Do you have a sweet tooth? Well, if you do, it is sugar that you crave. Sugar is part of every diet and is found naturally in almost all foods. It is produced in different forms that are used for cooking and baking in millions of different recipes. Sugar has existed for a long time, but you may be surprised to learn that sugar was not used in North America until Columbus brought it over during his voyages to the new world. You eat sugar every day, but you may be surprised to learn that there are a lot of facts out there about sugar that you do not know about!
Interesting Facts About Sugar
Discovery of Sugar
Sugar is believed to have been discovered by Alexander the Great before the Common Era began. It was discovered in cane form, and once found, it became popular throughout Alexander’s empire. Sugar is a natural product, meaning it comes from the earth. For a long time, sugar was so rare that it was limited to the rich and to those in the courts, but its availability has increased tremendously over time.
Sweet Tooth
Humans crave sugar, and it is a craving that is installed in us at birth. Many natural plants and produce naturally contain sugar. Fruits such as berries and bananas all of have sugar in them, which may be a good fact to tell children who don’t want to try eating fruits!
Uses of Sugar
Sugar is added to desserts so that they taste sweet, but did you know that some foods, including bread and doughnuts, couldn’t be made without sugar? Sugar has unique properties that help the dough used in bread and doughnuts to rise in the oven. Sugar can be added to the water in vases to help flowers grow, thrive, and last longer. Some people claim that sugar can cure hiccups, and many parents will add sugar to certain liquid medicines to help their children swallow the sometimes nasty tasting medicines that exist. Without a doubt, sugar is an enjoyable and useful natural resource!
Fun Facts About Sugar
- According to brain scans, sugar is as addictive as cocaine.
- Heinz ketchup contains 1 teaspoon of sugar in each 1 tablespoon serving.
- Contrary to what many people believe, there are only 15 calories in a teaspoon of sugar, which can be burned off in 15 minutes by merely socializing with other people.
- According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, sugarcane is the world’s largest crop. 168 million tons of sugar were produced around the world in 2011. 80% of the world’s sugar production comes from sugarcane, while the other 20% comes from sugar beets.
- Brown sugars contain more vitamins and minerals than granulated sugars (white table sugars), according to nutritional information listed in the USDA Nutrient Database.
- In the 16th century, a teaspoon of sugar cost the equivalent of five dollars in London.
- The only taste humans are born craving is sugar.
- Lemons have more sugar than strawberries.
- Initially, people would chew sugar cane raw for its sweetness. Indians were the first to crystallize sugar during the Gupta dynasty around A.D. 350.
