| The History of Sugar1 and Information about a Special | | | | sugar in 1319 AD sugar cost "two shillings a pound," |
| "Sugar Free" Substitute | | | | which is about the same as charging a U.S. citizen |
| Sugar has been around for quite a long while and yet it | | | | $100, just to buy a kilo of sugar. Wow! That's a lot of |
| didn't used to be a common as it is today. It continually | | | | money to bake a cake! |
| amazes me how the dimension of time seems to shift | | | | The Downside of Sugar and the Sugar Free |
| the value that we assign to our inanimate possessions. | | | | Revolution |
| However, it isn't that amazing in an economic sense. | | | | Over the centuries sugar became more and more |
| The "supply and demand" mantra seems to logically | | | | available and people loved it. However, people also |
| imply that it is the amount of demand that changes our | | | | began to notice that sugar didn't always have sweetly |
| perceived value of an item. | | | | positive effects on their health and well being. Sugar |
| | | | began to be associated with less-than-desirable |
| The Origin of Sugar2 | | | | conditions or effects. For instance, according to |
| If you were to guess the origin of sugar, where would | | | | another online source4 sugar can lead to the following |
| you pinpoint it? I probably would have said India or | | | | negative outcomes: |
| some exotic country like that, but it turns out that | | | | - Can negatively impact the immune system |
| according to my online source, sugar is thought to | | | | - Can be a contributing cause of hyperactivity |
| have originated in Polynesia. From Polynesia sugar is | | | | - Can be a contributing cause of anxiety |
| thought to have spread to India (I was almost right), | | | | - Can make the body less able to defend itself against |
| and then--according to my online source3--it was | | | | infection |
| "discovered" by a King Darius (or rather more possibly | | | | - Can debase lipoproteins |
| his minions) from Persia. By the way and just as a side | | | | - Can lead to a debased amount of chromium, etc. |
| note, I think that this would be the same King Darius | | | | - A sinus problem like sinusitis has been thought to be |
| who is mentioned various times in the King James | | | | aggravated by sugar5 |
| version of the Bible. | | | | Because of these and many other reasons, people |
| The sugar story continues with additional "sugar | | | | have begun the search for sugar substitutes and |
| invasions" as I like to call them. Persia which had once | | | | sugar free foods. In fact, there are a great variety of |
| been the invader was now the invaded. It was invaded | | | | sugar free products available which include sugar free |
| by the Arabs who didn't fail to take notice of this | | | | chocolate, sugar free gum, sugar free peanut butter |
| substance called sugar. I think it is interesting that my | | | | cups, sugar free fudge, sugar free brittle, sugar free |
| online source also mentions that Spain and North | | | | gummy bears, sugar free syrups, sugar free cookies, |
| Africa were also invaded by the Arabs. My source | | | | sugar free wafers, etc. I'm not sure what all of these |
| hints that it could have been this invasion which could | | | | sugar free products are made of, but one sugar free |
| have been likely to introduce the invaded to sugar | | | | substance that this article can possibly introduce to you |
| whether by accident or not. I would assume that | | | | to is Xylitol. |
| methods of growing and preparing sugar also came to | | | | Xylitol Information |
| these countries via the Arabs/Persians/Indians | | | | If you have considered switching to a product that is |
| Polynesians. | | | | natural and yet not sugar, Xylitol has some interesting |
| Then of course there was the dawning of the | | | | characteristics that you might want to consider. |
| European age (do I sense a western movement?). My | | | | Xylitol is not artificial. Xylitol actually occurs naturally in |
| online source says that the Crusades (which according | | | | your body. According to another online source our |
| to another source3 was a war fought over the city of | | | | body is able to produce 15 grams (give or take). Xytlitol |
| Jerusalem) which I believe took place in the Middle | | | | also occurs naturally in nature. You can find it in a |
| East and some parts of Spain and Africa) was what | | | | variety of vegetables or fruits some of which include |
| brought the Europeans to a knowledge of this sweet | | | | corn and raspberries. Xylitol has also been found to |
| substance. | | | | actually provide dental benefits. Xylitol does NOT |
| When the returning crusaders brought the sweet stuff | | | | promote tooth decay and even better it seems to help |
| home to Europe, it was not immediately diffused | | | | prevent tooth decay, although I must admit my online |
| across the nations. No, instead the process was again | | | | source does not show conclusive statistics. |
| a slow one and also an expensive one. According to | | | | |