Author(s): Stefan Mager

General Health

Less than 200 years ago, sugar was a highly prized, rare commodity only available to the most privileged. For many years sugar production was controlled by the British East India company. Vast cane plantations, worked by slave labour, were established in many tropical regions. To break this sugar monopoly, Napoleon promoted the planting of sugar beet and once the extraction process was industrialised, the consumption of sugar rose dramatically and has not stopped increasing. Especially since the introduction of HFCS (high fructose cane sugar) sugar consumption has skyrocketed to levels that would have been completely unimaginable only a couple of decades ago. Now there is much talk about sugar addiction and the negative impact sugar in its various forms has on general health. Increases in obesity and diabetes are all linked to sugar. 
The Sugar & Fructose Guide provides such a convenient and easily accessible overview.