Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History

Food in and of itself is a huge factor of society, with people meeting and gathering around food and centering holidays and celebrations around the food and drink that is going to be consumed at these events. He also spends some time talking about how the variety of food based on culture is a defining aspect of those individual cultures. He succinctly states "What people eat expresses who and what they are, to themselves and to others" (Mintz 13). The sweetness craving came from our ancestors desire to consume ripe fruits and the associated sweetness that came with the ripe fruits so desired. Cultures have different opinions or tastes for sweetness and therefore use sugar in different ways. Sugar may be used in almost all, if not all, cultures, but the way it is used defines part of the food culture of different groups and gives them identity.
             Mintz goes on to talk about the history of production of sugar, which is where a lot of the history of labor farming sugar is cited and analyzed. Sugar began being produced thousands of years ago and has taken on multiple roles throughout history. It was first seen as a luxury item used by the higher class individuals. The Arabs were the individuals who started sugar production and brought it with them wherever they went. Once the use of sugar spread throughout the world, countries recognized the need for an increased output and built entire communities around the production of sugar. Psychologically, it can be said that individuals who were based in those settlements were defined by their ability to participate in the sugar production process and therefore gave sugar the weight of gold because it was something that could make or break a settlement. England gained control of many sugar-producing territories and began growing their production. Although sugar was originally a sign of wealth and power, once members of the lower classes began accessing it, it was no longer coveted as such.