Long has man had a 'sweet tooth', and long has sugar been used to satisfy it. Natural honey was doubtless the first type of sweet food enjoyed by ancient man, although a few bee stings had to be endured. Using the Sugar Cane plant to extract sweet juices probably originated in New Guinea. Its cultivation spread westward along trade routes, to southeast Asia, India, and eventually the Middle East and Europe. The actual process used to press the cane plant to extract its juices, and boiling the juice down to crystals, was evidently first done in India about 500 BC. Today sugar cane is an important staple crop in a number of countries, and its ultimate byproduct is enjoyed by countless people worldwide on a daily basis.