Surprising Facts About Sugar You Didn’t Know

It’s hard to believe that a history as rich as that of Sugar, that delightful sweetener we sprinkle on everything from morning coffee to late-night desserts, could exist. We know it is everywhere, but did you know it all comes from the Sanskrit word “sharkara,” which stands for “material in a granule form”? Later, the word was taken into Persian, from which it is called “šakar,” and then from Arabic, “as-sukkar.”

In the chemistry of Sugar, we discover that this substance comprises molecules of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Glucose, fructose, and galactose are simple sugars. They have very simple and straight structures. However, things get more interesting from table sugar or crystallized sucrose. This is a mixture of one fructose and one glucose molecule. Try to imagine—a molecular dance that you will always remember for the taste.

So, let’s now travel back in time. Did you know sugarcane started being domesticated in New Guinea about 8000 BCE? Imagine the cavemen adding Sugar to their gruel. As such, sugarcane spread from there to places like the Philippines and India.

Sugar was once an herbal remedy. In ninth-century Iraq, Sugar mixed with fruits and spices was used to make syrups for medication. However, the use didn’t end with therapeutic purposes. However, in later years, British doctors recommended Sugar as a medicine for many diseases. They even administered the blowing of sugar powder into the eyes to relieve irritations.

Production of sweets did not always begin with a sweet affair. The Portuguese introduced sugarcane in Brazil and established plantations dependent on slave labor. This took little time, and sugarcane plantations spread to the Caribbean and greatly boosted an industry that would feed a sugar-addicted Europe.

Do you think Sugar is only in sweets? Think again. In 12th-century England, Sugar was considered a spice. Surprisingly, a spice! It was bundled with exotic flavors like ginger, cinnamon, and saffron; the rich used it as a spice for savory foods.

Sugar was a commodity that only the royals had access to in the past. And when they did, they ordered it in small quantities. It was, in fact, the “white gold” of medieval Europe.

Initially a treat for the well-to-do, Sugar ultimately found its way into the diet of the working class. By the end of 1850, the prices went down, and the working class started consuming more Sugar than the wealthy. Imagine that dukes and duchesses would be more likely to buy Sugar than factory workers.

However, Sugar wasn’t for eating or medical purposes only; it was also used in art and even in explosives during the World War I. Surprisingly enough, Sugar was a component of smokeless powder, a propellant. That kind of Sugar differs from the usual one, but the underlying chemistry is the same.

Finally, let us talk about beetroot. In 1747, German chemist Andreas Marggraf made an eye-popping discovery: Sugar in sugar beets is similar to sugarcane. This made it possible to develop sugar manufacturing in areas with colder climates, where sugarcane couldn’t be cultivated.