The book "Sugar's Sweet and Bitter Story" by Dr. Ulbe Bosma discusses how sugar became so important in our lives. It tells us that using sugar has become a big part of our society recently. People in India started making sugar from sugarcane around the sixth century.
History of Sugarcane:
Long ago, sugarcane was known in India even before the sixth century. They knew about rock sugar too. Granulated sugar, like the one we use today, was known since the sixth century. But it was only in the 19th century that people in Europe started getting refined sugar easily. This book talks about how sugar's journey is a mix of good and bad things.
Exploitation and Racism:
The article "A history of sugar" explains how sugar was made using slaves in the past. They used slaves to grow sugarcane on big farms. Many people were forced into slavery and sent on dangerous trips from Africa to the Americas. Lots of people died on these trips. Thankfully, slavery is not allowed anymore.
Sugarcane in India:
In India, we know about sugarcane and different forms of sugar. Some people wonder if it's better to have fresh sugarcane juice instead of packaged crystal sugar. Yes, fresh sugarcane juice is better because it has some good things that get lost when sugar is made. There's something called jaggery, which is a healthier form of sugar with vitamins and minerals.
Too Much Sugar is Bad:
Having too much sugar is not good for our health. It can lead to problems like diabetes, which affects how our body handles sugar. People with diabetes need to be careful about what they eat. Some even have to take insulin. There are two types: Type 1 and Type 2.
Type 1 Diabetes:
Imagine our body is like a machine. It needs a helper called insulin to use sugar for energy. In Type 1 diabetes, the body's insulin helper doesn't work well. People with this type get insulin from a shot, like giving the body the helper it needs. Insulin is like a key to open the door so sugar can go inside our body cells.
Type 2 Diabetes:
Type 2 diabetes is a bit different. It's like the body's insulin helper isn't as strong. Some people need medicine to help their body use sugar better. Eating healthy foods and being active can help control Type 2 diabetes.
Pancreas and Insulin:
There's a special part inside us called the pancreas. It's like a sugar regulator. It makes insulin and sends it out when we eat sugary foods. Insulin helps sugar enter our body cells to give us energy.
