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The Sweet Side of Sugar
by Marilyn Green --

The overuse of sugar in our culture has been discussed so extensively that it is an unusual person who doesn't know the health problems that can result from the sweet stuff. However, sugar used topically provides some surprising health benefits.

"Traditionally, sugar has been used to protect the safety of jams and jellies, but that same power of preservation actually has been used to heal wounds"

Traditionally, sugar has been used to protect the safety of jams and jellies, but that same power of preservation actually has been used to heal wounds for four thousand years. Records dating back to 1700 B.C. show the healing power of the sweets substance, and Western scientists here and abroad are rediscovering sugar's healing powers and reporting surprising success in the use of sugar to treat serious wounds, particularly burns that fail to respond to conventional therapy.

The rationale is that when sugar is applied to an open wound, it absorbs the wound's moisture necessary for the growth of infectious bacteria. Studies in publications including the Microbiology Infectious Diseases Journal indicate it provides an antibacterial effect.

Some physicians also believe sugar supplies the nourishment damaged tissues require for healing and re-growth. And the Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England says that granulated sugar has been used with success in treatment of open mediastanitis after cardiac surgery with the bacterial contamination of the wounds being eliminated in a few days. The Southern Medical Journal states that "Over a 56-month period we treated 605 patients for wounds, burns, and ulcers with granulated sugar and povidone-iodine. Rapid healing ensued… The requirements for skin grafting and antibiotics were greatly reduced, as were hospital costs for wound, burn and ulcer care."

Sugar is also being used extensively as an exfoliant with an enthusiastic band of followers who tout its benefits for soft, silky skin at a very low price.

In addition, a teaspoon of sugar followed immediately by a glass of water is a sure cure for hiccoughs.

So, maybe Mary Poppins wasn't wrong when she said a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.

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