My recipe says 1 tablespoon of sugar per loaf.   This seems like too small an amount for flavor.   The recipe is as follows:   3 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons active-dry yeast 1 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons oil 1 cup water knead, wait 1 hr, knead again, wait 1.25 hr, bake for 30min @ 350   Is this for flavor, or is there another purpose?  
Sugar has a few effects in bread:   It helps make it soft and tender by absorbing some of the water and slowing down the formation of gluten strands. It feeds the yeast, resulting in a faster rise. Via caramelisation, it aids in the browning of the crust. It acts as a preservative, keeping the bread fresher for longer (though 1tbsp probably doesn't make a lot of difference). It does have some effect on the flavour.  