Time, Sugar, and Time, Sugar, and SweetnessSweetness

by Sidney W. Mintzby Sidney W. Mintz

IntroductionIntroduction Food and eating as subjects of serious Food and eating as subjects of serious

inquiry have engaged anthropology from inquiry have engaged anthropology from its very beginnings.its very beginnings.

Food and eating were studies for the most Food and eating were studies for the most part focused on more unusual aspects part focused on more unusual aspects (food prohibitions and taboos, cannibalism) (food prohibitions and taboos, cannibalism) rather than everyday and essential rather than everyday and essential features of the life of all humankind.features of the life of all humankind.

Food and eating are now becoming Food and eating are now becoming actively of interest to antropologists: there actively of interest to antropologists: there is an upsurge of interest on the study of is an upsurge of interest on the study of patterned relationships between food and patterned relationships between food and human groups.human groups.

Time, Sugar, and SweetnessTime, Sugar, and Sweetness Until the 17th century people from Northern Until the 17th century people from Northern

Europe secured sweetness in food mostly Europe secured sweetness in food mostly from honey and from fruit.from honey and from fruit.

Sugar can be extracted from many sources, Sugar can be extracted from many sources, such as the sugar palm, the sugar beet, and such as the sugar palm, the sugar beet, and all fruits.all fruits.

The white granulated sugar familiar today is The white granulated sugar familiar today is made from sugar cane and sugar beets.made from sugar cane and sugar beets.

The sugar-beet process was developed late, The sugar-beet process was developed late, but sugar-cane processing is ancient. but sugar-cane processing is ancient.

Time, Sugar, and SweetnessTime, Sugar, and Sweetness Sugar cane was grown:Sugar cane was grown:- in South Asia at least as early as the 4th in South Asia at least as early as the 4th

century B.C.century B.C.- on the southern side of the Mediterranean on the southern side of the Mediterranean

Sea by the 8th century A.D.Sea by the 8th century A.D.■■ During those centuries it remained costly, During those centuries it remained costly,

prized, and less a food than a medicine.prized, and less a food than a medicine.■ ■ Those who dealt in imported spices dealt Those who dealt in imported spices dealt

in sugar as well. in sugar as well.

Sugar vs HoneySugar vs Honey Before Brittains had sugar, they had honey.Before Brittains had sugar, they had honey. Honey was a common ingredient in Honey was a common ingredient in

prescriptions and had also been used as a prescriptions and had also been used as a preservative.preservative.

Then sugar turned out to be much better Then sugar turned out to be much better and, eventually, cheaper. Sugar is by far a and, eventually, cheaper. Sugar is by far a superior preservative medium.superior preservative medium.

Honey also provided the basis of some Honey also provided the basis of some alcohol drinks and sugar became an alcohol drinks and sugar became an important alternative to these drinks.important alternative to these drinks.

→ → Sugar soon bested honey.Sugar soon bested honey.

Time, Sugar, and SweetnessTime, Sugar, and Sweetness By the 13th century English By the 13th century English

monarchs had grown fond of sugar, monarchs had grown fond of sugar, most of it probably from the Eastern most of it probably from the Eastern Mediterranean.Mediterranean.

Sugar had entered into the Sugar had entered into the tastes and recipe books of tastes and recipe books of the rich. the rich.

Variant uses of sugarVariant uses of sugar Like spices, sugar was a condiment, a Like spices, sugar was a condiment, a

preservative, and a medicine. Like them it was preservative, and a medicine. Like them it was sold by Grocers.sold by Grocers.

Sugar was employed, as were spices, with Sugar was employed, as were spices, with cooked meats, sometimes combined with fruits.cooked meats, sometimes combined with fruits.

Sugar was a medicine, but it also disguised the Sugar was a medicine, but it also disguised the bitter taste of other medicines by sweetening.bitter taste of other medicines by sweetening.

It was a sweetener, which, by 1700, was It was a sweetener, which, by 1700, was sweetening tea, chocolate, and coffee, all of sweetening tea, chocolate, and coffee, all of them bitter and all of them stimulants.them bitter and all of them stimulants.

It was a food, rich in calories.It was a food, rich in calories. It was a preservative, which, when eaten with It was a preservative, which, when eaten with

what it preserved , both made it sweeter and what it preserved , both made it sweeter and increased its caloric content. increased its caloric content.

Time, Sugar, and SweetnessTime, Sugar, and Sweetness During and after the Age of Discovery, Europe During and after the Age of Discovery, Europe

experienced a deluge of new substances, experienced a deluge of new substances, including foods.including foods.

The sugar cane that originated in the Old The sugar cane that originated in the Old World and was already known to Europeans World and was already known to Europeans was diffused to the New World. It became an was diffused to the New World. It became an important crop after the 17th century.important crop after the 17th century.

Sugar cannot easily be discussed without Sugar cannot easily be discussed without references to other foods: the character of its references to other foods: the character of its uses, its association with other items, the ways uses, its association with other items, the ways it was perceived, changed greatly over time.it was perceived, changed greatly over time.

Time, Sugar, and SweetnessTime, Sugar, and Sweetness Sugar is linked to slavery and to Sugar is linked to slavery and to

ecomical growth: the sugar cane ecomical growth: the sugar cane plantation profits were transfered to plantation profits were transfered to European banks for reinvestment.European banks for reinvestment.

By the end of the 17th century By the end of the 17th century sugar had become an English sugar had become an English food, even if still costly and a food, even if still costly and a delicacy.delicacy.

Time, Sugar, and SweetnessTime, Sugar, and Sweetness The general spread of these substances The general spread of these substances

through the Western world since the through the Western world since the 17th century has been one of the truly 17th century has been one of the truly important economic and cultural important economic and cultural phenomena of the modern age.phenomena of the modern age.

These were the first edible luxuries to These were the first edible luxuries to become common in proletarian diets as become common in proletarian diets as they filtered down from elite tables to they filtered down from elite tables to the working classes that provided the the working classes that provided the labor for industrial capitalismlabor for industrial capitalism

Time, Sugar, and SweetnessTime, Sugar, and Sweetness During 18-19During 18-19thth C. Industrialization, C. Industrialization,

sugar became a cheap source of quick sugar became a cheap source of quick energy, forming part of a complex of energy, forming part of a complex of « proletarian hunger-killers » « proletarian hunger-killers »

Factory labor required changes in Factory labor required changes in lifestyle for the new labor classlifestyle for the new labor class

Factory-made jams & breads (quick, Factory-made jams & breads (quick, high-energy foods) replaced home-high-energy foods) replaced home-prepared foodprepared food

Time, Sugar, and SweetnessTime, Sugar, and Sweetness « The availability of sugar was a « The availability of sugar was a

function of economic & political forces function of economic & political forces remote from consumers & not remote from consumers & not understood as forces »understood as forces »

Having shifted from the tables of the elite Having shifted from the tables of the elite to the proletariat, sugar offered calories, to the proletariat, sugar offered calories, but no nutritional valuebut no nutritional value

Changing consumption must be seen as a Changing consumption must be seen as a result of capitalism & class dominationresult of capitalism & class domination

ConclusionConclusion Commodity Fethisism:Commodity Fethisism: Society is divided by class interests Society is divided by class interests

with unequal distribution of powerwith unequal distribution of power The conceptual separation of The conceptual separation of

production & consumption and of production & consumption and of colony from metropolis is unjustifiedcolony from metropolis is unjustified—these linkages are present in time —these linkages are present in time & space& space