sweet nexus:sugar and the origins of the modern world

this story about sugar is very interesting seeing the fact that now a days sugar is not that big of a deal now and then it was such a big deal. I found it interesting that Greeks were the first to encounter sugar in north western India in the fourth century. the names that it was called was quit interesting as well like the Europeans called it "honey from reeds" what ever that means haha. I'm also surprised that sugar was popular in china because their foods are really health, but it was only with the Muslim expansion after the seventh century that sugar became important. Like i said before sugar isn't that big of a deal now but back then sugar was a luxury good introduced to markets of western Asia and Europe in the later middle ages;plantations were established near the Persian Gulf and on Mediterranean islands such as Cyprus and Sicily. All the letters and things made about sugar I found kind of out outrageous because I mean really its just sugar, but I'm happy Fredrick Douglass gave recognition for their  good taste. The connection between slavery and sugar was deep and kind of angry it went all the way to the nineteenth century until it ended.