REFLECTION ON SUGAR AS SPICE AND MEDICINE IN MIDDLE AGES

This article discusses the history of the perception of sugar from antiquity to the Middle Ages. The author shows how changes in society can be demonstrated by changes in the reflection of dietary attitudes towards sweet taste. Medieval society was influenced by ambiguous attitudes towards sugar and sweets in general. On one hand, sweet taste was associated with the risk of mental malaise, which contradicted religious devotion to the Christian faith; on the other hand, the description of sweet taste was often used sym bo- li cally in the Bible as an allegory of reward for strong faith. Sugar, how ever, found its way into pharmacy as a medi cine and, above all, as a sweetener. Medieval trade between Europe and its Arab neigh bours and the development of urban and inter na tio nal trade even tually opened the way for sugar cane to enter Europe. European merchants learned to produce sugar and, from the 16th century onwards, took their technological knowledge or knowledge of the organisation of cane sugar production to the newly disco vered terri tories in America. The transfer of knowledge was the precursor to the Industrial Revolution and medieval concepts of sugar were forgotten. This article therefore provides a brief overview of medieval mindset regarding sugar and sweet taste.