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The Digestion of Sugar


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One hundred years ago the total per capita consumption of sugar in the United States was less than 9 pounds a year. It has increased by leaps and bounds, until now this country is probably the largest consumer of sugar in the world, in proportion to its population. Kellogg and Taylor estimated the per capita use just before the war at close to 4 ounces a day, and the popularity has not decreased since sugar has again become an inexpensive article of food. Directly or indirectly, sugar enters into the dietary of man at the table, in the conservation of fruits, in cookery, and in the form of confections and beverages. The comparatively late inroad of sugar into our national dietary regimen indicates that it is by no means indispensable for a life of health and efficiency; but, as a recent writer has remarked, sugar contributes enormously to the psychology of the diet, and a reduction of sugar, like a reduction of milk, is likely so to upset the cuisine as to make the diet unsatisfactory to many.



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2024-11-05 09:53:54