6 better uses for sugar than eating it

In our mass-produced, consumer-driven society, sugar is everywhere! It's being thrust at us from all directions, but there's nothing healthy about consuming too much sugar and pre-packaged confectionary produces huge amounts of damaging waste. So instead of fuelling sugar addiction, try these alternative uses for sugar. You'll save money by avoiding processed supermarket products and simultaneously cut your CO2 emissions by minimising waste.

Here are some better uses for sugar than eating it:

Homemade face or body scrub

Sugar is a natural exfoliant, leaving skin velvety soft, and by swapping store-bought face or body scrubs for homemade products you can avoid all those plastic bottles contributing to harmful waste.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of organic sugar

1/2 fresh lemon

1 tbls of olive oil or coconut oil

1 tbls of organic honey

You can also add a few drops of your favourite essential oil. I like lavender before bed or orange for a morning energy boost.

Method:

- Combine ingredients in a bowl and stir.

- Scrub face and body gently with mixture and rinse well.

- Mixture will keep for a few days in a sealed jar, but is best used straight away.

Lip scrub

Similarly to the face and body scrub, sugar can smooth dry chapped lips, naturally.

Simply combine a teaspoon of granulated sugar with a teaspoon of coconut or olive oil and rub gently over your lips then wipe away with a damp cloth. The sugar sweeps away dry skin, while the oil makes your lips extra supple.

Feed your flowers

Extend the life of your flowers by adding three teaspoons of sugar and two tablespoons of white vinegar per cup of warm water to your vase of fresh cut flowers. The vinegar prevents bad bacteria, while the sugar feeds those hungry little stems.

Soothe a burning tongue

It may sound like something Mary Poppins would prescribe, but a spoonful of sugar or sugar cube on the tongue can soothe the burning sensation caused by spicy food.

Trap flies, naturally

Rid your house of pesky flies without resorting to harsh chemicals.

Ingredients:

100 grams sugar

2 cups milk

50 grams ground pepper

Method:

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer mixture into shallow dishes or bowls and place them anywhere in or around the house where flies/fruit flies are lingering. They'll be attracted to the sweet liquid and drown.

Heal wounds

It's been a staple in African folk medicine for centuries and finally we're catching on. Applying sugar to wounds can speed up the healing process by drawing moisture from the wound and preventing harmful bacteria from thriving.

Pour granulated sugar directly onto the wound (ulcers, bed sores, burns, cuts etc.) then cover with a gauze bandage.

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