Tea

[Yoyoma1910]

The history of the Tea and Sugar trades are very much intertwined. They both hit European mass markets at almost the same time.

The reason you don't put sugar in your tea is probably more related to the difficulty you would have had in getting it during WW2 than some "ancient cultural tradition," as you seem to make it sound. And the reason Americans do put sugar in their tea is probably attributed to the fact that we grow it here. We grow a lot of it here.

It's the same reason New Orleanians put roasted chicory in their coffee. We had trouble getting coffee beans during the civil war. Quite frankly, its rather bitter, but sometimes desirable.