5 facts about sugar

Here at UKVending we love a sweet treat every so often. So, we decided to trawl through the history and science books to discover some fascinating facts about sugar.  

1. OVERCONSUMPTION OF SUGAR HAS BEEN LINKED TO LOWER COGNITIVE ABILITIES.

That means too much sugar might actually make you stupider. So far, scientists have only studied the effects of sugar consumption on four-legged subjects, but they believe that the brain structure of rats is similar enough to our own that the findings can be extended to humans.

2. THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT KINDS.

The three main categories of sugar are monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polyols. Monosaccharides are single molecule sugars, while disaccharides are made up of two linked monosaccharides—both are found in a range of products, from fruits and table sugar to milk. Polyols, meanwhile, aren’t true sugars—they’re found in many sugar-free sweeteners.

3. SUGAR CAN BE USED AS FUEL.

Sugar is a main component in “rocket candy”—a popular form of model rocket fuel. Scientists are still working on making a practical sugar-based car fuel.

4. SUGAR IS ADDICTIVE.

Quitting sugar abruptly can cause pain, nausea, and flu-like symptoms. 

5. SUGAR HAS BEEN FEATURED IN SONGS AND POETRY FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS. 

In 1436, Adam de Moleyn singled out sugar in a poem about English sea power called “The Libelle of English Polycye.” The phrase “sugar and spice and everything nice,” meanwhile, first appeared in a 19th century poem called “What Are Little Boys Made Of?” And, over the last century, the word “sugar” has been featured in song titles by The Archies (“Sugar Sugar”), Talking Heads (“Sugar On My Tongue”), Nina Simone (“I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl”), The Rolling Stones (“Brown Sugar”), Bob Dylan (“Sugar Baby”), and many more.