India's sweet tooth

India is the largest sugar consumer in the world. Given its population of 1.2 billion, India is among the largest consumers of much of the globe’s produce, products and services. But sugar has a special place in the Indian kitchen.

Every Indian celebration has a mandatory menu of sweets. There are precise sweets that match with specific festivals and occasions. And in parts of India, like the western state of Gujarat, desserts are eaten first. Indians are particularly partial to sugar-laden desserts dripping with ghee (Indian clarified butter), though many Westerners may find Indian sweets too sweet.

Indeed, the numbers of diabetes and heart disease-stricken Indians is rising at an alarming rate. Not surprising considering the calorie counts in each mouthful of popular Indian sweets. That delicious square of Halwa averages a whopping 550 calories. The lentil-and-sugar block of Mysore Pak has 350 calories. Laddoos, Jalebi and the syrupy Rasmalai pack between 200 and 250 calories to a mouthful. Even a tiny, gooey mound of Gulab jamun has 100 calories.

Is that stopping anybody? The rise of sugar consumption has tracked with the rising middle class. And now comes the news that this year’s drought has severely affected the sugar cane crop. The government will have to import 30 percent of its sugar requirement — India is headed for a massive sugar shortage. In the grocery stores and supermarkets sugar prices have spurted to 40 rupees ($0.85) for a kilogram.

Still, the steep prices will not deter the vast majority yearning for a sweet mouthful.

http://www.globalpost.com/notebook/india/090902/indias-sweet-tooth