The low levels of sugar in the Pompeiians' diet meant they had far fewer dental problems than modern humans.
High sugar consumption has been linked to tooth decay, obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
While we have always enjoyed sweet foods such as fruit or honey, and some historical figures -- such as Britain's Queen Elizabeth I -- had famously bad teeth, sugar as an additive remained an expensive treat for centuries, not becoming widespread until the 16th century with the establishment of plantations in the West Indies and Americas.
Sugar really exploded in the 18th century, by 1750, it had surpassed grain as the most valuable commodity in Europe, making up a fifth of all imports to the continent.
Today, global consumption of sugar is forecast to hit 173.4 million metric tons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
