Sugar and sweeteners: irresistible temptation

Sugar is a food that has been part of our diet for centuries. Originally it was a rare and precious product, which first arrived in Europe from Central Asia in the 1st century BC, via the trade routes of the Roman Empire.
In the Middle Ages, sugar began to be consumed even among the less wealthy classes, but its diffusion was accelerated by the discovery of the Americas in the 15th century, when the Spanish Conquistadors discovered sugar cane in the Antilles and began to cultivate it to export to Europe, to prepare drinks, sweets and other foods.

Sugar is a caloric food , that is, it can provide energy to our body. However, excessive consumption is harmful to health, being the main cause of weight gain. But not only that, it can increase the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, resulting in cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and the risk of type 2 diabetes, and as a less serious cause, it can promote the formation of tooth decay.

For those with diabetes , it is important to reduce sugar consumption, perhaps by preferring alternative natural sweeteners such as honey, stevia, fructose, erythritol, etc., or by adding spices and aromatic herbs , which are calorie-free, or finally by using fresh fruit , or preserved without sugar, in preparations as a source of natural sugars.