Sugar beet is a root vegetable that is grown for its high sugar content. Sugar beets originated in the Mediterranean cultivated as a source of food in ancient Greece. Researched by Andreas Marggraf, a German chemist, discovered that beets contain sucrose in 1747. What ensued was the development of new industry that produced sugar from sugar beets.
The first record of sugar beets being used for sugar was in the mid-18th century and by the end of the century, sugar beet cultivation had spread to France, where Napoleon Bonaparte promoted its cultivation in an effort to reduce France's dependence on sugar imports from the West Indies.
There are several types of sugar beets that are grown around the world, with different sugar contents and growing requirements.
These beets have a white flesh and are grown mainly in North America.
Monohikari: This is a high-yielding variety of sugar beet that produces smooth, round roots with a high sugar content. It is known for its excellent taste and is commonly grown in Japan. Monohikari prefers well-drained soils and can take around 95-110 days to mature.
HM-1: This is a popular variety of sugar beet that is grown in North America. It is tolerant to diseases and produces large, uniform roots with a high sugar content. HM-1 prefers deep, well-drained soils and can take around 90-110 days to mature.
KWS Iris: This is a high-yielding variety of sugar beet that is grown in Europe. It is known for its good disease resistance and produces large, round roots with a high sugar content. KWS Iris prefers well-drained soils and can take around 110-130 days to mature.
BS-14: This is a high-yielding variety of sugar beet that is grown in India. It is known for its excellent adaptation to various agro-climatic conditions and produces large, uniform roots with a high sugar content. BS-14 prefers sandy loam soils and can take around 120-140 days to mature.
Rizor: This is a popular variety of sugar beet that is grown in the United States. It is tolerant to diseases and produces large, uniform roots with a high sugar content. Rizor prefers well-drained soils and can take around 100-120 days to mature.
These beets have a deep red flesh and are grown mainly in Europe.
Red Ace: These beets have a deep red flesh and are grown mainly in Europe.
Red Cloud: This is a popular variety of red sugar beet that is grown in Europe. It is tolerant to diseases and produces large, uniform roots with a deep red interior. Red Cloud prefers well-drained soils and can take around 80-100 days to mature.
Merlin: This is a high-yielding variety of red sugar beet that is grown in Australia. It is known for its excellent adaptability to various agro-climatic conditions and produces large, uniform roots with a deep red interior. Merlin prefers well-drained soils and can take around 90-110 days to mature.
Moulin Rouge: This is a popular variety of red sugar beet that is grown in the United States. It is tolerant to diseases and produces large, uniform roots with a deep red interior. Moulin Rouge prefers well-drained soils and can take around 60-75 days to mature.
Pablo: This is a high-yielding variety of red sugar beet that is grown in South America. It is known for its excellent adaptability to various agro-climatic conditions and produces large, uniform roots with a deep red interior. Pablo prefers well-drained soils and can take around 90-120 days to mature.
These beets are grown mainly for their high sugar content and are used in the production of confectionery products.
Magda: This is a high-yielding variety of confectionery sugar beet that produces smooth, white roots with a high sugar content. It is grown primarily in Europe. Magda prefers well-drained soils and can take around 110-130 days to mature.
Snow White: This is a popular variety of confectionery sugar beet that is grown in North America. It produces large, uniform roots with a high sugar content and is known for its excellent taste. Snow White prefers deep, well-drained soils and can take around 90-110 days to mature.
Harper: This is a high-yielding variety of confectionery sugar beet that is grown in the United States. It produces large, uniform roots with a high sugar content and is known for its excellent taste. Harper prefers well-drained soils and can take around 100-120 days to mature.
Diplomat: This is a popular variety of confectionery sugar beet that is grown in Australia. It produces large, white roots with a high sugar content and is known for its excellent adaptability to various agro-climatic conditions. Diplomat prefers well-drained soils and can take around 100-120 days to mature.
Kobold: This is a high-yielding variety of confectionery sugar beet that is grown in Europe. It produces large, white roots with a high sugar content and is known for its excellent taste. Kobold prefers well-drained soils and can take around 100-120 days to mature.
The sugar sector holds a position of considerable prominence in the global industrial landscape. This industry is not only substantial in size but also crucial, considering the wide array of products it impacts. Indeed, sugar finds its utility in an extensive assortment of goods, from confectionery to fizzy beverages, baked delicacies, and an assortment of processed foods.
Moreover, it is important to recognize the crucial role sugar beets play in this industry. To provide perspective, approximately one fifth of the world's sugar is sourced from these robust root vegetables. Therefore, sugar beets indeed have a significant contribution to global sugar production.
After the sugar beets are harvested, they are transported to sugar processing plants. At the processing plant, the sugar beets are washed, sliced, and placed into a diffuser where hot water is added to extract the sugar. The sugar solution is then filtered and purified to remove impurities. Finally, the sugar is crystallized and dried, ready for packaging and shipping.
Chemically, the sugar processed from sugar beet or sugar cane are one and the same and are classified as natural by professional food chemists. It is important however, that the consumption of sugar be limited to no more than 1 tablespoon a day regardless of whether or not the sugar is natural.
Sugar beets are a rich source of various vitamins and minerals, as well as carbohydrates. Here is a breakdown of the nutrient content of sugar beets:
Vitamins:
Minerals:
In addition to these vitamins and minerals, sugar beets also contain trace amounts of zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium.
Much of the nutrient content of a sugar beet is lost during processing. Eating raw cane sugar or molasses, can help retain some of the nutrients.
In addition to sugar, sugar beets are also used to produce molasses, a byproduct of sugar production that is used in the production of rum. Animal feed is produced from the pulp that remains after the sugar has been extracted from the sugar beet and ethanol is produced by the fermentation process.
YYes, beet tops did get used and were considered the other half of the crop before the arrival of chemically induced sugars. Beet greens are a good source of vitamins and minerals, like vitamin C, vitamin K, and iron. Beet greens are also used to make a traditional European soup called borscht.
