idea how important preparation was. I figured, if it tastes bad, I won’t use as much water to dilute it because then I’ll just have more to drink. So I put 1 Tablespoon BS Molasses into maybe 1/4 cup or less water and took a swig. *^&^%$%^!!!! OMG the only thing that came close to that horrible taste (to me) was Vegemite. (See Wiki article and pic) Good gawd almighty Vegemite is the rankest thing I have ever tried. Do not trust people bearing Vegemite!!! (Lol actually an Aussie friend had me try it. He loves the stuff. IDK why! I had to spit it out or I was going to have it revisit me the moment after swallowing that bite of toast.) So, BSM isn’t really that bad. Vegemite has it’s very own category of unholy, and nothing else is a fair contender. But I did have to plug my nose to down the initial BSM mixture.
I thought to myself, “For a wonder-food, it really isn’t very appetizing. Surely there is something I can do to make it palatable???”
So I researched some more, and saw things mentioned like tea, coffee, milk, lemon, lime, apple cider vinegar. Talked to a coworker who said more water was key. I read that caffeine in tea and coffee inhibit iron absorption, that the liquid you dissolve the BSM into mustn’t be too hot or you will annihilate some of the nutrients, and that Vit C is helpful for absorbing the iron so you might want to have some in the same sitting. I came across cocktail recipes, iced tea recipes, over-complicated recipes (for what I wanted) and all sorts of things. In the end, I made my own version with my gathered intel and through trial and error.
Here’s what you need:
My bad. The logo on the BS Molasses is out of view. The brand is Tree of Life and has 20% dv iron. Check labels to make sure the brand you buy has the highest iron. They are all different. You also want Unsulphered and Organic!
Molasses Drink
The lemon has Vitamin C to help you absorb the iron. The Apple Cider Vinegar helps to balance the taste between the Molasses and the lemon. I played with the ratios on all of the components, and this is what I came up with. The trial and error was…. not tasty at times. This smells kind of like a strong tea.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup filtered water
1 tsp. Blackstrap Molasses (I use Tree of Life. I don’t know how other brands might change the taste.)
1/2 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 fresh lemon
Directions:
Cut up a lemon into 4 pieces. (Half it, then cut the halves in half.) Take out the seeds as best you can. Don’t obsess. If they end up in the drink, they usually sink to the bottom.
Heat up 3/4 cup of water in the microwave. I usually just measure the water and then heat it up in whatever mug I’m using. About 1 min on high should be sufficient. (Note: I have an extra petite mug that I like to use because I can eyeball the waterline’s distance from the edge for my 3/4 cup instead of measuring it now. Makes things simpler and faster. Which I am all about. 🙂 )
The lemon is just for show. Don’t add it yet.
Once your water is both heated AND in the mug of your choice, it’s time to add the 1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar. I use a regular teaspoon and just fill it half-way. If you don’t mind the extra step, you can measure it out properly with a measuring spoon. (Again, I like to keep things easy, less mess, and time-saving.) Just pour it straight onto the spoon. (If you aren’t a good pour-er, you might want to do this over the sink instead of the mug in case you tilt the bottle with too much zeal!)
Now add the 1 tsp Blackstrap Molasses. Stop pouring before you think you need to, the spoon fills up fast. Also, you can work your way up to more BSM as you get used to the flavor if you need a little more iron in your diet. I now pour a very liberal teaspoon and let it flow off the sides.
I don’t actually prop the spoon when I pour the BSM, I just didn’t have an extra set of hands to do this shot.
Give the BSM and water a stir, then add the lemon. Squeeze the wedge as much as you can. I have to then use my thumbs against the inner pulp to push out all the juice. Your lemon should look fairly gutted when you are done. Throw away the rind. Stir again.
Final product!
Drink twice a day to help supplement your iron, if you are low.
After working on this recipe, figuring out my mix, and having had it for a few weeks now, I honestly can say I look forward to drinking this every morning and evening. It was a little odd at first, yes, but not overly so. Plus, the health benefits are fantastic. (Just be careful, those of you who are not low on iron, you don’t want to overload yourself by having too much. Under or Over iron-ing yourself has roughly the same effects such as making you tired.)
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