56 Cool Facts About Sugar [Free Fact Cards]

Ever wonder about the magic behind some of our yummiest treats? That’s right, we’re talking about sugar! This sweet stuff is in so many of our favorite goodies, from candy to cakes and everything in between, like spaghetti sauce! But there’s more to sugar than just making things taste delicious. Ready to dip into the sugary world and discover some fascinating and tasty tidbits? Then, let’s discover these very cool facts about sugar!

Did you know where sugar comes from? You might be surprised to learn that sugar starts in a field, not a bakery! It is made from plants like sugarcane or sugar beets. Farmers grow these tall plants, and then they’re harvested and processed to give us the white (or sometimes brown) sugar we use in our kitchens.

Sugar is not just for eating. Long ago, people found out that sugar could help keep food from spoiling. So, sugar was used to preserve things like fruits, turning them into jams and jellies. It was like nature’s way of helping us save some sweetness for later!

Here’s another fun fact about sugar: sugar can change forms. Sometimes, it’s grainy, like what you might sprinkle on your cereal. But heat it up, and it can turn into a gooey syrup or even a hard candy. It’s like a sweet science experiment right in your kitchen!

Are you excited to scoop up more sugar facts? Let’s continue on our sweet journey and discover even more about this tasty treat! Don’t forget to grab your free sugar fact cards below! 

Are you collecting all our fact cards? Be sure to grab our North Carolina Facts and our facts about frogs.

Best Facts about Sugar

1. Sugar was introduced in the West as a spice, not a sweetener.
2. Sugar found naturally in milk, fruit, and vegetables does not count as free sugars.
3. Sugar is a mood-altering substance that can make you feel happy, but it can also make you feel sad. 
4. The sugar glucosamine works as an immunosuppressant in mice, and xylitol (a sugar alcohol) can prevent ear infections in kids. Sweet!
5. Christopher Columbus introduced sugar cane seeds to the New World, specifically to Hispaniola, on his second voyage in 1493.

6. Sugar is found in unlikely places, such as tonic water, marinades, crackers, bread, fat-free dressing, and tomato sauce.
7. Two different types of plants provide the world with most of its sugar: sugar cane and sugar beet. 
8. European royalty would make giant sugar sculptures called ‘subtleties.’ 
9. Worldwide, people consume 500 extra calories a day from sugar, which is roughly the amount of calories needed to gain a pound a week.
10. A 2013 study found that at least 180,000 deaths worldwide are linked to sweetened-beverage consumption. The U.S. alone accounted for 25,000 deaths in 2010.

11. Overeating sugar can overload your body’s detoxification system and cause a lot of damage to your entire body over time. 
12. Too much sugar can lead to tooth decay.
13. Sugar is only found in high enough concentrations to make sugar crystals from two plants – sugarcane and sugar beet. 
14. A compound called lugduname is the sweetest compound known—more than 200,000 times as sweet as table sugar.
15. Sugar cane is usually grown in large plantations or cane fields. It can yield up to 44 pounds (20 kg) of sugar for every 11 square feet (1 square m) of land.

16. The word “sugar” originates from the Sanskrit word sharkara, which means “material in a granule form.” 
17. Sugar is one of four Specialized Commodities in Agiblocks.
18. Sugar suppresses your immune system
19. Cutting back on sugar may help your skin retain its flexibility. 
20. Sugar can be used as fuel.

21. Sugar is grown and/ or refined in 17 states across the U.S.
22. According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, it was found that sugar has a similar effect on the brain as cocaine.
23. Sugar is found in the fibers of all plants as a byproduct of photosynthesis.
24. The three main categories of sugar are monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polyols. 
25. People in India have been crystallizing cane sugar for at least 2,000 years. 

26. By the 19th Century, sugar had become a staple of the working-class diet.
27. Sugar serves the dual purpose of increasing the thickness of the milk and enhancing the sweetness of the cocoa.
28. When poured into a wound, sugar granules will soak up moisture that allows bacteria to thrive. 
29. India is the world’s largest consumer of sugar.
30. A 32 oz  Gatorade bottle has 36 grams of sugar, which is like eating 5 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

31. When we consume sugar, the brain releases dopamine and serotonin in response to the sweet taste.
32. There are 37 different species of sugarcane and they all crossbreed with one another.
33. Eating sugar can give you wrinkles.
34. Sugar is a good source of energy.
35. Overconsumption of sugar has been linked to lower cognitive abilities.

36. Brazil is the world’s largest producer of sugar cane.
37. The scientists who discovered sucralose (Splenda) were trying to make an insecticide. An assistant thought he had been instructed to “taste” a sample he had been asked to “test.”
38. The average American consumes, on average, 15 teaspoons of sugar per day. 
39. The American Heart Association, however, recommends as little as 45 grams of sugar for men, and 30 for women.
40. In the 16th century, a teaspoon of sugar cost the equivalent of five dollars in London.

41. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends people consume less sugar than is found in one regular soda per day.
42. The tallest sugar cube tower measured 6 feet, 10 inches, and was built by Camille Courgeon of France on July 1, 2013. The tower used 2,669 cubes and was built in 2 hours and 59 minutes.
43. Too Much Sugar Makes You Insulin Resistant
44. Sugar has been around for well over 10,000 years.
45. Lemon has more sugar than strawberries.

46. It has been shown that sugar speeds up the aging process by speeding up oxidation and cell division in the body. 
47. Sugar is found in all plants.
48. Sugar is actually a calorie-dense food, meaning it has more calories than other foods with similar weights.
49. Sugar cane was first domesticated in New Guinea around 8000 BCE.
50. One study cited by Johns Hopkins says that a high sugar diet leads to a 38% greater risk of heart disease.

51. Low-fat doesn’t mean low-sugar
52. A teaspoon of sugar has 15 calories.
53. Americans eat 10 times more sugar than all other food additives—except for salt.
54. More than half the 8.4 million metric tons of sugar produced annually in the United States comes from beets.
55. When sugar was first introduced to England in the twelfth century, it was grouped with other tropical spices like ginger, cinnamon, and saffron, and used by the very wealthy to season savory dishes. 
56. In the form of glucose, sugar serves as an immediate energy source for the brain.

Do you have even more interesting facts about sugar? Share them with us in the comments! Also, don’t forget to grab your free sugar fact cards to add to your collection!