If you have molasses in your pantry and use it for making desserts, sweets, and holiday treats, you might wonder, “can dogs eat molasses?”. Read this before sharing it with your pet.
Maybe you’ve heard rumors about how small quantities of molasses might be a natural way to help your dog get more good cholesterol or satisfy their sweet tooth. Well, keep reading – we will answer all your questions about the benefits of molasses for dogs and what to watch out for.
For ultimate pet safety, I recommend consulting with your vet prior to feeding your dog molasses.
What Is Molasses
Molasses is a natural sweetener that’s made from crushing sugar cane (which comes from sugar beets). People that try to avoid artificial sweeteners – like dog owners – might want to use molasses instead.
There are two main kinds of molasses – dark and light.
Dark molasses is made by boiling molasses a second time. It’s thicker and richer than the lighter version. It also tastes less sweet. Since it’s thicker, the flavor is also more pronounced, so you’ll use less of it in recipes.
Light molasses is also called regular and mild molasses. It has a delicate flavor and lighter color. This is the kind that most people use when they bake.
Nutritional Value
A lot of people like to use molasses because of the health benefits it has. It is high in vitamin B, which is good for energy.
Molasses also provides 18 amino acids. These are the building blocks of protein and other vital cells. This is why people associate it with supporting healthy bones.
It also has lots of iron, which is fantastic for overall health and well-being.
No wonder so many healthy sugary treats are made with molasses.
Can Dogs Eat Molasses
Now that you know what it is and why people use it, what about our fur babies? Is molasses safe for dogs to eat?
Yes, it is safe to give your dog small amounts of molasses. How much molasses you give your dog depends on what else they ate that day.
You see, molasses is still a type of sugar. Dogs that eat too much sugar are at risk for weight gain. And dogs that gain too much weight could get diabetes, heart disease, or have difficulty getting around.
Due to the high sugar content of molasses, it’s best to control how much you add to homemade treats.
Types Of Molasses and Dogs
All of the different kinds of molasses are safe for dogs to eat in moderation. Here’s a quick overview of what they are.
- Blackstrap Molasses – This has the bitterest flavor. Most dogs don’t like how this tastes.
- Carob Molasses – Just like regular molasses, but with added carob pods. You’ll find it in middle-eastern dishes.
- Dried Molasses – This is a powdered form of molasses and most people don’t use it to cook or bake, they use it as a fertilizer.
- Organic Molasses – This is the same thing as light or dark molasses, but it’s made with organic sugar cane.
- Pure Molasses – When you see this term, it basically describes molasses without anything else added to it.
- Sorghum Molasses – Sorghum is a different plant than sugar cane and you can boil it down the same way and make a liquid syrup. Sorghum molasses is thinner than sugar cane molasses and tastes a bit more sour.
- Unsulfured Molasses – Sulphured molasses is treated with sulfur dioxide as a preservative, unsulfured is not.
Can Dogs Eat Molasses Cookies
It’s best to make your dog their own dog treats and not give them cookies that you made for yourself (or your friends). This is because cookies made for humans usually have a lot more sugar than is safe to give dogs.
If your dog eats one molasses cookie, they will probably be just fine (and pretty happy!). It’s the habit of giving your dog high-calorie human food that you want to avoid.
Can Diabetic Dogs Eat Molasses
It’s not a good idea to use just any kind of molasses in treats for your dog if they have type 2 diabetes. You should only use blackstrap molasses for diabetic dogs. That’s because it gives your pet a pinch of sweetness without the related sugar spikes.
If your dog has any underlying health conditions, always speak to your veterinarian before introducing new ingredients or foods. Blackstrap molasses is the healthiest kind to use for obese or diabetic dogs.
Molasses For Dogs
Blackstrap molasses can be a healthy treat for your pet. All the iron and vitamins in it are good for your dog. It also has the lowest sugar content too.
Small portions of blackstrap molasses added to homemade treats is a wonderful way to make biscuits or cookies sweeter for your pet.
Molasses Dog Treats
Homemade dog treats are a healthy option for your furry friend! Bake up a batch of Christmas Dog Treats and add a teaspoon of blackstrap molasses to sweeten them.
These gingerbread dog treats are made with heart-healthy coconut oil. Sweeten them with a little molasses – your dog will love them!
Or add a little molasses to some peanut butter treats! Really, you can add it to almost any homemade dog cookies that you make.
Final Thoughts
Yes, pet owners, it is safe to give your dog a small bit of molasses as a healthy treat.
Remember, if you give your dog molasses, to try and minimize other sweets they eat the rest of the day so they don’t eat too many calories.
More Dog Food Resources
What other human foods are safe for dogs? Here are some more resources about different sweet food dogs can and can’t eat:
- Can Dogs Eat Sugar Snap Peas
- Can Dogs Eat Marmite
- Can Dogs Eat Banana Bread
- Can Dogs Eat BBQ Sauce
- Can Dogs Eat Clementines
- Can Dogs Have Maple Syrup
Find lots of information about human food dogs can eat (and ones they can’t) here on Spoiled Hounds!
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Pure molasses is a good sweetener for dogs. I always try to Choose a high-quality Blackstrap that is free of additives. Just keep in mind that molasses is quite sweet, so keep your quantities to a minimum!