Cane Sugar vs. Beet Sugar | Imperial Sugar

Sugar (sucrose) is a naturally occurring carbohydrate found in every fruit and vegetable. Most of the sugar in the world comes from two sources: Sugar Cane and beets, as it is easily extracted from both and both contain large quantities of sucrose. Sugar Cane is a tropical grass that grows abundantly in warm, moist and tropical climates and can reach 10-20 feet in height. Four U.S. states produce sugar cane: Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana and Texas. A stalk of sugar cane contains 12-14% sucrose. Sugar beets contain around 16% sucrose and are grown as an underground root crop in temperate climates.

Sugar cane is harvested by chopping off the stems or canes while leaving the roots so that the plant can grow again, making it a highly stainable crop. Sugar beets are planted every year.

How Sugar is Processed

When it comes to sugar processing, the term “refined” means “to purify.” To extract sucrose from natural Sugar Cane, first the Sugar Cane is crushed between rollers to extract the juice. Next:

The extracted juice is filtered and evaporated, then further purified by filtering and boiling to remove molasses and color.
The crystals are spun in a centrifuge and evaporated to produce raw sugar.
The raw sugar is sent to a refinery where it is washed, filtered and any non-sugar ingredients are removed.
The refined Cane Sugar is crystallized, dried and packaged.
Beets are processed in a similar fashion; however it is done in a continuous process. The beets are washed and soaked in hot water to separate the juice from the fiber. The juice is purified, filtered and dried.

How Imperial Sugar’s Pure Cane Sugar is Made

All-natural Imperial Pure Cane Sugar and Dixie Crystals Pure Cane Sugar starts as sugar cane grown in Louisiana and Florida. The cane is harvested and transported to Imperial Sugar refining facilities. There, the cane is shredded, mixed with water and crushed. The resulting juice is mixed with naturally occurring minerals and allowed to dry and form crystals. At this point, the crystals are called raw sugar or turbinado. The crystals are larger than the crystals you are used to on your table and have a slight brownish color. The raw sugar is then combined with more minerals to strip away impurities. The resulting white crystal is added to water and filtered through carbon to remove final impurities. The mixture is allowed to dry to form the all-natural, Imperial and Dixie Crystals Pure Cane Sugar you rely on for your recipes and beverages.