The First Sweets - Who Invented First Candy

Cave man made candy out of honey by drying it and forming a taffy-like concoction to satisfy their sweet tooth. It is believed that Indians were the first to use the sweet juice of sugarcane about 3000 years ago and that they were the first to make brown sugar.

Candy can be traced back as far as 2000BC to the ancient Egypt and it could be said that Egyptians were the first people who made candy. In ancient Egypt candy was used in ceremonies for worshiping their gods and goddesses. The Egyptians used honey to make candy by adding figs, nuts, dates and spices. Around the same time, Greeks used honey to make candied fruits, stems and flowers and they discovered how to make syrup out of figs and dates. The Romans and Chinese made barley sugar candies with honey that were heated or cooked in an oven.

Other forms of candy were slowly developed in other parts of the world. The spread of sugarcane, over the next few centuries, would have a major impact especially on the confectionary habits of China. In order to make new confections, the Chinese sweetened all their traditional favorites including ginger, licorice root and nuts with sugar. By the 950 A.D Arabs had invented caramel, which was originally used for hair. They built the first sugar refinery in the world. The Indians were the first to make sugar candy about 250 A.D.

In the 14th century, Venetians began to import sugar to make candy.

During the middle Ages, sugar candies became very popular. The candy was categorized and sold as a drug. Candies were exclusively for the wealthy people as sugar was very expensive.

Aside from sugar, candy was also made by combining sugar and honey with nuts. Fruit candies were made by combining fruits with sugar and sweets.

Cacao was invented in Mexico in 1519 and was brought back to Europe by the Spaniards in the country who uncovered it. But, it is recorded that Mayan people were growing cacao as early as 1200BC, but according to the new evidence cacao may have been cultivated even before that.

In the 14th century, ''chocolatl'', usually served in liquid form, was a favorite treat of the Aztecs. Christopher Columbus brought cocoa beans to Europe.

The invention of rock handy, also called sugar cane, happened in the 18th century and was used as a medicine, at first. During this time mass production of candy began to be introduced, as sugar got cheaper and machines got more efficient.