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Most of us can hardly imagine a day without something sweet. On average, Americans consume over 100 pounds of sugar each year! We begin our days with sugar-sweetened coffee and cereal, get refreshment from a can of soda and end meals with an indulgent dessert.
Today a quick trip to the grocery store will satisfy our cravings for sugar, but for most of the last 4,000 years, similar quests involved piracy, secrecy, expeditions across exotic lands and sailings in uncharted seas. Until the late 19th century, sugar was a delicacy few people could afford. Today we can purchase a pound of sugar for less than 50 cents, but 2,500 years ago it was worth its weight in gold.
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