During the last century sugar continued its exponential growth. Per capita consumption of candy in the US doubled with the beginning of prohibition in 1919 - Americans turned en masse from alcohol to sweets. Breweries were converted into candy factories!

Another boom happened in the 1980s. Low fat foods and healthier foods started lining the grocery shelves. The proliferation of these “healthier foods” that still tasted great, was embraced and encouraged by consumers. These near “perfect foods” – healthy and flavorful – were the result of a trade-off of fat for sugar. Sugar replaced fat turning candy bars into “healthy” bars. Sugar replaced fat in yogurts turning them into “heart-healthy” snacks, breakfasts and lunches.

Today sugar is everywhere - peanut butter, salad dressing, ketchup, barbeque sauces, canned soups, cold cuts, luncheon meats, bacon, hot dogs, pretzels, chips, roasted peanuts, spaghetti sauces, canned tomatoes and breads. It’s become an unavoidable ingredient in prepared and packaged food. As we learn more about the effects of sugar in our diets, we have found it to be more detrimental than helpful. We now know that a high consumption of sugar leads to diabetes, obesity, and other long term health concerns. Now a concerted effort has to be made to avoid sugar!

Fortunately, with this turning of the tide consumers are demanding less sugar, especially for kids. But it does take effort to keep sugar and the 50+ varieties of sugar out of our diets! We’re happy to be part of that movement.

Sources: The Case Against Sugar by Gary Taubes, www.sugarhistory.net