Sugar Rushes

Season 1Episode 360 minNov 22, 2014
Sugar Rushes

For millions of years our ancestors' diet was filled with the richest fruit from the tops of the tree canopy in the rain forest. When climates changed and our traditional sources of energy dwindled, many species died along with that disappearing bounty, but those with the ability to process sugar survived. About 10,000 years ago, somewhere in Asia, sugarcane was first farmed, and later, in India, these sweet stalks were turned into "khanda," or candy. Sugar was then carried from India along the Silk Road to China, the Middle East and Europe. People began to consume it voraciously through Europe's three newly discovered culinary drugs: chocolate from the New World, coffee from the Middle East and tea from the Far East. Christopher Columbus brought sugarcane to the Caribbean, where the plant thrived and would ultimately reveal the dark side of sugar: the slave trade. Industrialization created new ways to produce even more refined sugar, and the golden age of the candy bar followed. Sugar consumption reflects both our fears about who we are and our fantasies about who we might become. The story of sugar is the story of us.

Sugar Rushes has aired on Nov 22, 2014 at 9:00 PM
Previous EpisodeNext Episode

Trailer

We do not have any trailers for this episode

Recently Updated Shows

Recently updated shows that might be of your interest.
America's Got Talent
Running

America's Got Talent

With the talent search open to acts of all ages, America's Got Talent has brought the variety format back to the forefront of American culture by showcasing performers from across the country. The series is a true celebration of the American spirit, featuring a colorful array of singers, dancers, comedians, contortionists, impressionists, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists and hopeful stars, all vying for their chance to win America's hearts and the $1 million prize.

GenreMusic
Top Chef
Running

Top Chef

Top Chef is a competition show in which chefs competing against each other in various culinary challenges, judged by the team of professional chefs and notable people from food industry.

GenreFood
The Voice
Running

The Voice

Hip-hop and jazz icons Snoop Dogg and Michael Bublé join legendary returning coaches Gwen Stefani and Reba McEntire for an incredible new season! This superstar, genre-defying coach panel will guide the country's best undiscovered artists from the thrilling Blind Auditions all the way through the spectacular Live Performances… and in the end, one unforgettable new singer will be crowned The Voice!

GenreMusic
St. Denis Medical
Running

St. Denis Medical

St. Denis Medical is a mockumentary about an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity.

Brilliant Minds
Running

Brilliant Minds

Inspired by the extraordinary life and work of world-famous author and physician Oliver Sacks, Brilliant Minds follows a revolutionary, larger-than-life neurologist and his team of interns as they explore the last great frontier - the human mind - while grappling with their own relationships and mental health.