If you have a sweet-tooth like myself, you know keeping the sugar far away is the only way you won’t gain an extra 100 pounds by the end of 2013. But instead of digesting it, sugar is great for many other things that won’t give you cavities in the end.

1. It can keep your flowers looking great. Three teaspoons sugar to 2 tablespoons white vinegar per 1 quart of water is just the right mix to help your table flowers last long and look pretty.
2. Removes stains. Using a similar recipe as above, mixing vinegar, sugar, laundry detergent, and water until it becomes a paste will remove stains, even blood.
3. All-natural lighter fluid. Toss a few tablespoons over your charcoal and light it. The sugar burns off and the gas is very flammable.
4. Great exfoliate. There are tons of excellent homemade skin exfoliating recipes, and the one thing they all have in common? Sugar.
5. Gets rid of brown spots. Hate those sun spots on your hands? Combine sugar with lemon on a cotton ball, leave it on for 30 minutes, rinse, and repeat.
6. Natural pesticide. Got worms? Specifically, nematodes? Sprinkle some sugar in your garden — it acts as a natural repellent toward these pesky, garden eating parasites (This one my dad informed me of very early in life when helping with his garden).
7. Cleans greasy hands. A spoonful of sugar will take the car, bike, whatever grease off your hands in a jiffy.

Thanks to The Stir for the tidbits!