Chapter Four Sugar Consumption in the United States Sugar Basic Low-Cost Food-The most important use of sugar in the United States and throughout the world is as food. Sugar is one of the least expensive sources of energy, measured in calories, as Chart X illustrates. Sugar normally provides about 16 per cent of the energy contained in all the food consumed in the United States. A pound of refined sugar, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, contains 1,807 calories. In comparison, the caloric content per pound RETAIL COST PER 1,000 CALORIES AND CALORIC CONTENT OF SUGAR PRICE PER 1,000 CALORIES, IN CENTS CHART X The low cost of sugar per 1,000 calories makes it one of the cheapest sources of other foods commonly used in the United States follows: Irish potatoes, 325; fresh milk, 312; enriched white bread, 1,186; butter, 3,329; and beef, 745 to 1,623, depending on the cut. The retail cost in calories is lower for sugar than for any other food shown in Chart X. Sugar's cost in calories ranges from less than one-half that of bread to one-twelfth that of rib roast, based on average retail prices for 1950. Sugar is particularly useful when combined with other foods to enhance nutritional value as well as to improve taste and keeping qualities. Consequently, in both homes and industries sugar is used chiefly in connection with other foods or beverages. Consumption Trend in the United States-Sugar consump tion* in the United States increased almost steadily from the time of the earliest available records to the outbreak of World War II, as illustrated in Table 9 and Chart XI. In 1822, consumption amounted to only about 49,000 tons, as compared with 7,825,000 tons, raw value, in 1951. Consumption decreased somewhat during periods of business depression such as that of the 1930's and also during the Civil War and World War I. However, most of these declines lasted only three or four years. Under World War II restrictions, including rationing, United States consumption was artificially low in 1942, 1943, 1945 and 1946, but was comparable to the prewar level in 1944 and 1947 when increased supplies. were available primarily because of the large crops produced in Cuba. The low points in the total quantity of sugar available for consump tion during the World War II period were reached in 1942 and 1946, the smallest in the United States since 1921. At the direction of the United States Government, part of the 1942 Cuban crop of sugarcane was diverted to the production of invert molasses to be used for synthetic rubber and other war purposes, and much of the 1946 Cuban sugar crop was allocated to war-devastated countries. The total quantity of sugar distributed by cane sugar refiners, importers and beet sugar processors in the United States in 1950 was 8,391,000 tons. However, there appears to have been considerable increase during the year in inventories in the hands of household and industrial users, wholesalers and retailers. If allowance is made for this factor, it is estimated civilians and military agencies used about 7,800,000 tons. From 1822 to 1926, per capita sugar consumption in the United States increased steadily except during wars or periods of serious business depression. Per capita consumption of sugar in 1926 was approximately 108.2 pounds, refined value, more than twelve times the 8.9 pounds consumed per person in 1822. Per capita consumption in 1929 was almost as large as in 1926, but it declined about 15 per cent from 1929 to 1934. It recovered somewhat in Deliveries by refiners and other primary distributors, adjusted for changes in invisible inventories since 1935. SOURCE: Total consumption figures from 1822 through 1934 are from Willett and Gray, "Weekly Statistical Sugar Trade Journal," converted from long tons refined sugar to short tons raw value, and are used by permission of Willett and Gray. Bureau of Census population figures were used to calculate per capita figures. Data for 1935 through 1951 from United States Department of Agriculture. Per capita figures for 1935 and later years are adjusted for change in invisible stocks. Since 1941 they represent civilian use only. Total consumption figures for 1941 and later years include use by military forces, and from 1945 through 1948, shipments for civilian relief. 1935, but from then through 1938 remained relatively stable at about 9 pounds below the peak reached during the period 1925-1929, a decrease more than offset by the per capita increase in the consumption of corn sugar and corn sirup. In 1941, per capita sugar consumption was 103.7 pounds, after adjusting the data to allow for stockpiling by users that year in anticipation of United States entry into the war. The average for the next six years, 1942-1947, the World War II period, was only 82.4 pounds. Per capita consumption in 1945 and 1946, the low point of the war period when restrictions were in effect, averaged only 74 pounds, the lowest since 1905. Use of Sugar Substitutes Grew in Wartime-A number of substitutes for cane and beet sugar are used in the United States. These include corn sugar and sirup, maple sugar and sirup, cane sirup, sorgo sirup and honey. Of these, corn sugar and corn sirup, used chiefly by food manufacturers, are by far the most important. During the World War II shortage of cane and beet sugar in the United States, a marked expansion took place in the use of various sugar substitutes. For instance, in 1942, more than twice as much corn sugar and corn sirup were sold in the United States as in 1935, corn sugar sales approximating 381,000 tons and sales of corn sirup exceeding 1,000,000 tons. While the use of these |