There was a time in Europe, when there wasn't sugar.
Sugar was in Asia and India. The Greeks and Romans knew about it, but considered it a medicine, not a food.
It wasn't until the crusades did sugar really start to come into Europe. But it was so expensive, not many people could afford it. Rich households would lock sugar up like a rare jewel. But if they were entertaining, they would impress their guests with sugary foods. Queen Elizabeth impressed people so much, she had rotten teeth.
When the New World was settled and the sugar plantations were started. The cost of production went down (thanks to slave labor), but it was still not a cheap food. Pirates would loot ships full of sugar, then sell it. Sugar could turn a major profit for a pirate.
In the 18th century it became very popular, candy and sweets were now available for many. Jamaica was held in high regard, thanks to the production of sugar. Pirates and privateers would attack ships for many trade goods, but sugar was the most prized.
Up until this point, almost all the sugar came from sugar cane. Then a process was discovered that would allow sugar to be extracted from sugar beets. The first sugar factory, using this process, opened in 1801.
Using sugar beets lowered the cost of sugar, now most people could afford it. But it was still used sparingly.
Then in the mid twentieth century, another process produced another sweetener that could be made cheaply and it spread everywhere. High Fructose Corn Syrup.
The spread was helped because during the late 1970's sanctions increased the cost of imported sugar into the US. So another sources of sweetener had to be found.
In the United States, corn syrup is cheaper than sugar. So if someone needs a cheap sweetener it looks like a good choice, economically.
But was it a good choice health wise. There is a lot of debate on that. We do eat too much sugar in the US. The American Heart Association's recommendation that women limit the added sugar in their diet to 100 calories a day (6 teaspoons) and that men limit it to 150 calories a day (9 teaspoons). But when you start to look at what you are eating. Some items have that amount in one serving.
I wonder what our diets would be like, if it was still as expensive as in the Tudor times?
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