Sugar is often given a bad rap, especially for children. We grow up thinking we need to limit the amount of sugar we take in because it’s bad for us. While consuming too much sugar is indeed bad for the human body, sugar can also save your life…
As the video shows, you can start a fire with sugar by mixing it with potassium permanganate and causing some friction (Potassium permanganate can be purchased from Amazon). Even without this extra ingredient to start a fire, sugar is helpful in other survival situations as well.
For starters, sugar can serve as an emergency way to treat an open wound. Simply coat the open wound with sugar and cover with a bandage, replacing the sugar and bandage every 4-6 hours.
The sugar draws the water out of the wound, which stops bacteria from growing, and may prevent infection. Be sure the wound is cleaned thoroughly and the bleeding has stopped completely first, as sugar can increase blood flow.
Sugar can also be used to preserve foods, much like its salty counterpart. Sugar acts much like salt in the way that it resists bacteria growth, making it a great preservative. Sugar is also great for a sudden burst of energy, which may be exactly what you need after a long hike.
Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, can lead to dizziness, lightheadedness, hunger and/or excessive shaking. In survival situations, this condition could easily become life-threatening, but it’s easily treatable by consuming sugar.
Last, in the event of a large-scale disaster, having sugar on hand is great for bartering. Once people get tired of eating bland food, any kind of spice will become worth its weight in gold, and this includes sugar.
Sugar isn’t the only common household item that can be handy in a survival situation; check out how Vicks VapoRub can be useful as well.
Do you know of any other survival uses for sugar that we didn’t list? Reply to your email and let us know, we would love to hear from you!
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