The Thammasat University Libraries have newly acquired a book about one of the most popular foods. Sugar: a Global History describes how a product first grown in New Guinea around 8,000 B.C.E. became present in almost all cooking, not just sweets and desserts, but also main courses. Sugarcane has been farmed in Southeast Asia for centuries, but sugar plantations first became widespread in the West Indies and Americas in the 1700s. Before this type of sugar became widely available, people used honey to make food sweeter. In 2011, around 168 million tons of sugar were produced and the average person eats almost 24 kilograms of sugar yearly. In industrialized nations, that amount is raised to over 33 kilograms per year. Only recently have concerns been raised about sugar as a factor in diseases caused by people being overweight. Part of the reason it is difficult to study the effect of sugar on people is that it is impossible to find any group of individuals who consume no sugar at all, in order to test them for any possible benefits of not eating the sweetener.

The TU Libraries own a number of books about such topics as the sugar industry, the politics of sugar, a comparative analysis of sugar-cane harvesting costs, and revenue-sharing in the Thai sugar-cane and sugar industry. Sugar can burn easily and in 2008 in the state of Georgia, USA, a sugar refinery exploded when sugar dust caught fire. Can sugar be dangerous in other ways? Dr. Andrew Weil, an American adviser on diet and health, suggests on his website that sugar is not so much the problem, but that some people enjoy it to excess:

The problem with all types of sugar is not that they are “bad” for you, but that we eat far too much of them. Sugary foods and drinks contribute to obesity and tooth decay. They also can raise the glycemic index of meals, putting a burden on the pancreas and raising the risk of insulin resistance, which in turn can increase your risks of obesity, diabetes, unhealthy blood levels of fat and cholesterol and high blood pressure…While sugar does have a place – in moderation – in a healthy diet, we all should pay attention to the amount we eat in desserts, snacks, fruit juices, fruits, prepared foods and beverages…If you’re concerned about the effect of sugar on your health, try doing without all types for a few days to see how you feel as a result. If you’re prone to depression, fluctuating energy levels or mood swings, cutting out sugar may make a big difference.

The word sugar apparently finds its origins in the Sanskrit word śarkarā and Persian shakkar. Thousands of years ago, people chewed sugarcane in South Asia and Southeast Asia. India may have discovered a technique for making crystals out of sugarcane juice around the year 400 CE.

Thailand and Sugar

In 2011, Thailand ranked among the highest sugar producers, along with Brazil, India, the European Union, and China. Thailand was also second in exporting sugar, after Brazil. Thailand also rated third in the most use of sugar per person, after Brazil and Australia. Each year, the World Sugar Expo, a trade fair, is held in Thailand. A specialized sugar and bioethanol – the biofuel produced from sugar cane among other plants, used as an alternative to petrol – technology event, it reunites international sugar companies to Bangkok. It is always a source of news in the world sugar industry. Currently there are over 50 sugar factories in Thailand. In January, Bloomberg News reported that due to dry conditions, less sugar might be produced in the Kingdom than expected. Dr. Somsak Jantararoungtong, secretary general of Thailand’s Office of the Cane and Sugar Board stated that whereas 11.6 million metric tons of sugar were expected, about 10 million tons would be the result of harvesting 100 million tons of sugar cane. Dr. Somsak explained:

The drought since last year parched crops, limiting cane growth, and rains, which took place when the cane usually accumulates sucrose, reduced sweet content. Dryness affected all regions, especially the central and western provinces which have lower water supply… Farmers favor planting cane as it can withstand drought and survive floods, unlike rice or cassava.

By contrast, in 2014-15 Thailand produced 11.3 million tons of sugar from 106 million tons of cane. Over the next five years, the Kingdom’s sugar production is expected to increase by fully five million tons. Dr. Somsak indicated that the government plans to encourage some farmers to grow cane instead of rice, and twelve new processing plants may be approved in the near future.  This increased product will be destined for sale in Asia, as well as for ethanol and biochemical production.

How Much to Consume?

Last year Thailand Business News announced that the average Thai person consumes about 26 teaspoons of sugar daily or about 104 grams of sugar,  four times more than the six spoonfuls recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a daily diet. Most of this sugar is found in sweetened drinks such as Thai iced tea, sodas, and other beverages. A single serving of soda may contain as much as nine teaspoons of sugar, while Thai iced tea usually has about 13 teaspoons and coffee 10 teaspoons, according to Dr. Sutha Jiaramaneechotechai, deputy director of the Health Department. The surprising amount of sugar found in the average Thai diet includes even pizza. When pizza was first marketed for Thailand, large amounts of sugar were added to the tomato sauce to make it sweeter than the sauce found in pizza in other parts of the world, to suit Thai craving for sweetness. Dieticians suggest that natural sugars tasted in fruits, vegetables, and milk, are a healthier way of satisfying yearnings for sweet foods. Khun Yingsak Jraipinit, food researcher from the Pilot Plant Development and Training Institute of King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (Bangkuntien) suggested that green papaya salad (som tam) was a healthier choice than pork leg on rice (khao kha moo) or fried banana (kluay tod).

In 2013 The Bangkok Post noted that deep-fried dough (pa thong ko), sweetened condensed milk, and coffee add up to around 60 grams of sugar, or twice the recommended amount for daily consumption. Dr. Somsri Tachavarakul, a dietician at Bumrungrad International Hospital, Bangkok, observed:

Recently, the Ministry of Health revealed that Thai people consume almost 30kg of sugar each year, and that’s three times higher than the recommended amount…Speaking of natural sweeteners, the calories in them are not that different, and nor is the nutritional value…Some [fruit juice] brands make their juices from concentrate, some from syrup, and some from real fruit. Even brands that claim their juices are 100% natural should be consumed with caution… Just by giving up drinks that contain calories and switching to water, you could lower your sugar intake tremendously. Office people nowadays are fueled by coffee, bubble tea or bottled green tea, and each cup or bottle gives a lot of calories. I have seen many people losing weight healthily just by sticking to water. Save sugary things for special occasions – they should not be a habit.

To help follow this advice, last year the Thai Ministry of Public Health launched a program encouraging sugar producers to reduce the size of sugar packs served in restaurants and other food service locations from six grams to four grams, to try to reduce consumption.

(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)