This invention relates to the addition of N-acetylglucosamine to foods and beverages and to the use of N-acetylglucosamine as a sweetening agent. This invention also relates to foods and beverages prepared with N-acetylglucosamine and methods of preparing the same. This invention provides a preferable means of ingesting the desired daily amount of N-acetylglucosamine for its beneficial effects on the body, for example, alleviation of pain and inflammation in a patient suffering from inflammatory bowel disorder or osteoarthritis.